New Footage: Topuria Told His Corner He Could Barely See
Justin Gaethje beat Ilia Topuria on the South Lawn of the White House in June and captured the undisputed lightweight title in an upset. The bout headlined the UFC Freedom 250 card on June 14. Now a new version of the fight footage shows what happened in Topuria's corner as the fight went on.
The second round and the new footage
'The Highlight' survived a dangerous second round before taking over and landing heavy damage on Topuria's face over the final two rounds. On Friday, the UFC released a behind-the-scenes version of the fight with no commentary and with extra corner camera footage between rounds and during key moments.
One moment in the new footage comes after the third round, in which Gaethje landed heavily on Topuria. Back on his stool, the former two-division champion tells his corner, which included his brother Alexandre, that he can barely see anything. That admission brings the ringside doctor into the corner, and the doctor moves to wave the fight off.
The referee gives Topuria one more chance
Referee Mark Goddard, however, decided to let Topuria decide his own fate. He told the doctor and the fighter that he was happy to let the bout go on, and urged Topuria to put himself back into the fight. Topuria went back out for the next round.
Since the win, Gaethje has not decided whether he will return for a title defense or retire on top. If he does fight again, the likely opponent is No. 1 contender Arman Tsarukyan. Topuria, meanwhile, has only just begun training again, and his return is not expected before 2027.