Topuria Thanks His Brother for Halting the Gaethje Fight

Ilia Topuria says the stoppage that cost him his UFC lightweight title may have saved his career. He credits his brother Aleksandre for making it.

Thankful for the stop

“If he wouldn’t have stopped the fight, probably I wouldn’t be able to fight again in my life,” Topuria said.

He called the night a bad experience. Even so, he said, he still has a lot ahead of him. Hearing from a doctor that he could never fight again would have been very sad for him, because he loves what he does.

A stop he would not have called

Topuria was unable to continue against Justin Gaethje in the UFC Freedom 250 main event and lost his belt. Aleksandre apparently decided to end it, with Ilia badly hurt.

Topuria said a doctor came in during round two or three. He is not sure which.

The doctor asked whether he could see. He could not. His eye was full of blood, and he compared the feeling to thousands of crystals in it.

He said he would not have called the stop himself. He still respects his brother's choice and would have done the same, since he could not open his eyes.

A fight unlike any he knew

Topuria said he has given his whole life to the sport and has seen many sparring sessions and fights. He had never seen a fighter compete with two broken orbital bones and a broken foot.

He recalled asking himself why he could not see or breathe at one of the most important moments of his life. Across from him, in his words, stood a man with everything except good intentions, who wanted to take his head off.

Back in the cage

Topuria now seems healthy and ready to fight again. The report says there is a rough idea of when that will happen, but it gives no date and no opponent.

Source: BJPenn.com