Ilia Topuria has revealed he lost vision in both eyes during his UFC Freedom 250 loss to Justin Gaethje and has vowed to return for a rematch after suffering the first defeat of his professional career.
Topuria posted a statement on Instagram following Sunday’s corner stoppage at the White House.
Justin, congratulations. You said you’d leave your mark on my face… and you did. You took the sight from my right eye in the first round, and by the end of the second, from my left too. No excuses. I had one of the best camps of my life. I came in sharp, prepared, and ready. Last night was your night. That’s the nature of this game. Glory and pain walk side by side. I’ll heal. I’ll rest. And I’ll return stronger, wiser, and far more dangerous. And trust me… this story between us is far from over. We will have our rematch.
Topuria’s corner stopped the fight between rounds four and five after he absorbed heavy damage throughout. The fight was nearly stopped at the end of round three when Topuria told the doctor he could not see, though he protested and passed a brief vision check that allowed the bout to continue.
Topuria had entered UFC Freedom 250 as a heavy favorite and the widely regarded number one pound-for-pound fighter in MMA, having knocked out Alexander Volkanovski, Max Holloway, and Charles Oliveira in consecutive title defenses. He drops to 17-1 with the defeat.