Justin Gaethje is not losing sleep over Ilia Topuria’s cheating accusation.
Topuria announced Wednesday on social media that he has been medically cleared to fight again. In the same post, he suggested Gaethje put something on his gloves at UFC Freedom 250 in June. Gaethje stopped Topuria at the White House event, taking the lightweight title and handing “El Matador” the first loss of his career.
Gaethje answered by calling the claim a lame excuse. Speaking with Joy Of Everything, he sounded more amused than angry.
Nope. No, I’m just enjoying being the champ.
He does not think anyone is buying it.
People don’t believe that. I’ve done that to everybody’s face that I’ve fought.
Topuria left the fight with facial fractures, and his return timetable stayed unclear for months. He now wants Gaethje again. Gaethje expects his next title defense in early 2027, and he says he would take the rematch if the UFC books it.
We’ll see. Time will tell. Am I willing to? I just beat the —- out of him, of course, I would.
Topuria said nothing about the gloves in the three months after the fight. Gaethje allows that the accusation might simply be Topuria stirring up rematch talk. If so, he says there is a better way to go about it.
That’s not the way to do it.
