Merab Dvalishvili says his friend Ilia Topuria was “fighting blind” for most of his UFC Freedom 250 loss to Justin Gaethje after sustaining what Dvalishvili believes was an eye poke early in the first round.
Dvalishvili told MMA Fighting that the eye injury significantly altered the course of the fight.
My brother Ilia, unfortunately, he lost but he showed a great fight. Fight was really tough. Unfortunately, Ilia was fighting blind since the first round. I think one moment Justin Gaethje threw a punch like this with his thumb extended, I think he eye poked him. It was even worse and then Ilia was blind in both eyes. He wanted to keep fighting. He almost finished Justin Gaethje from the body shot. He even dropped him. If Ilia continued throwing hammerfists or throwing punches, he would finish him. But Ilia chased the submission and then Justin Gaethje somehow survived. It was a tough fight but I’m proud of my brother Ilia. He showed a great, great fight.
Topuria himself revealed after the fight that he lost vision in his right eye in the first round and his left eye by the end of the second. His corner stopped the fight between rounds four and five.
Dvalishvili added that Topuria’s loss has been difficult to process personally, saying he has had trouble sleeping since the result.