Ilia Topuria Analyzes ‘Really Weird’ Justin Gaethje Ahead of Title Unifier at the White House Event

UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria analyzes the "really weird" style of his upcoming title challenger Justin Gaethje.

Ilia Topuria Analyzes ‘Really Weird’ Justin Gaethje Ahead of Title Unifier at the White House Event

Ilia Topuria analyzes Justin Gaethje's fighting style [via Bloody Elbow and UFC.com]

In Short
  • Ilia Topuria will face Justin Gaethje in a lightweight title unification bout at UFC Freedom 250.
  • Topuria describes Gaethje's striking style as unconventional and difficult to simulate in training.
  • Topuria is confident in his ability to win, having updated his record to 18-0 before the fight.

Interim UFC lightweight champion Justin Gaethje is not an easy man to best on the feet. Many have tried, few have survived, and even fewer have succeeded. Now, UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria has given fans insight into why it’s so difficult to fight ‘The Highlight’.

Topuria and Gaethje are scheduled to fight in a lightweight title unification bout at the UFC Freedom 250 event. Gaethje won the right to face Topuria after beating Paddy Pimblett in the main event of the UFC’s first Paramount card.

The American fighter shut down Pimblett in the striking department, with the Scouser barely able to mount any meaningful offense. According to ‘El Matador’, it all comes down to how unconventional ‘The Highlight’ can be on the feet.

He throws punches from very strange angles, drops His hands when he throws with the other. He’s weird, it’s weird, it’s weird. Really weird.

Ilia Topuria on Justin Gaethje’s style

Topuria also said that this unconventionality also makes it really difficult for his training partners to simulate Gaethje’s style and rhythm. The UFC lightweight champion even admitted to feeling sorry for his training partners because of this.

This unorthodox style of striking was on full display at UFC 324. Gaethje’s odd style of slipping punches by dipping his head led to Paddy Pimblett having a miserable time landing anything on the American. Moreover, the way interim champion dips his head also helps him block any incoming shots from grapplers.

That said, it’s unlikely Ilia Topuria employs a grappling heavy offense at the White House. In fact, it seems the Spaniard is already preparing to counter Gaethje’s infamous head movement. At least if one is to believe his teammate, Guram Kutateladze.

This is gonna happen to him. To Gaethje. With his [Topuria’s] uppercut, 100%.

Guram Kutateladze on how Ilia Topuria plans to knock out Justin Gaethje

Strikes down the middle are definitely an effective way to counter Gaethje’s elusiveness. Paddy Pimblett had some success with strikes of those kind. However, he has neither the timing or accuracy of Ilia Topuria.

It is because of this reason that a lot of people in the sport, fans and experts alike, are picking Topuria to win. Furthermore, a close friend revealed that the Spaniard believes the booking decisions leading to this fight made no sense. Perhaps that is why the champion is acting like the result of this fight is a foregone conclusion.

Ilia Topuria updates his Instagram bio to 18-0 before fight with Justin Gaethje

The UFC lightweight champion is brimming with confidence ahead of his upcoming fight. Ilia Topuria is confident that he will win the fight at the White House. In fact, he believes it will be so quick that he warned POTUS Donald Trump to not blink or fix his hair during the fight.

Ilia Topuria knocking out Charles Oliveira at UFC 317
Ilia Topuria knocking out Charles Oliveira at UFC 317 (via BBC)

Recently, the Georgian-Spanish fighter made a subtle yet telling change to his Instagram profile. This harkens back to when Topuria threw a celebration of his win over Charles Oliveira, before the fight. This time, the lightweight champion has already updated his record to 18-0, months before he is scheduled to fight.

Topuria’s confidence has remained one of the biggest points of discussion throughout his career. Even though several fans have dubbed him as cocky or arrogant, his confidence is backed up by his perfect 17-0 record.

Moreover, every claim that the lightweight champion has made, he has delivered on. He became the first person to knock out Max Holloway and finished Oliveira in the first round; like he said he would. Hence, so far, betting against the Spaniard has proven to be the unwise choice.

That said, he defends his lightweight belt for the first time, at the White House no less. His opponent Justin Gaethje is a fighter who is accustomed to title fights on the biggest stages. So will the champion’s crisp striking prevail? Or will ‘The Highlight’ become the first person to beat ‘El Matador’?

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