Justin Gaethje Fight Didn’t Make Sense to Ilia Topuria, Says Close Friend Merab Dvalishvili

Merab Dvalishvili reveals the matchups Ilia Topuria preferred over fighting Justin Gaethje to unify the belts at UFC Freedom Fights 250.

Justin Gaethje Fight Didn’t Make Sense to Ilia Topuria, Says Close Friend Merab Dvalishvili

Merab Dvalishvili talks about Ilia Topuria vs Justin Gaethje (via MSN, Heavy Sports)

In Short
  • UFC Freedom Fights 250 will feature a lightweight title unification bout between Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje on June 14th.
  • Merab Dvalishvili revealed that Topuria prefers a superfight against Islam Makhachev over facing Gaethje, calling the matchup "easy."
  • Topuria's potential fight with Makhachev fell through due to financial disagreements and both fighters accusing each other of ducking.

UFC Freedom Fights 250 is being positioned as one of the promotion’s biggest showcases in recent years. Adding to the intrigue is the headlining lightweight title unification bout between Ilia Topuria and interim champion Justin Gaethje. Former UFC bantamweight champion and Topuria’s teammate, Merab Dvalishvili, recently spoke about the upcoming matchup set to take place on June 14th.

The connection between Dvalishvili and Topuria comes from shared Georgian roots and multiple training stints together, including camps in Spain with the Climent Club team. Dvalishvili used those sessions to sharpen his boxing, while Topuria benefited from his relentless wrestling pressure. Their sparring has been notably intense, giving ‘The Machine’ direct experience of El Matador’s power and overall skill set.

Topuria has emerged as one of the UFC’s most dangerous knockout artists, finishing elite names like Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway. A fight with Justin Gaethje became the obvious next step after his win over Paddy Pimblett at UFC 324 for the interim belt. However, Dvalishvili recently explained why the lightweight champion does not find the Gaethje matchup particularly interesting.

Ilia said to me, ‘This fight stylistically is very easy for me. I wanna fight Islam.’ He was saying that if Paddy Pimblett wins, he will beat Paddy Pimblett and try to go up and fight Islam, and if Justin Gaethje wins, it doesn’t even make sense.

Merab Dvalishvili via Mighty on YouTube

One major point raised by Dvalishvili was that Topuria preferred a superfight against Islam Makhachev rather than facing the interim champion. Reports had indicated that a Topuria vs Makhachev matchup was close to being finalized before collapsing at the last moment. In the aftermath, both Topuria and Makhachev have publicly placed responsibility on each other for the fight failing to materialize.

The Georgian bantamweight also revealed that Topuria would have preferred a bout against Paddy Pimblett because of their rivalry. The tension dates back to a 2022 hotel altercation in London, where the two engaged in a physical brawl, further escalating their animosity. Dvalishvili noted that had Pimblett won at UFC 324, a fight with Topuria would have carried significant grudge match implications.

Despite the ongoing discussions, Merab Dvalishvili is recovering from his UFC 323 title loss to Petr Yan in December 2025 while continuing to train with Ilia Topuria. Dvalishvili is expected to be in Topuria’s corner for the unification bout against Justin Gaethje at UFC Freedom Fights 250. The Georgian star has remained active in camp as the 155-pound champion prepares for his inaugural title defense at lightweight.

UFC lightweight contender accuses Ilia Topuria of ducking Islam Makhachev

The potential superfight between Islam Makhachev and Ilia Topuria is widely seen as one of the biggest fights to make in the UFC today, given their dominance across divisions. However, it has faced hurdles, such as divisional commitments and weight differences, which have complicated negotiations. Since Topuria’s move toward lightweight, both fighters have repeatedly accused each other of avoiding the bout.

Ilia Topuria will be fighting Justin Gaethje at UFC 326 (via X)
Ilia Topuria will be fighting Justin Gaethje (via X)

Following recent rumors that their fight was scrapped from a proposed White House event, Topuria again accused Islam Makhachev of pulling out at the last minute. Both Makhachev and Topuria’s management later indicated the financial offer for the superfight fell short of expectations. Meanwhile, UFC veteran Beneil Dariush recently weighed in, claiming Topuria was selectively targeting Justin Gaethje instead.

Maybe it didn’t happen just because Ilia wasn’t in the right headspace and didn’t feel like fighting Islam is an easy task. So I think he looked at Justin Gaethje like a fight to pay. It’s a lot easier to gameplan for Justin Gaethje than it is for Makhachev.

Beneil Dariush via Helen Yee Sports

The ongoing confusion was later addressed by UFC CEO Dana White, who confirmed that a fight between Islam Makhachev and Ilia Topuria was never under consideration for that event. He also revealed that Makhachev is expected to return in August, while dismissing claims about a low financial offer as inaccurate. At the same time, comments from Beneil Dariush present a different angle to the feud.

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