UFC lightweight champion Justin Gaethje defended rival Ilia Topuria, saying that his opponent “didn’t quit on the stool” at UFC Freedom 250.
In what was a monumental upset, Gaethje defeated Topuria via fourth-round TKO in the main event of UFC Freedom 250 in June when Topuria’s corner threw in the towel and called a stoppage due to an accumulation of damage to their fighter.
But there are still many fans and fighters who believe that Topuria quit on the stool that night. Not Gaethje, however.
Justin Gaethje Defends Ilia Topuria
Speaking on the “One Night with Steiny” podcast, Gaethje made it clear that his rival did not quit on the stool that night, and that the decision to stop the bout was fully his corner’s call.
“He didn’t quit on the stool, his body was too compromised to continue fighting. He didn’t make the call, his coaches made the call because they’re there to protect him. My coaches are in my corner to protect me in those times,” Gaethje said.
“He didn’t quit on the stool, his body was too compromised to continue fighting. He didn’t make the call, his coaches made the call because they’re there to protect him.
Is a Rematch Next?
With all of that in mind, will a rematch between Gaethje and Topuria be next? It’s possible, even though Arman Tsarukyan deserves to fight for the belt more than Topuria does right now, given that Tsarukyan has won six straight fights while Topuria just lost to Gaethje.
But we also know that the UFC is all about making the biggest fights possible, and if the promotion truly believes that the biggest fight in the lightweight division right now is a rematch between Gaethje and Topuria, then the UFC will book that fight, and Tsarukyan will have to wait around a bit for his long-awaited title shot.
First, though, we need to know if Gaethje will even fight again, because he has not made up his mind about retiring or coming back for one more fight. He took quite a bit of damage in the Topuria fight despite winning it, so he may ultimately decide to walk away from the sport. But it will be his call, and the UFC is giving the champ time to make his decision.
Justin Gaethje Defends Ilia Topuria: ‘Didn’t Quit on the Stool’