New UFC lightweight champion Justin Gaethje reacted to his massive upset win over Ilia Topuria at UFC Freedom 250.
Despite entering the bout as a huge +400 betting underdog, Gaethje defied the odds as he beat Topuria and finished him via fourth-round TKO when Topuria’s big brother, Aleksandre, threw in the towel due to his little brother not being able to see anymore.
Gaethje capped off what was one of the best nights in mixed martial arts history with one of the most surprising upsets you will ever see in the UFC.
Justin Gaethje Reacts to Defeating Ilia Topuria
Speaking to the UFC after the fight, Gaethje shared his reaction to picking up an absolutely outstanding victory over Topuria at UFC Freedom 250.
“It feels absolutely amazing. There’s really no words that can describe it. I’ve worked so hard, sacrificed so much, and to achieve this is special for me, my family, and for everybody that believed in me since Day 1,” Gaethje said.
The veteran said he drew upon his experience in previous title fights to get him through this bout with Topuria and lead him to the finish line.
“It turns out when you want something so much, you do worse. It’s like golf, kind of. So I just took this as another fight, another dangerous opponent, that’s what I convinced myself. That I was going in there and I was going to be in danger, and I did not think about (the belt) at all,” Gaethje said.
Gaethje also said that having his parents with him at the White House and watching him pull off the unthinkable was what truly made it a special night for him.
“It was super special. My parents have sacrificed so much to allow me to have these opportunities since I was a young child. My sister follows us around, and my twin brother is one of my biggest supporters. I’ve got seven nieces, six nephews, they’re all texting me right now, I can’t wait to look at my phone. But yeah, crazy ride,” Gaethje said.
Results ➡️ t.co/4gnn4tD3ra
[ UFC Freedom 250 presented by @cryptocom & @ramtrucks ]
What’s Next for Justin Gaethje?
Following his win over Topuria, Gaethje did not make it immediately clear what would be next for him after picking up the biggest win of his career and becoming the new UFC lightweight champ.
He has said he might retire, and at age 37 and having accomplished everything there is to accomplish in MMA, it makes sense for him to step away at the top of his game, and he will never be able to top what he did at the White House, because it was a truly special moment in UFC history, and one that will simply never be replicated.
But if he does fight again, then a matchup against top contender Arman Tsarukyan is the fight that makes the most sense, as Tsarukyan is deserving of a title shot and he makes for an intriguing opponent for Gaethje.
Right now, Gaethje deserves some time off, but we’ll likely find out soon what he’s thinking is next for him in his Hall of Fame career.
Justin Gaethje Reacts to Beating Ilia Topuria at UFC White House