UFC veteran Matt Brown says that he is worried for former UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria in his return to the Octagon.
Topuria suffered a beating at the hands of Justin Gaethje in the main event of UFC Freedom 250, a fight that he says changed the way he looks at his own face in the mirror.
Yet, despite suffering the brutal TKO loss, the UFC is said to be considering a rematch between Topuria and Gaethje.
If that happens, Brown is worried about his health.
Matt Brown Reacts to Rumors of Justin Gaethje vs. Ilia Topuria Rematch
Speaking on “The Fighter vs. The Writer,” Brown explained his concern for Topuria if the UFC books him to fight Gaethje again, even though as a fan of the sport himself, he likes running it back.
“If I’m the UFC, I don’t think that’s a bad idea. I don’t dislike it at all. It was obviously an amazing fight, and Justin Gaethje is always going to be a banger. I don’t think it’s ever a bad idea to put him in there with another guy that’s going to be a banger. I think you have to talk with Ilia Topuria though. Because I’ve read some of the things he’s talked about, how he looked at himself in the mirror, and he’s perfectly fine with himself is what he said. How life-changing it was for him (because) he was so used to winning. I don’t know if you’re read some of these comments he’s made. But those comments raised a lot of questions for me,” Brown said.
“Does he need his confidence rebuilt? If you’re the UFC, do you want him to rebuild his confidence or do you want him go in there and fight a guy like Gaethje again, who’s a (expletive) dog! If that happens to Ilia again, as much of his soul left during that first fight, can he regain some of that soul if that happens again ever? I think you need to talk with Ilia about it. Is he even up for that? Is that really what’s the right next move for Ilia? I think Ilia needs a confidence builder.”
Matt Brown Wants Ilia Topuria to Be Careful
While Brown has nothing but the utmost respect for Topuria, he wants him to be careful in his comeback, because another brutal loss for him against Gaethje could be a career-changer.
“You’ve got to realize what was taken from him that night. A lot of (expletive) pieces of him physically, mentally, spiritually left and Justin Gaethje (expletive) ate that (expletive) and spit it back out and will do it again. Not saying he’d win again but if you’re Ilia Topuria, you’ve got to be careful of that. I don’t think people understand the level of (expletive) hurt that Justin put on him. He was talking about two broken orbitals, a broken nose, a broken foot. Guys quit from one broken orbital. Guys quit from a broken nose. Guys quit from a (expletive) broken foot. Ilia (expletive) survived. He is a (expletive) survivor. He is a tough son of a (expletive). That’s clear (and) Justin made him stop on the stool,” Brown said.
UFC Veteran Worried for Ilia Topuria in Octagon Return