Ilia Topuria: “I stopped him twice”

Justin Gaethje was the latest guest on the Joe Rogan podcast after his stunning win over Ilia Topuria at UFC Freedom 250.

‘The Highlight’ handed Topuria the first defeat of his career, and also produced one of the greatest performances in MMA history.

Not many had given the American a chance of winning against the dominant force that was Topuria. However, Gaethje beat Topuria up for four rounds before ‘El Matador’s’ corner stopped the fight.

While Gaethje and his coach, Trevor Wittman, were discussing the win at the White House, ‘The Highlight’ claimed that Topuria wanted to quit the fight before his corner stopped it.

The moment came right at the end of the third round. Topuria’s eyes had swollen and his face was in terrible shape. The doctor checked on the former lightweight champion and almost suggested that he couldn’t continue.

Referee Marc Goddard came in and ‘El Matador’ continued the fight, but Gaethje claims one of Topuria’s statements indicated he didn’t want to continue:

“He wanted out. He wanted out. You know for a fact you do not ever as a fighter say ‘I cannot see’, it’s over. And he was counting on that. He had already stated it, he didn’t need to say it again.”

Topuria told the doctor he couldn’t see, but then continued fighting after changing his mind. Gaethje was asked if Goddard making Topuria fight wasn’t something the champion expected, but ‘The Highlight’ suggested that ‘El Matador’ changed his mind after that moment:

“It might have been like the devil on his shoulder trying to get him out, and then he reevaluated it, rethunk it, and had to keep fighting.”

Gaethje added that he stopped Topuria twice that night, and doubled down on it:

“I stopped him twice. I stopped him twice that night, no doubt about it.”

Check out Justin Gaethje’s take on stopping Ilia Topuria below:

Justin Gaethje unlikely to fight this year

There’s a lot of interest now regarding Justin Gaethje’s next fight, and who he defends the belt against.

However, the new UFC lightweight champion doesn’t believe he will be fighting anything in 2026.

Gaethje already defeated Paddy Pimblett in January to set up his fight against Ilia Topuria, and ‘The Highlight’ told Pat McAfee there’s a very slim chance of his next fight being in 2026:

“I already fought twice this year, and very rarely do you get me twice in one year. So there’s a very, very small chance that I would ever consider fighting this year again. What I put myself through.”