Ilia Topuria Believes Justin Gaethje Will Bring Something New to UFC White House
Ilia Topuria is expecting a completely different Justin Gaethje when the octagon door shuts at UFC Freedom 250.
The undisputed lightweight champion will lock horns with the current and two-time 155-pound titleholder Gaethje on June 14 on the South Lawn of the White House.
Topuria has predicted a first-round knockout, and Gaethje is expected to drag the fight into the championship rounds and force “El Matador” into deep waters. The 37-year-old will be hoping Topuria slows down as the fight progresses so that he can create the kind of chaos that “El Matador” has never witnessed before.
“The Highlight” had initially said that he plans on going forward against Topuria, as most of the latter’s past opponents got knocked out by Topuria while they tried to fight back. While on paper this might look like a bad idea, all Gaethje needs is the perfect combination to trouble and put pressure on Topuria. However, Gaethje is also playing with fire and is aware of the consequences.
During fight week, when “The Highlight” was asked about his game plan for the June 14 lightweight title unification bout, he said he doesn’t intend to reveal it before the fight. So fans will need to wait until the weekend to see what magic he will bring to the octagon to compel and dethrone “El Matador.”
Meanwhile, Topuria believes he already knows what Gaethje has in mind.
Ilia Topuria breaks down how he sees the Justin Gaethje bout playing out
On media day, Ilia Topuria opined that he expects to fight a completely different version of Justin Gaethje, who will be more calculated and less reckless. The 29-year-old believes Gaethje is well-rounded, and this weekend he would try to showcase everything he’s got in his arsenal. Despite that, Topuria remains confident about knocking the American out in the first round. He said:
“I think we are expecting a completely different Justin than we’re used to. He is going to show up in a completely different style. He is going to try to wrestle. He is going to throw hard kicks, inside leg kicks, outside, and high kicks. He would try to go to the later rounds [where he thinks he thrives].”
Check out Ilia Topuria’s comments below:
