Topuria says he won't grapple Gaethje, wants to put on a show

Ilia Topuria has made clear he has no intention of taking the fight with lightweight champion Justin Gaethje to the mat, telling fans to expect an entertaining stand-up battle instead.

Topuria, ranked second in the lightweight division and first in the pound-for-pound rankings, carries a 17-1-0 record and brings a well-rounded skill set into the matchup. The 29-year-old Spaniard out of Climent Club averages 1.96 takedowns per 15 minutes, so his decision to keep the fight standing is a deliberate stylistic choice rather than a limitation. He reportedly acknowledged he could take Gaethje down and control him on the canvas, but said he prefers to put on a spectacle for the fans. He drew a parallel to his fight with Max Holloway, suggesting he had similar options in that bout and again chose the more dramatic path.

Gaethje, the reigning lightweight champion, holds a 28-5-0 record and is one of the most aggressive strikers in the division. The 37-year-old from the United States lands 6.48 significant strikes per minute at a striking accuracy of 58 percent, making him a genuine danger in any stand-up exchange. He stands five-foot-eleven with a 70-inch reach, giving him a notable size advantage over the five-foot-seven Topuria.

Holloway, ranked fourth at lightweight and ninth pound-for-pound, owns a 27-9-0 record and is himself one of the sport's elite strikers, averaging 7.2 significant strikes per minute. Topuria's reference to that prior matchup underlines the confidence he carries heading into this championship fight.

Why it matters

• Topuria's willingness to abandon his grappling game against a striker like Gaethje dramatically raises the stakes of the stand-up battle
• Gaethje's 58 percent striking accuracy is among the highest in the division, meaning Topuria's chosen terrain is the champion's strongest
• A win would cement Topuria's status as the division's top fighter while he already holds the number-one pound-for-pound spot