Ilia Topuria has stated he will not wrestle in his upcoming bout with Justin Gaethje. While Topuria believes he could take Gaethje down and submit him, he wants to deliver a more spectacular performance for the fans. Topuria noted he could have taken the same approach against Max Holloway but chose to make that fight more exciting as well.
Ilia Topuria has revealed he is deliberately setting aside his grappling game ahead of his upcoming lightweight bout with Justin Gaethje, choosing to engage on the feet in order to produce a more entertaining performance for fans.
Topuria, 29, holds a 17-1-0 record and sits second in the lightweight division while carrying the number-one pound-for-pound ranking. The Spaniard, who trains out of Climent Club, stands five-foot-seven with a 69-inch reach. He averages 1.96 takedowns per 15 minutes and attempts submissions at a rate of 1.1 per 15 minutes, making his decision to shelve that dimension of his game a deliberate strategic sacrifice rather than a limitation. He stated directly that he believes he could take Gaethje down and submit him, but that delivering a spectacular showing matters more to him than taking the easier path.
Justin Gaethje, nicknamed "The Highlight," is the reigning lightweight champion at 37 years old with a record of 28-5-0. The Arizona-based fighter stands five-foot-eleven with a 70-inch reach and lands 6.48 significant strikes per minute at a 58 percent accuracy rate. He has never attempted a submission in his UFC career, making him a pure striker who is more than comfortable meeting Topuria where Topuria apparently wants to meet him.
Topuria added that he took the same fan-first approach in his fight with Max Holloway. Holloway, ranked fourth at lightweight and ninth pound-for-pound, carries a 27-9-0 record and lands a remarkable 7.2 significant strikes per minute, so that context underlines the level of striking competition Topuria has already chosen to stand and trade with.
Why it matters
- Topuria voluntarily removing his grappling removes his most statistically active weapon against a champion who has never attempted a submission
- Gaethje's 58 percent striking accuracy is the highest of the three fighters involved, giving him a meaningful edge if the fight stays on the feet
- A pure striking contest between the top pound-for-pound fighter and the lightweight champion raises the divisional stakes considerably
