Russian lightweight Nikita Kulshin, who served as Justin Gaethje's primary sparring partner ahead of his fight with Ilia Topuria, has described life inside the Colorado camp in detail. Kulshin noted that Gaethje trained wrestling two to three hours per week and worked on scrambles and standing, while head coach Trevor Wittman focused on foot positioning over set combinations. Gaethje trained low kicks during camp but did not go full power, which Kulshin attributed to a possible underlying injury, and high-kick work was present but not heavily emphasized.
Russian lightweight Nikita Kulshin, who served as Justin Gaethje's primary sparring partner during the Colorado camp ahead of Gaethje's fight with Ilia Topuria, has offered a detailed look inside the preparation that shaped the lightweight champion's game plan.
Gaethje, 37, carries a 28-5 record and currently holds the lightweight title under the Genesis Training Center banner. At five-foot-eleven with a 70-inch reach, he is one of the division's most prolific strikers, landing 6.48 significant strikes per minute at a 58 percent accuracy rate. His takedown output is notably sparse at 0.33 per 15 minutes, which makes Kulshin's account of the camp's grappling emphasis particularly notable. According to Kulshin, Gaethje dedicated two to three hours per week specifically to wrestling, with a focus on scrambles and remaining upright in exchanges.
Head coach Trevor Wittman, Kulshin said, steered the striking work away from fixed combinations and toward foot positioning — a detail that points to a reactive, read-and-respond approach rather than preset sequences. Low kicks were part of Gaethje's arsenal during camp, though Kulshin noted he never went full power, which Kulshin suggested could indicate an underlying physical issue. High kicks were worked but did not feature heavily in the preparation.
Waiting on the other side of that camp is Topuria, ranked second at lightweight and first pound-for-pound in the world. The 29-year-old from Spain owns a 17-1 record and fights out of Climent Club. Standing five-foot-seven with a 69-inch reach, Topuria lands 4.81 significant strikes per minute and blends his striking with a takedown rate of 1.96 per 15 minutes and 1.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes, making him a multi-dimensional threat.
Why it matters
- Gaethje's increased wrestling work directly addresses Topuria's above-average takedown and submission activity
- Wittman's focus on foot positioning over set combinations suggests a fluid, counter-oriented strategy
- The low-kick power restriction raises questions about Gaethje's physical condition heading into the bout
- The size and reach advantage Gaethje holds could factor into how both men choose to engage at range
