Nikita Kulshin, the main sparring partner for Justin Gaethje heading into his fight with Ilia Topuria, provided an extensive account of the training camp in Arvada, Colorado. Kulshin said Gaethje is in strong shape, works MMA wrestling roughly two to three hours per week, and that coach Trevor Wittman's focus is on foot positioning rather than set combinations. He also revealed that Gaethje trained the high kick — which dropped Topuria twice — though without heavy emphasis, and that Wittman paid Kulshin more than the agreed amount for his camp work.
Justin Gaethje's primary sparring partner has offered a detailed look inside the lightweight champion's training camp ahead of his upcoming fight with Ilia Topuria, painting a picture of a focused and well-prepared team in Arvada, Colorado.
Nikita Kulshin, who served as Gaethje's main sparring partner throughout the camp, said the 37-year-old champion is in strong physical condition. According to Kulshin, Gaethje dedicates roughly two to three hours per week specifically to MMA wrestling work, while head coach Trevor Wittman has structured the camp around foot positioning rather than drilling fixed combinations. Kulshin also revealed that the high kick — a weapon that knocked Topuria down twice in their previous encounter — was part of Gaethje's preparation, though it was not a focal point of the training. Kulshin added that Wittman paid him above the originally agreed amount for his work during camp.
Gaethje, who holds a 28-5 record and currently wears the lightweight title, is one of the division's most aggressive strikers, landing 6.48 significant strikes per minute at a 58 percent accuracy rate. The Arizona native fights out of a 70-inch reach and stands five-foot-eleven.
Topuria enters the contest ranked second in the lightweight division and first in the pound-for-pound standings, carrying a 17-1 record into the fight. The 29-year-old Spanish-Georgian contender lands 4.81 significant strikes per minute and also brings a well-rounded threat on the ground, averaging nearly two takedown attempts per 15 minutes along with 1.1 submission attempts in that same span. He stands five-foot-seven with a 69-inch reach.
Why it matters
- Gaethje's camp emphasis on foot positioning suggests a movement-based game plan against the shorter Topuria
- Wittman's decision to include but not overemphasize the high kick indicates the team is aware of Topuria's vulnerability without over-committing to one weapon
- Topuria's pound-for-pound ranking and his shot at the lightweight title give the bout significant divisional and historical stakes
