Ilia Topuria Must Beat Gaethje Cleanly and Without Damage to Elevate His Star Power

Ilia Topuria faces a uniquely demanding task against Justin Gaethje: no fighter has ever gotten through Gaethje cleanly, including Khabib Nurmagomedov, who lost a round on the scorecards, absorbed significant leg kicks, and took heavy shots to the head. Gaethje has scored knockdowns in 13 of his 15 UFC bouts and has either knocked down, finished, or badly hurt opponents in 14 of those 15 fights. For Topuria to reach a new level of stardom, he must achieve what no one else has — winning every round without hitting the canvas or absorbing serious damage.