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Nikita Kulishin, one of Justin Gaethje's main sparring partners ahead of the Topuria fight, revealed that Gaethje's cutting uppercuts were a central weapon in camp — the same punch that opened a cut on Topuria's eye in the first round had previously cut Kulishin in sparring in the same spot. Kulishin explained that Gaethje deliberately practiced exaggerated head dips to his right, exploiting the fact that Topuria rarely throws high kicks, allowing him to safely dip low and attack from angles. The tactic, developed by coach Trevor Wittman, also involved a fake wrestling shot that transitioned into uppercuts, a sequence that was drilled dozens of times in preparation.
AgentMMA.com
