Nikita Kulishin, one of Justin Gaethje's main sparring partners heading into the Topuria fight, has revealed that Gaethje's cutting uppercuts were a central weapon in the game plan — the same punch that opened a cut on Topuria in the first round also opened a cut on Kulishin during camp. Kulishin explained that Gaethje deliberately used deep, unconventional head movement because he knew Topuria rarely throws leg kicks, allowing him to dip low safely and set up his uppercut sequences. The tactics were credited heavily to trainer Trevor Wittman, with every detail prepared meticulously in the gym.
A sparring partner of Justin Gaethje has pulled back the curtain on the tactical blueprint that helped the lightweight champion defeat Ilia Topuria, revealing that a specific uppercut was at the heart of the game plan built by trainer Trevor Wittman.
Nikita Kulishin, one of Gaethje's primary training partners in the lead-up to the fight, disclosed that the cutting uppercuts Gaethje employed were no accident. The same punch that opened a cut on Topuria during the bout had already drawn blood from Kulishin in the gym, signaling how sharp and deliberate the preparation had been. Kulishin also explained that Gaethje's deep, unconventional head movement was a calculated decision rooted in scouting — because Topuria rarely throws leg kicks, Gaethje could dip low without the usual risk, creating the angles needed to load and land his uppercut sequences.
Gaethje, now 28-5, holds the lightweight title at 37 years old. Fighting out of Genesis Training Center, the Arizona native has long been one of the division's most relentless strikers, landing 6.48 significant strikes per minute at a 58 percent accuracy rate — numbers that reflect a fighter whose power and output are elite even at the championship level.
Topuria, currently ranked second in the lightweight division and first in the pound-for-pound standings, entered the fight at 17-1 carrying a reputation as one of the sport's most dangerous finishers. The 29-year-old Spaniard, who fights out of Climent Club, lands 4.81 significant strikes per minute and mixes his striking with 1.96 takedown attempts per 15 minutes, making him a multidimensional threat at five-foot-seven with a 69-inch reach.
Why it matters
- Wittman's tactical fingerprints are now clearly visible on one of the division's biggest recent upsets
- Gaethje's willingness to use unorthodox head movement exploited a specific defensive gap in Topuria's game
- The revelation raises questions about how Topuria and his team may adjust heading into his next campaign at lightweight
