Gaethje sparring partner reveals details behind the uppercuts that cut Topuria

Nikita Kulishin, a key sparring partner for Justin Gaethje ahead of his fight with Illia Topuria, revealed that Gaethje's cutting uppercuts opened the same spot on Kulishin's face during camp that later opened on Topuria in round one. Kulishin explained that Gaethje's movement pattern involved faking a takedown before transitioning into uppercuts, and that deep head slips to the right were deliberately practiced because Topuria rarely throws high kicks. He also noted that Gaethje conducts most sparring sessions without headgear, which may contribute to his skin's conditioning and resistance to cuts.