Ilia Topuria says he suffered four broken bones in his fight with Justin Gaethje: both orbital bones, his nose and a foot. He says he could not see or breathe properly during the bout and has not yet rewatched the fight, though he plans to review it to correct his mistakes. Topuria insists he is still the better fighter on skill, argues he was closer to finishing the fight at several points, and credits Gaethje with winning on the night. He says he never told the UFC he wanted an immediate rematch and left the choice to the promotion, while stating that the pair's story is far from over and more chapters are coming.
Ilia Topuria has revealed the full toll of his loss to Justin Gaethje, saying he fought with four broken bones: both orbital bones, his nose and a foot.
Speaking in an interview, the Spaniard said he could not see or breathe properly during the fight and has not yet rewatched it, though he plans to review the footage to correct his mistakes. Topuria credited Gaethje with winning on the night but maintained he is the better fighter on skill and argued he was closer to finishing the fight at several points. He also said he never told the UFC he wanted an immediate rematch, leaving that choice to the promotion, and insisted the pair's story is far from over.
The two met on June 14 at UFC Freedom 250, where Gaethje stopped Topuria with a fourth-round KO/TKO in a title fight.
Topuria, the former champion
Topuria, 29, is 17-1-0 and still ranked first in the lightweight division and first in the pound-for-pound list. Before the Gaethje loss, he had stopped Max Holloway in the third round at UFC 308 in October 2024 and Charles Oliveira in the first round at UFC 317 in June 2025, both title fights. He averages 4.81 significant strikes landed per minute at 48 percent accuracy, with 1.96 takedowns per 15 minutes. Fighting out of Climent Club, he stands five-foot-seven with a 69-inch reach.
Gaethje, the champion
Gaethje, 37, is 28-5-0 and holds the lightweight title. Before beating Topuria, he won a unanimous five-round decision over Paddy Pimblett at UFC 324 in January 2026. He lands 6.48 significant strikes per minute at 58 percent accuracy, well above Topuria's rate, and gives away little on the ground, averaging 0.33 takedowns per 15 minutes. He is four inches taller at five-foot-eleven, with a 70-inch reach, one inch longer than Topuria's.
Why it matters
- Topuria's account of the injuries adds context to a fight that ended in the fourth round, his only loss in 18 pro bouts.
- His decision to leave a rematch to the UFC keeps the door open without a formal request.
- The numbers show a clear stylistic contrast: Gaethje's volume and accuracy against Topuria's finishing record and added takedown threat.
