Justin Gaethje defended Ilia Topuria on September 28, 2026 against claims that the Spaniard quit on his stool at UFC Freedom 250. According to the lightweight champion, Topuria’s corner stopped the fight after the fourth round because his body could not continue.
What Gaethje said
Speaking on the “One Night with Steiny” podcast, as reported by Sherdog, Yahoo Sports and EssentiallySports, Gaethje said: “He didn’t quit on the stool, his body was too compromised to continue fighting. He didn’t make the call, his coaches made the call because they’re there to protect him.” He added that his own coaches play that same role for him.
He also addressed the loaded gloves accusation. According to EssentiallySports, Topuria wrote on X after the fight: “Next time I’ll make sure they check Justin’s gloves.” Gaethje called it “clickbait, engagement”, linking it to social media habits of his opponent’s generation.
The numbers from the White House fight
The bout took place on June 14, 2026 on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C., headlining UFC Freedom 250. It unified the lightweight title: Topuria was the champion, while Gaethje held the interim belt he won by unanimous decision over Paddy Pimblett at UFC 324 on January 24, 2026.
Wikipedia records a Gaethje win by TKO via corner stoppage at 5:00 of round four, after 20 of the scheduled 25 minutes. The fight earned Fight of the Night, both men split an extra 1 million dollar crypto bonus, and Gaethje also took Performance of the Night. Gaethje moves to 28 wins and 5 losses. Topuria suffered the first loss of his pro career and now stands at 17 wins and 1 loss. He was featherweight champion from February 17, 2024 to April 12, 2025, then lightweight champion from June 28, 2025 until this fight.
An admission about Khabib Nurmagomedov
On the same podcast, reported by Actu MMA, Gaethje looked back on his loss to Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 254 on October 24, 2020. He said he won the first round on two of the three judges’ scorecards, and that it took everything he had to do it. Nurmagomedov then finished him with a triangle choke at 1:34 of round two.
Who is next at lightweight
No fight has been announced for Gaethje. Yahoo Sports reports he has not decided whether to fight again or retire after the damage he took against Topuria. EssentiallySports says Topuria’s team is pushing for an immediate rematch. Arman Tsarukyan is also in the picture: Yahoo Sports credits him with six straight wins, the latest a first-round knockout of Mauricio Ruffy at UFC 331 according to EssentiallySports. See our UFC rankings, the 2026 UFC schedule and the latest UFC results.
