Gaethje's ground coach reveals UFC White House fight plan

Justin Gaethje's ground coach has opened up about the fight plan that led to one of the biggest upsets in recent UFC history at the promotion's White House event.

Jorge Santiago, who corners Gaethje alongside head coach Trevor Wittman, told Sherdog.com that controlling distance with the jab was central to stopping Ilia Topuria's forward pressure. "We knew that Topuria was going to move forward trying to fight in the pocket as always," Santiago said in the interview published Monday. "This work of controlling the distance with jabs was brilliant because it opened up Topuria in the first round."

White House security and the brabo choke that worked in camp

The Brazilian black belt, who previously won titles in Sengoku and Strikeforce, described the surreal experience of cornering at the White House, where FBI and Secret Service clearance protocols created delays between checkpoints. Santiago said the brabo choke Gaethje locked in during the fight had been a staple in training. "He was landing on everyone in training," he noted.

Santiago credited Wittman's attention to detail for Gaethje's evolution. "Trevor Wittman is a brilliant guy," he said. "He takes something positive from every training session and makes the student shine."

The coach expects Gaethje to defend the lightweight belt before retiring, with potential opponents including the winner of Conor McGregor vs. Max Holloway or a Charles Oliveira rematch for title unification.

Reported via:

• Sherdog — Coach gives behind-the-scenes glimpse of Justin Gaethje’s championship victory