Justin Gaethje Stops Ilia Topuria, Wins UFC Lightweight Title
Justin Gaethje forced a corner stoppage of Ilia Topuria between rounds four and five at UFC Freedom 250 on Sunday night, claiming his first undisputed UFC lightweight championship in front of a crowd on the White House South Lawn.
Gaethje came out aggressive in the opening round, landing uppercuts off fake single-leg entries and finding a home for his right hand, per MMA Mania. Topuria fired back hard in the second, attacking Gaethje's body and nearly finishing him before following to the mat. Gaethje survived the onslaught, and Topuria's decision to hunt submissions instead of staying upright may have cost him the fight.
Topuria Fades After Second-Round Surge
The third round belonged entirely to Gaethje. Topuria looked exhausted and took much of the round off, according to the report. Gaethje kept landing clean shots and even dropped the champion. Between rounds three and four, Topuria reportedly told his corner he could not see, and the cage doctor examined him closely before allowing the fight to continue under referee Mark Goddard's supervision.
Topuria came out swinging in round four, hunting for a knockout and attempting takedowns, but Gaethje refused to let up. He continued battering Topuria's damaged face until the corner waved off the fight before the fifth round could begin.
Gaethje improves to 28-5 and rides a three-fight win streak into what could be a career-defining title defense. Topuria falls to 17-1 and suffers his first professional loss. The Spanish fighter will need to rebuild, though his ceiling remains high. No rematch has been announced.
Original reporting:
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