Justin Gaethje believes Ilia Topuria made critical mental mistakes in the lead-up to their UFC Freedom 250 lightweight title fight, suggesting the former champion underestimated the danger of their matchup.
Gaethje defeated Topuria at the White House earlier this year to capture the UFC lightweight championship in a major upset. In the buildup to the fight, Topuria and his team reportedly held a premature celebration of what they believed would be a victory.
Speaking on the Double Coverage Podcast this week, Gaethje revealed that he noticed warning signs during their media appearances and felt Topuria's approach could ultimately backfire.
“There was a lot a lot of times we were just doing interviews (where) I was like, ‘Hey you're doing this wrong man, like this could backfire’ and yeah, it was awesome, it worked.”
According to Gaethje, Topuria's confidence and preparation may have caused him to lose sight of the unpredictable nature of mixed martial arts. However, the newly crowned lightweight champion was quick to emphasize his respect for Topuria's abilities and potential to bounce back.
“He is so skilled,” Gaethje said. “And whoever fights him next is going to be (in trouble). If he forgets how dangerous this sport (is), how there's a little bit of luck and chance, then he's going to maybe become and make mistakes and not be his best or as locked in as he should be.”
Despite his criticism of Topuria's mindset heading into the fight, Gaethje made it clear that he considers the Spanish fighter one of the best competitors in the world.
“Outside of that, without those mental mistakes. you know he is one of the best in the world…there's no doubt about it,” Gaethje said.
“Everything I say that I'm never talking about the guy because he's so good, I want to see him come back, I want to see him thrive, I want to see him prosper.”
Gaethje Draws Parallels Between His Own Setback and Topuria's Future
Gaethje also reflected on his own career setbacks, particularly his knockout loss to Max Holloway at UFC 300. He believes Topuria can use the loss as motivation to rebuild and inspire fans through his next chapter.
The former interim lightweight champion explained that his own journey from a devastating defeat to winning the UFC title provides a relatable example of what Topuria could accomplish.
“The reason that my story was so significant and so relative and relatable was because I failed. (I) got knocked out by Max Holloway (at UFC 300), came back, believed in myself and came back and was able to achieve the championship and he has the same opportunity to to inspire the world through what he's going to do next. So that's really what I'm most excited to see.”
Gaethje acknowledged that the sport's unpredictable nature means Topuria still has an opportunity to silence his critics and return to the top of the lightweight division.
“The sport's crazy, so again he has the same opportunity to prove everybody wrong and so I think he's good enough to do that.”
