Aleksandre Topuria consoles Ilia after Gaethje defeat: "This is a sport. You're a man"

The UFC's no-commentary version of the White House title fight shows his brother comforting him on the stool, and what his corner told him between rounds.

By Combat Sports UK Staff · Published Sat 10 Oct, 20:25 UK · AI-assisted reporting

Justin Gaethje and Ilia Topuria exchange at UFC Freedom 250 at the White House — Photo: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via MMA Mania

Ilia Topuria's brother Aleksandre consoled him on his stool after his title fight with Justin Gaethje was stopped, in a no-commentary version of the fight the UFC released on 9 October.

"You're the best, you're the best. This is a sport. You're a man, and that's what matters most," Aleksandre told him in Spanish, in the footage the UFC posted on its YouTube channel with the broadcast commentary taken out.

Gaethje stopped Topuria in the fourth round at UFC Freedom 250 at the White House on 14 June to take the lightweight title, when Topuria's corner ended the fight on the stool. It was the first defeat of Topuria's professional career. "You are a wolf, brother," his corner told him as they took his gloves off.

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Before the third round his corner told him: "Stay calm, you are winning 2 to 0." After the third, Topuria told them in English: "I can barely see anything."

The cageside doctor examined him, and referee Marc Goddard let the fight go on. "Okay, I am happy to let this go. I want to let it go. Ilia, put yourself back in the fight. Okay?" Goddard said. Before the fourth, Topuria's corner told him: "It's 2 to 1, you are winning!" He did not come out for the fifth.

Topuria said in September he had been medically cleared to begin training. Gaethje has since called him "undersized" for lightweight, and Liverpool's Paddy Pimblett, who lost to Gaethje this year, wants to fight him: "I'll beat him that bad, I'll send him back down to featherweight."