Ultimate Fighting ChampionshipWhite House event.
Gaethje survived a tough second round before taking control and forcing a corner stoppage to win the lightweight title.
UFC Freedom 250. He recently talked about exploiting certain weaknesses in Topuria’s game.
Justin Gaethje breaks the footwork pattern he adopted against Ilia Topuria
Speaking to the UFC Hall of Famer Demetrius JohnsonGaethje explained that Topuria’s limited footwork and lack of lateral movement made him a clear target throughout the fight.
“I think the best explanation for you is that his legs never change the rhythm,” Gaethje said. “He never changes the rhythm with his feet. It’s forward or backward. So at the end of the day, it’s about timing and breaking the feet. The game plan was to break the feet, especially when it’s that constant.”
Gaethje also pointed to Topuria’s confidence in the fight, which affected his mentality as the match reached the championship ring.
“These are emotional mistakes in preparation,” Gaethje added. “So he wasn’t prepared for what happened that night. And it’s his fault because he didn’t think it was possible for anyone to be with him for that long or whatever it was; he forgot who he was and how dangerous his game was. Every fight is so individual and nothing matters.”
