A lot will be said about Ilia Topuria’s team stopping the fight between rounds. That’s the reality of MMA. In boxing, it’s understood that sometimes the you and/or the people who know you best have to protect you from yourself.
Ilia was seconds away from finishing Justin Gaethje in Round 2. He seemed to have emptied the gas tank chasing it.
Gaethje weathered the storm, as he does better than almost anyone in the sport, and took over in Round 3 dropping and almost finishing Ilia.
Then in between rounds Topuria survived a near doctor stoppage and argued to continue fighting.
Both men then continued to find moments of success in round 4.
And at the very end of the round Gaethje landed a brilliantly brutal knee to Ilia’s body.
Ilia walks back to the corner and looked as though his brother, and his team made the decision.
Live to fight another day.
It was an absolute war.
Two fighters willing to give everything they had.
Congratulations to Ilia on an incredible fight, and congratulations to Justin on a remarkable win to become the undisputed champion 👏🏼