The undefeated Spanish-Georgian UFC champion Ilia Topuria has suffered the first defeat of his career. His bout with American Justin Gaethje became the most talked-about sporting event of recent times, even before it took place. Here is how it unfolded.
The fight was stopped at the initiative of Ilia Topuria’s cornermen. The athlete suffered an eye injury during the very first five-minute round; after the second round, doctors strongly advised against continuing the fight, though Ilia managed to endure four rounds. Following a critical 24-hour period, doctors now assess his condition as stable.
“Congratulations Justin, you said you would leave a mark on my face and you did < > But believe me, our story is far from over,” Topuria wrote on his social media accounts.
The Georgian now has a record of 17 wins—which he brought into the Octagon against Gaethje—and one defeat. Over the past year, Topuria had been focused on resolving family issues surrounding a difficult divorce. Some believe that this forced hiatus from the sport may have caused the defeat of the undefeated “El Matador,” who had previously knocked out three legends: Alexander Volkanovski, Max Holloway, and Charles Oliveira.
As for Justin Gaethje, the 37-year-old American defied all analytical predictions that had written him off due to his age and his opponent’s dominant status. Nevertheless, overnight from June 14 to 15, 2026, at the massive UFC Freedom 250 tournament held on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C., in the presence of high-ranking guests led by Donald Trump, the two superstars clashed in a bout with what is now a known outcome.
The promotion traditionally does not disclose official fighter purses. However, according to estimates by specialized US media, Topuria’s guaranteed payout exceeded Gaethje’s, with each fighter’s total earnings ranging between 2 and 4.5 million dollars.
Notably, the reaction to their compatriot’s defeat in Georgia was mixed, to say the least. While one segment of social media users wished him a speedy recovery and a rematch, another accused the athlete of “throwing the fight.”
But looking at the latter group’s opinion from a different perspective, perhaps it is simply because they cannot believe Topuria could actually lose. The 29-year-old athlete’s career is indeed outstanding. He is among the legendary 11 fighters who have managed to win championship belts in two different weight classes. Moreover, Topuria is the first to achieve this feat without suffering a single defeat.