Ilia Topuria is ready to keep it simple when he faces Justin Gaethje on June 14, preferring to let his fighting do the talking.
Topuria and Gaethje have both shown plenty of fire ahead of their lightweight title unification clash at ‘Freedom 250’.
Despite their confidence, things haven’t really become personal between the two titleholders ahead of their meeting.
Gaethje may have shifted that dynamic a bit when he brought up Topuria’s divorce, suggesting that his opponent was more of a “gimmick” based on how he presents himself.
Ilia Topuria fires a warning shot at Justin Gaethje ahead of White House card
Topuria had stepped away from the sport late last year to focus on what he described as a “difficult moment in his personal life,” which led to the interim title being introduced. Gaethje went on to claim that belt in January.
Following some pointed remarks from Gaethje about Topuria’s time away, the undefeated champion responded with a message on Instagram.
The tension between the two has been clear in the build-up, and it was only heightened when Topuria posted a video of himself placing a white rose on a mural of Gaethje, something ‘The Highlight’ didn’t appreciate.
He’s even gone as far as changing his Instagram bio to reflect an 18-0 record, despite not yet having faced Gaethje – a move that fits his usual approach.
The 29-year-old has always shown this kind of belief heading into fights, and we’ll likely see more of it during fight week. That confidence might only serve to get under Gaethje’s skin even further.
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