Justin Gaethje and his head coach have been thoroughly analyzing Ilia Topuria’s previous fights to gain a comprehensive understanding of the challenge posed by “El Matador.” Gaethje, the interim lightweight champion, is set to face the reigning 155-pound titleholder, Topuria, in the main event of UFC 250 next weekend.
“The Highlight” has previously outlined his fight strategy. Gaethje intends to control the pace and advance against Topuria on June 14th. He believes that Topuria’s past opponents faltered when moving backward, leading to their defeat. To avoid a similar outcome, Gaethje plans to maintain forward pressure, seeing it as the key to overcoming “El Matador.”
Justin Gaethje’s Head Coach, Trevor Wittman, Identifies a Key Tendency in Ilia Topuria
Justin Gaethje’s coach, Trevor Wittman, offers valuable advice and crucial insights to his fighter ahead of their title unification bout. Recently, Gaethje and Wittman reviewed Topuria’s 2022 knockout victory over Jai Herbert in the second round. This fight was a fierce striking exchange where Topuria initially struggled and faced significant adversity but consistently pressed forward. After trapping Herbert against the cage and landing a damaging body shot in the second round, Topuria delivered a powerful right hook that knocked Herbert out cold before he even hit the mat.
Wittman noted that during that fight, Topuria was dropped by a head kick. However, as soon as Herbert attempted to capitalize, Topuria managed to secure a leg takedown. Reflecting on this moment, Gaethje’s head coach stated:
“Sometimes he’ll wrestle, and usually when he does, it’s because he’s been hurt.”
Trevor Wittman further explained that when Topuria engages in combinations, he “throws everything at 100%,” a fact Gaethje must respect. Wittman emphasized that his current role as Gaethje’s head coach is to study past footage, identify patterns, and understand why Topuria often resorts to wrestling when hurt. The objective is to pinpoint the triggers behind these reactions and comprehend Topuria’s fighting style without being drawn into a bout that favors “El Matador.” Wittman concluded:
“We are not gonna fight his fight. We wanna fight our fight. Ilia is a superstar, but heโs 100% human, and weโre going to show him that night.”
