The war of words between Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje is getting personal.
It all started when Gaethje posted on YouTube his father John Ray Gaethje is seen saying:
“This is the biggest fight of his life but we’ve said that there or four other times. He’s fighting another little short guy and he’s done really well against [Michael] Chandler and [Rafael] Fiziev and a few others. I just see the same thing happening for this fight. This is what we trained for. This is what he put his whole life into since he was 4 years old. I’m excited and ready for it to happen.”
Topuria responded to the comments in the video by writing on X:
“Fathers hope. Champions know. I’ve heard this story before: bigger men, stronger men, better men. Men who said I was just a small guy who was about to get a lesson in humility. They all learned the truth the same way. Your son already knows who I am. On June 14th, you will too. 18-0 PAPA.”
Gaethje was not impressed with the posturing and brought up Topuria’s recent divorce.
“All that guy is, is a gimmick. He calls himself the king. He thinks he’s a God. What an annoying little bastard. I couldn’t imagine being in a room with him for 30 minutes listening to him talk about himself…and I can say this: I would leave him. That’s all I’m saying. I would leave him. No way I would put up with his s–t,” he said to Fox Sports.
Topuria then posted pictures of himself on Instagram placing a white rose at at shine of past opponents he has defeated. There is a space for a rose at a picture of Gaethje.
Along with the photos, Topuria wrote:
Casa Blanca. Rosa blanca. Y una siesta en sus jardines. No muchos podrán decir eso, Justin. The White House. A white rose. And a nap in its gardens. Not many people will be able to say that, Justin.
Now on the latest episode of UFC Freedom 250 Embedded, Topuria has fired back even more.
“Take this, Justin,” Topuria said giving double birds to the camer.
“Actually, I thought he was a great guy but since he crossed the personal line he’s not going to have my respect. He’s not going to have my team’s respect. All I’m going to need is 2 minutes in the octagon with you and I’m going to put you to sleep in front of your whole family, your country, in front of everyone,” Topuria promised.
At UFC Freedom 250, Topuria and Gaethje will unify UFC’s Lightweight titles in the main event.
