One punch in the first round. That was all Justin Gaethje needed to make history. 🥊
In the South Lawn of the White House — the biggest stage the UFC had ever used — Gaethje opened a cut above Ilia Topuria’s eye that kept worsening round after round until it took away his vision. Topuria endured, attempted two submissions, and refused to surrender, but the loss of vision was already irreversible: before the fifth round, his brother Aleksandre threw in the towel from the corner. Topuria ended up hospitalized with orbital injuries and a brutal diagnosis: no fight for at least six months. 😓
Gaethje was crowned undisputed lightweight champion on his third attempt, with Donald Trump and Melania seated in the front row celebrating every punch. The Hispanic-Georgian, who had arrived in Washington with a perfect 17-0 record and all the confidence in the world, left with the first defeat of his career and the belt in the hands of the rival who days earlier had mocked his personal life. The biggest stage of his career ended up being his worst night. 🏆