Georgian-Spanish mixed martial arts fighter Ilia “El Matador” Topuria suffered his first UFC loss on June 14, surrendering his lightweight title to American fighter Justin Gaethje at an event hosted and attended by U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House as part of celebrations marking the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence.
Gaethje landed several heavy strikes early in the opening round, damaging Topuria’s right eye and affecting his vision. Despite the injury, Topuria mounted a strong response in the second round to Gaethje, connecting with several powerful punches that nearly defeated the American fighter before the bell.
The fight ultimately turned in the fourth round when Gaethje secured a takedown. Following the round, Topuria’s corner said they were ending the contest. As a result, Gaethje was declared the winner by technical knockout and became the new UFC lightweight champion.
Topuria, severely bruised, was taken to the hospital immediately after the fight amid concerns that he may have suffered a bone fracture around his eye.
The defeat marks the first loss of Topuria’s professional career. Across 17 wins, he had built one of the most remarkable unbeaten records in UFC history. In February 2024, he challenged Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298 for the UFC Featherweight Championship, winning via second-round knockout.
He vacated the featherweight title in February 2025 so he could move up to the lightweight division. Topuria then became the UFC Lighweight Champion by defeating champion Charles Oliveira via a first-round knockout in June 2025, becoming the first fighter in UFC history to claim two divisional titles while remaining undefeated.
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