UFC Freedom 250: Ilia Topuria left almost unrecognizable after grisly Justin Gaethje loss, transported to hospital
· Yahoo Sports
Ilia Topuria’s first UFC loss was a brutal one. And one that won’t soon be forgotten.
Visit sweetbonanza.qpon for more information.
The now-former UFC lightweight champion suffered a shocking upset at the hands of Justin Gaethje on Sunday in the main event of UFC Freedom 250, faltering in bloody fashion on the South Lawn of the U.S. White House in Washington, D.C.
For Topuria, it was a stunning scene. The 29-year-old Spanish-Georgian talent entered the weekend as the No. 2 pound-for-pound fighter in the world and was widely seen as nearly untouchable, buoyed in part by his unbeaten run across two weight divisions. During that run, Topuria knocked out a slew of legitimate MMA legends — Alexander Volkanovski, Max Holloway and Charles Oliveira — en route to picking up UFC gold at both 145 pounds and 155 pounds.
But Topuria’s fortunes changed swiftly on Sunday, as Gaethje repeatedly pummeled the former champ, badly swelling up Topuria’s face and painting him in crimson.
After the cageside doctors nearly stopped the bout between the third and fourth rounds, Topuria’s corner finally called a halt to the contest before the fifth, leaving Topuria battered, bruised and nearly unrecognizable.
UFC CEO Dana White revealed post-fight that Topuria was transported to the hospital immediately after the event.
Unsurprisingly, White expects Topuria to be out for quite some time.
“Ilia’s in the hospital. He’s busted up,” White said at the event’s post-fight press conference. “I’m not a doctor, but his eye looked like he probably has a broken orbital. I don’t know that, that’s not a fact, but I’m assuming.
“My plans for him are to go home and rest, recover and take his time. Tonight was a rough night for him — I just want to make sure he’s healthy and good, and I’m not ever thinking about him fighting again. I just want him to go home and relax and rest and heal.”
More photos from the grisly aftermath of Sunday’s bout can be seen below, though be warned, they are not for the faint of heart.
Jeff Bottari via Getty ImagesAndrew Harnik via Getty Images