Ilia Topuria was immediately transported to a local hospital in Washington D.C. following his brutal fight and loss to Justin Gaethje in the UFC White House main event, News.Az reports, citing MMA Fighting.
The now former UFC lightweight champion sustained severe damage to both eyes, with significant swelling that almost stopped the fight after the third round. He also absorbed a devastating knee to the body at the end of the fourth round, which led his coaches to stop the contest. That stoppage resulted in Gaethje being crowned the new undisputed champion.
After the event, UFC CEO Dana White provided an update on Topuria’s condition and also addressed plans for his future following what was the first loss of his professional career.
“We literally had him get out of the octagon before the hand was even raised and sent him to the hospital,” White said at the UFC White House post-fight press conference. “Ilia’s in the hospital. He’s busted up. 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. I’m just assuming.
“My plans are for him to go home and rest and recover. Take his time and tonight was a rough night for him. I just want to make sure he’s healthy and good and not even thinking about him fighting again. I just want him to go home and relax and rest and heal.”
Following a fast start for Topuria to open the fight, which included a near finish in the second round, it appeared that his conditioning was running short as Gaethje really started dishing out some damage.
With his left eye nearly closed after the third, Topuria had to receive an examination from the ringside physician just to see if he could even safely continue in the fight.
To his credit, Topuria looked better at the start of the fourth round but Gaethje just continued hammering away at him, landing devastating shots and that brutal knee just before the horn sounded.
Topuria made it to his corner but it didn’t take long for his coaches to wave off the fight and prevent “El Matador” from absorbing any more damage.
The loss is the first of Topuria’s career and now he’ll have to assess his physical condition after the fight to determine how long he’ll be out of action before plotting his next move in the UFC.
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