Justin Gaethje and his head coach have been meticulously studying Ilia Topuria’s past performances to better understand the challenges he presents. Gaethje, the interim lightweight champion, is set to face the reigning 155-pound titleholder, Topuria, in the main event of UFC 250 on June 14th.
“The Highlight” has previously outlined his fight strategy, which involves controlling the tempo and advancing against Topuria. Gaethje believes that many of Topuria’s previous opponents were caught off guard while retreating, leading to their defeat. To avoid a similar outcome, Gaethje intends to press forward, viewing this as the key to overcoming “El Matador.”
Trevor Wittman Identifies a Key Tendency in Ilia Topuria’s Fighting
Justin Gaethje’s coach, Trevor Wittman, has shared valuable insights and advice with his fighter ahead of the title unification bout. Gaethje and Wittman recently reviewed Topuria’s knockout victory over Jai Herbert in the second round of their 2022 encounter. This fight was a significant slugfest where Topuria faced considerable adversity and was outstruck early on but consistently pushed forward. After trapping Herbert against the cage and landing a damaging body shot, Topuria secured the knockout with a powerful right hook.
During that fight, Topuria was knocked down by a head kick. However, as soon as Herbert attempted to capitalize, Topuria managed to secure a takedown. Commenting on this pivotal moment, Gaethje’s head coach observed:
“Sometimes he’ll wrestle, and usually when he does, it’s because he’s been hurt.”
Wittman further noted that when Topuria commits to striking combinations, he unleashes his power at “100%,” a factor Gaethje must acknowledge. Wittman’s current focus, as Gaethje’s head coach, is to meticulously analyze past footage, identify patterns, and understand the triggers behind Topuria’s tendency to resort to wrestling when hurt. The ultimate goal is to comprehend Topuria’s fighting style without getting drawn into a fight that favors “El Matador.” Wittman, also the founder of ONX Sports, concluded:
“We are not gonna fight his fight. We wanna fight our fight. Ilia is a superstar, but he’s 100% human, and we’re going to show him that night.”
Watch Justin Gaethje’s coach, Trevor Wittman’s, commentary below:
👀 Justin Gaethje and Trevor Wittman watching Ilia Topuria’s fight against Jai Herbert, where Ilia got dropped by a head kick! 🦵💥
🗣 Trevor: ‘Ilia commits to combinations and throws everything at 100%. You have to respect that.
Sometimes he’ll wrestle, and usually when he… pic.twitter.com/2RN2MANhuQ
— MMA Pros Pick (@MMA_PROS_PICK_) June 7, 2026
English Translation:
Justin Gaethje and his head coach have been analyzing Ilia Topuria’s past fights to gain a deeper understanding of the “El Matador” challenge. Next weekend, interim lightweight champion Gaethje will face the reigning 155-pound titleholder Topuria in the main event of UFC 250. “The Highlight” has previously discussed his game plan, which involves controlling momentum and advancing against Topuria. Gaethje believes Topuria’s former opponents were caught while moving backward, leading to their downfall. To avoid a similar fate, he plans to move forward, considering it the key to defeating “El Matador.”
Trevor Wittman Breaks Down a Key Tendency in Ilia Topuria
Justin Gaethje’s coach, Trevor Wittman, has offered significant advice and insight to his fighter before their title unification bout. Gaethje and Wittman recently reviewed Topuria’s second-round knockout victory over Jai Herbert. This 2022 fight was a hard-fought battle where Topuria faced adversity and was outstruck early but continued to press forward. After backing Herbert against the cage and landing a body shot in the second round, Topuria delivered a devastating right hook that knocked Herbert out cold. In that fight, “El Matador” was dropped by a head kick, but as soon as Herbert looked to finish, Topuria caught his leg and secured a takedown. Reacting to this moment, Gaethje’s head coach stated, “Sometimes he’ll wrestle, and usually when he does, it’s because he’s been hurt.”
Wittman further explained that Topuria commits to combinations with “100%” effort, which Gaethje must respect. As Gaethje’s head coach, Wittman’s current objective is to identify patterns by studying past footage to understand why Topuria resorts to wrestling when hurt, aiming to pinpoint the triggers for these reactions. The ultimate goal is to understand Topuria’s game without engaging in a fight that plays to “El Matador’s” strengths. Wittman, the founder of ONX Sports, added, “We are not gonna fight his fight. We wanna fight our fight. Ilia is a superstar, but he’s 100% human, and we’re going to show him that night.”
