Merab Dvalishvili reveals Ilia Topuria was ‘fighting blind’ after first round against Justin Gaethje

Key Points:

• Ilia Topuria suffered the first loss of his career against Justin Gaethje at UFC White House, with his coaches stopping the fight after the fourth round due to severe damage, including swollen and nearly closed eyes.
• Topuria’s friend and fellow fighter Merab Dvalishvili revealed that Topuria was visually impaired from an early eye poke in the fight, which significantly compromised his performance despite his resilience and near finishing Gaethje.
• Dvalishvili expressed confidence that Topuria will come back stronger and aims for a rematch once both fighters are healthy, believing Topuria has the ability to reclaim his title.
• Gaethje has dismissed the possibility of an immediate rematch and is considering future competition plans, while contenders like Arman Tsarukyan are positioned as potential challengers for his title.
• The loss deeply affected Dvalishvili emotionally, highlighting the close bond between the fighters and his belief that Topuria’s defeat was due to unfortunate circumstances rather than a lack of skill.