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Gaethje Stops Topuria, Fighter Injured, Demands Rematch

6/18/2026

Summary

Gaethje Defeats Topuria

Justin Gaethje defeated Ilia Topuria by fourth-round corner stoppage at UFC Freedom 250 on June 14.
Topuria left with orbital and nasal fractures that limited his eye opening.
Topuria told friend Pablo Motos he wants an immediate rematch with Gaethje in Spain.
UFC scheduled welterweight champion Islam Makhachev to defend his title against Ian Machado Garry on August 16 in Philadelphia, delaying any Topuria-Makhachev bout.

Summary

Gaethje Scores Upset

All seven scheduled UFC Freedom 250 bouts ended by knockout, a first in UFC history.
Daniel Cormier said the White House South Lawn atmosphere helped Justin Gaethje secure his upset win.
Gaethje entered the Top 15 at #4 while Topuria fell to #5.
Gane moved to #2 heavyweight behind Tom Aspinall.
Bo Nickal debuted in the UFC middleweight division with a first-round finish of Kyle Daukaus and earned a #15 ranking.

Summary

Commission Suspends Fighters

The California State Athletic Commission suspended all 14 UFC Freedom 250 fighters, with nine receiving extensions beyond the minimum.
Headliners Justin Gaethje and Ilia Topuria each got a 180-day suspension, pending MRI clearance for Gaethje’s wrist/knee and surgeon clearance for Topuria’s facial fractures.
Alex Pereira also received a 180-day suspension and must have a maxillofacial CT-scan before competing again.
Co-main-event winner Ciryl Gane was cleared after an eight-day rest, showing no significant injury.

History

Historical Context

UFC 1 debuted on 12 November 1993 in Denver’s McNichols Sports Arena, an eight-man, no-holds-barred tournament that sold 86,592 pay-per-view buys and introduced the octagon. The violent spectacle prompted Senator John McCain’s 1996 anti-UFC campaign, spurring state commissions to draft safety rules that evolved into the Unified Rules, a framework still governing today’s high-profile bouts like Gaethje’s Freedom 250 knockout.

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Gaethje Defeats Topuria

Justin Gaethje defeated Ilia Topuria by fourth-round corner stoppage at UFC Freedom 250 on June 14.
Topuria left with orbital and nasal fractures that limited his eye opening.
Topuria told friend Pablo Motos he wants an immediate rematch with Gaethje in Spain.
UFC scheduled welterweight champion Islam Makhachev to defend his title against Ian Machado Garry on August 16 in Philadelphia, delaying any Topuria-Makhachev bout.

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