Justin Gaethje and his head coach are closely studying the fight history of Ilia Topuria to better understand his fighting style. 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.
Gaethje has previously outlined his strategy: he intends to control the fight’s tempo and advance offensively against Topuria. The 37-year-old fighter believes that Topuria’s previous opponents faltered when retreating, leading to their defeat. To avoid a similar outcome, Gaethje plans to press forward, viewing this as the key to overcoming “El Matador.”
Justin Gaethje’s Head Coach, Trevor Wittman, Breaks Down One Tendency Noticed in Ilia Topuria
Justin Gaethje’s coach, Trevor Wittman, has provided valuable insights for his fighter leading up to the title unification match. Recently, Gaethje and Wittman reviewed Topuria’s 2022 bout against Jai Herbert, which Topuria won by second-round knockout.
The fight against Herbert was a hard-fought slugfest where Topuria initially faced challenges and was outstruck. Despite the adversity, he maintained his forward pressure. In the second round, after cornering Herbert and landing a damaging body shot, Topuria delivered a powerful right hook that knocked Herbert out cold before he even hit the ground.
Reflecting on a moment in that fight where Topuria was dropped by a head kick, only to secure a takedown when Herbert sought to finish him, Gaethje’s coach commented:
“Sometimes he’ll wrestle, and usually when he does, it’s because he’s been hurt.”
Trevor Wittman further noted that when Topuria engages in combinations, he “throws everything at 100%,” a fact that Gaethje must respect.
Wittman explained his current role as Gaethje’s head coach: to meticulously study past footage, identify patterns, and understand why Topuria often resorts to wrestling when he’s hurt. The objective is to pinpoint the triggers for these reactions and gain a comprehensive understanding of Topuria’s game without being drawn into fighting on Topuria’s terms. 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.”
Below are comments from Justin Gaethje’s coach, Trevor Wittman:
👀 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
