Justin Gaethje And Ilia Topuria Receive Lengthy Medical Suspensions After Ufc Freedom 250 Fight

Justin Gaethje waited a agelong clip to go an undisputed UFC champion.

Now nan 37-year-old MMA prima mightiness person to hold different six months aliases truthful earlier fighting again.

Gaethje upset erstwhile two-weight champion Ilia Topuria pinch a method knockout successful a lightweight unification title bout at nan UFC Freedom 250 event Sunday connected nan White House South Lawn.

Topuria was a bloody and swollen messiness by nan clip his area stopped nan conflict betwixt nan 4th and 5th rounds. Gaethje executed a soaring backmost flip disconnected nan cage to observe his first undisputed belt, but it turns retired that nan erstwhile two-time interim champion besides suffered important injuries during nan bout.

Both Gaethje and Topuria were among nan 5 UFC Freedom 250 fighters who received 180-day aesculapian suspensions from nan Association of Boxing and Combative Sports Commissions, according to a database issued by nan commissions and viewed by The Times.

Ilia Topuria suffered 2 surgery orbital bones during his nonaccomplishment to Justin Gaethje astatine UFC Freedom 250 connected June 14 successful Washington.

(Chris Graythen / Getty Images)

Gaethje’s suspension tin beryllium shortened if he is cleared pinch antagonistic MRIs for his correct wrist and near knee. Topuria, who suffered 2 surgery orbital bones, tin return early if cleared by a an Oral and Maxillofacial Foundation specialist.

Both men besides are required to service mandatory remainder days (45 for Gaethje, 60 for Topuria).

Alex Pereira, who mislaid his interim heavyweight title bout to Ciryl Gane by TKO, was medically suspended for 180 days aliases until he’s cleared pinch a antagonistic maxillofacial CT scan. Undercard fighters Aiemann Zahabi and Steve Garcia besides received 180-day aesculapian suspensions.

Topuria won nan UFC featherweight title by knocking retired Alexander Volkanovski successful February 2024. He vacated that title a twelvemonth later and successful June 2025 defeated Charles Oliveira by knockout to declare lightweight belt.

In November, Topuria announced he was temporarily stepping distant from fighting. Gaethje earned nan interim lightweight title successful January by defeating Paddy Pimblett by unanimous decision.

That group up nan unification bout betwixt Gaethje and Topuria, which was nan last conflict of an elaborate arena astatine nan White House held connected President Trump’s 80th birthday and billed arsenic portion of a summer-long ceremony of the country’s 250th anniversary.