Жастин Гэтжи дөрөвдүгээр раундын төгсгөлд хүчирхэг цохилтуудаараа Илия Топуриаг буулган авч, UFC-ийн хөнгөн жингийн аваргын бүсээ хамгааллаа.
Зургаадугаар сарын 14-нд Вашингтон хотноо зохион байгуулагдсан UFC White House арга хэмжээний гол тулаанд Илия Топуриа аваргын бүсээ хамгаалах даалгавартай гарч ирсэн ч Жастин Гэтжигийн хүчтэй цохилтуудын өмнө хүчин мөхөсдөж, дөрөвдүгээр раунд дуусахад тулаан зогссон байна. Топуриа болон түүний багийнхан тулааныг үргэлжлүүлэх боломжгүй гэдгээ шүүгчид мэдэгдснээр Гэтжи ялалт байгууллаа. Энэхүү ялагдал нь Топуриагийн хувьд карьерынх нь анхны тохиолдол бөгөөд нүүрний гэмтлийн улмаас тэрээр 2026 оны үлдсэн хугацаанд тулалдах боломжгүй болж магадгүй байна.
Шон О’Мэлли энэхүү тулааны дараа сэтгэгдлээ хуваалцахдаа Гэтжи өрсөлдөгчөө хүнд байдалд оруулж, сургамж өгсөн гэдгийг онцолжээ. Тэрээр Топуриаг залуу тулаанч учир энэхүү ялагдлаас суралцаж, илүү хүчирхэг болон эргэн ирнэ гэдэгт итгэлтэй байгаагаа илэрхийлсэн байна. Гэсэн хэдий ч О’Мэллигийн дасгалжуулагч Тим Уэлч Топуриагийн ялагдашгүй гэх имиж үгүй болсон нь түүний ирээдүйн тулаануудад сөргөөр нөлөөлж, өрсөлдөгчдөд нь илүү их итгэл төрүүлэх болно хэмээн дүгнэв.
Мөн тус үдэш Шон О’Мэлли Аян Захабиг хоёрдугаар раундад нокаутаар ялж, амжилттай тоглолт үзүүлсэн юм. Энэ ялалт нь түүнийг Петр Янтай тулалдаж, UFC-ийн хоёр удаагийн аварга болох боломжид ойртуулж байна. О’Мэлли өөрийн ялалтыг Гэтжигийн ялалттай харьцуулж, Альжамейн Стерлингийг буулган авсан үетэйгээ төстэй сэтгэгдэл төрүүлж байгааг дурджээ.
Дэлгэрэнгүйг эх сурвалжаас харах
Эх сурвалжийг нээх ↓
WASHINGTON, DC – JUNE 14: (R-L) Justin Gaethje fights Ilia Topuria of Germany in the UFC lightweight championship fight during the UFC Freedom 250 event on the South Lawn at the White House on June 14, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
Sean O’Malley has taken plenty of shots at Ilia Topuria in the past, but he’s optimistic about his rival’s future after seeing him suffer a devastating loss at UFC White House.
Topuria failed to defend his lightweight title in the June 14 main event, succumbing to interim champion Justin Gaethje’s powerful punches at the end of the fourth round. The bout was officially waved off when Topuria and his corner informed the referee that the fighter could not continue.
It was a shocking upset, even given Gaethje’s outstanding pedigree, and the facial injuries Topuria suffered in the loss could have him sidelined for the remainder of 2026. Whenever he’s ready to compete again, O’Malley expects Topuria to learn from his first defeat.
“I’m sure it is going to be humbling,” O’Malley told One Night with Steiny. “I think Ilia is going to come back better than ever. He’s young still. He was going through some personal stuff, made it out the other side of it but it’s probably still lingering around. I think he’s going to come back.
“Justin f*cking humbled him, for sure.”
O’Malley’s coach Tim Welch was also a guest on the show, and he suggested that Topuria losing his aura of invincibility could be detrimental to his future as opponents may step into the cage against him with newfound confidence.
“I also think, though, like he’s human now,” Welch said. “So anyone who fights him now, they know that’s in him, they know it’s a possibility. And a big thing even with [O’Malley] and Ilia and these guys, before the losses, [their opponents] were almost scared in there. There’s this weird aura, this scary aura, like he’s going to f*ck everyone up.
“Now that got exposed a little bit, I think he’s not going to come back as just dominating.”
O’Malley also fought at UFC White House, scoring a second-round knockout of Aiemann Zahabi to stop the Canadian bantamweight’s seven-fight win streak. With the victory, O’Malley could be in position to challenge Petr Yan and become a two-time UFC champion.
His first title win came against Aljamain Sterling, who was 23-3 at the time and coming off of three straight successful title defenses. O’Malley knocked Sterling out just 51 seconds into the second round, surprising doubters who thought Sterling’s wrestling might have been too much for him. In that sense, Gaethje dethroning Topuria gave O’Malley a familiar feeling.
“Me beating Aljo is probably similar to Gaethje beating Ilia,” O’Malley said. “Actually, me beating Aljo is probably even more of an upset I’d say. I don’t know, I guess it depends, people’s different perspectives.”
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Problem. Dustin Poirier responds to arrest video: ‘I’m at the point where I need some help.’
Reaction. Matt Brown reacts to Ronda Rousey, Jake Paul celebrating bigger ratings than UFC White House card.
DDP. Dricus du Plessis a fan of Josh Hokit, but warns offensive UFC White House comment is ‘going to cost him.’
Wrestling. Daniel Cormier explains why fewer and fewer American wrestlers are transitioning to MMA these days.
Illegal. Alexander Volkanovski defends Alex Pereira, thinks Ciryl Gane’s illegal strikes made ‘direct contact on the brain.’
Jed on Sub Radio.
Aljo at RAF.
Dominick Cruz talks UFC White House.
Free fight pre-UFC Baku.
Classy.
Response.
Ready for the rematch.
Rankings reaction.
Get well.
Moving on.
OK, this one got me to chuckle.
Alden Coria (12-3, 1 NC) vs. Stewart Nicoll (8-3); UFC Oklahoma City, July 18
Austin Bashi (14-1) vs. Jose Delgado (11-2); UFC Oklahoma City, July 18
Tommy McMillen (10-0) vs. Alberto Montes (12-1); UFC Oklahoma City, July 18
Tabatha Ricci (12-4) vs. Fatima Kline (9-1); UFC Oklahoma City, July 18
Levi Rodrigues Jr. (5-0, 1 NC) vs. Felipe Franco (10-2); UFC Oklahoma City, July 18
Allen Frye Jr. (6-1) vs. Alvin Hines (7-1); UFC Oklahoma City, July 18
Chase Hooper (16-5-1) vs. Mitch Ramirez (8-3); UFC Oklahoma City, July 18
Veronica Hardy (10-5-1) vs. Dione Barbosa (9-4); UFC Oklahoma City, July 18
Get your mailbag questions in here.
Count me in the Ilia Topuria believer camp. As tough as that loss was, let’s not forget Topuria almost finished Gaethje in the second round, it’s not like he was completely outclassed (maybe outsized). Go back to 145 and clear that division out. — Lee
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