Justin Gaethje Has A Cold Response After Ilia Topuria Claims He Tampered With His Gloves

Justin Gaethje has brushed off Ilia Topuria's accusation that his gloves may have been tampered with before their fight. Asked about the claim on an episode of One Night with Steiny, Gaethje did not treat it as a serious issue. “Not really. Not really. You know, he's part of your era. You guys say weird sh*t for fun, dude,” he said. Topuria had raised the glove allegation after losing to Gaethje and took aim at the champion and manager. The gloves were inspected by a UFC official before the fight and checked again afterward, adding more context to the dispute.

Gaethje Responds to Topuria's Claims About His Gloves

Topuria's accusation came after the former champion's loss. He claimed Gaethje could have tampered with the gloves before they fought, while directing criticism at Gaethje and his manager. Gaethje's answer was blunt. 

He framed the claim as the kind of thing people say for entertainment rather than something he needed to seriously address.

There is another detail attached to the glove question. A UFC official inspected the gloves before the fight and then checked them again afterwards. There was no glove tampering, leaving Topuria's allegation as a claim rather than an established finding.

Gaethje also has a long record of hurting opponents with his striking. The reference material points to Khabib Nurmagomedov, who has acknowledged Gaethje's power despite beating him. 

The damage Topuria took, therefore, was described in the context of what Gaethje has done against other opponents. 

That comparison matters only as background to the allegation itself: Gaethje's striking has previously been recognized by an undefeated former opponent.

Topuria has addressed what he would do if they met again. In his post, he said he would check Gaethje's gloves before a rematch. Gaethje had previously shown little interest in the idea of fighting Topuria again, although the accusations have now added another element to the rematch discussion.

Arman Tsarukyan Moves Ahead of Topuria in the Title Race

For the title picture, though, a rematch is not the next fight confirmed in the supplied information. Arman Tsarukyan finished Mauricio Ruffy in the first round at UFC 331 and extended his undefeated run to six fights. 

Dana White then confirmed that Tsarukyan had earned the next title shot, and Gaethje himself acknowledged that during one of his podcast appearances. Ruffy was described as a seasoned striker, making the finish another result added to Tsarukyan's recent run.

Topuria had built a strong case before losing to Gaethje, with an undefeated winning streak leading into the title fight. But the next title opportunity has been assigned to Tsarukyan. That leaves Topuria waiting while Gaethje moves forward as champion, with the glove accusation now part of the backstory between the two. The title picture is settled for now.