Joe Rogan has weighed in on Ilia Topuria’s brutal TKO title loss to Justin Gaethje at UFC Freedom 250, a lightweight championship fight staged at the White House in Washington.
Topuria lost his lightweight title by Round 4 doctor’s stoppage TKO after absorbing heavy damage, with reports stating he suffered two broken orbital bones and a broken nose in the bout. Gaethje entered the fight as a significant betting underdog, with some books listing him as a 6-1 underdog.
On his "Joe Rogan Experience" podcast, Rogan made clear his admiration for the former champion, saying, "I'm a giant Ilia Topuria fan, as well," before expressing confidence in his future: "I think he'll be back better than ever. Sometimes, a loss is one of the most important things a fighter could ever have because they realize you can be beat. You need to know that you're a human."
Rogan highlighted how close Topuria came to finishing the fight and the tactical lessons involved. "You can't just throw caution to the wind sometimes and just engage in these wild scraps. Sometimes you have to be a little bit more tactical, and sometimes you have to realize you can't take everybody out, and that's the case with Justin. He couldn't take him out, and he almost did in the second round. It got real f*cking close."
Rogan also underscored the shock factor of Gaethje’s performance and the damage sustained. "For him to pull that off the way he did at the White House was nuts," Rogan said, later adding, "His face was busted up. He was getting the most damage to Ilia's face, and that was a giant factor in the fight."
