Justin Gaethje’s win over Ilia Topuria at the UFC White House event came after a detailed, discipline-heavy game plan from coach Trevor Wittman, who has now pulled back the curtain on the strategy.
Gaethje defeated Topuria when Topuria’s corner stopped the fight after the fourth round, capping a bout in which Wittman’s blueprint focused on movement, variety and long-game pressure.
“The game plan was to use our footwork, use the the open foot to to dig outside,” Wittman explained while detailing how Gaethje approached the matchup. He added, “Also use left angles when we’re coming into pressure, just because when he starts going back, it was dangerous. Like, very dangerous. If you open up like this, he’s very good at opening the shoulder and finding hooks. So the game plan was to pull him in, not use low kicks in the beginning, [use] high kicks and things like that just to make him respect [us], and try to kick his power hand.”
Wittman also pointed to a pivotal sequence to the body, saying, “Overcoming the body shot, I think Ilia made a big mistake there,” and later added, “I think that was a big mistake on Ilia’s part, going to the ground, because Justin was really hurt. He was hurt.”
Reflecting on Gaethje reaching an undisputed championship level on the UFC’s White House stage, Wittman said, “Justin is one of those guys that I think no one deserves it more than him for this [White House] platform.”
