Ilia Topuria‘s official statement on his UFC return is being accompanied by a surprising accusation against his opponent.
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Taking to X, the Georgian-Spaniard revealed that he had completed his final medical tests and was ready to return to competition. He then turned his attention to Justin Gaethje, seemingly accusing the lightweight champion of tampering with his gloves during their championship bout at UFC Freedom 250 in June.
“Final medical tests done,” Topuria wrote. “I’m back. To all the clowns who’ve been talking s–t and counting me out this whole time, here I am. Now let’s see who’s got the b-lls. Thanks to everyone for the support.
“Next time I’ll make sure they check Justin’s gloves so he doesn’t put anything weird on them. See you soon.”
The 29-year-old’s 180-day medical suspension issued in the aftermath of his bout with Gaethje is set to end in December. With his final medical tests now completed, he can return to active competition soon. However, his accusation in the second part of the post levelled against Justin Gaethje raises an obvious question: how could a fighter tamper with his gloves when they go through several layers of inspection before a bout?
Final medical tests done. I’m back. To all the clowns who’ve been talking shit and counting me out this whole time, here I am. Now let’s see who’s got the balls. Thanks to everyone for the support. Next time I’ll make sure they check Justin’s gloves so he doesn’t put anything Show more
Before every fight, commission officials meticulously inspect the gloves to ensure they are the exact model that was previously presented to the fighters before they put them on. They also monitor the application of gauze and hand wraps in the locker room to ensure no alterations are made.
Once the gloves are approved, officials even issue a physical signature confirming that they have been inspected and okayed. A cageside official then checks the gloves once again before the fighters enter the Octagon.
Those precautions make it difficult to tamper with the gloves without detection, particularly at an event like UFC Freedom 250, where security was even more rigid than usual. So far, Topuria has not provided evidence to support his accusation against Gaethje, leaving the claim unsubstantiated.
However, an important point to note here is that UFC Freedom 250 was unlike any other UFC event the promotion has put together.
Usually, all MMA and boxing events are overseen by state, tribal, and regional athletic commissions that function under the Association of Boxing Commissions (ABC), an umbrella organization meant to standardize the Unified Rules of Boxing and MMA. However, because the fights were held on the South Lawn of the White House, they took place entirely on federal property and remained outside state jurisdictions.
As such, for this particular event, the UFC technically self-regulated the event, but the ABC was brought in directly to provide independent oversight and official sanctioning for the event. In fact, UFC executives Hunter Campbell and Marc Ratner were physically responsible for executing the event’s health, safety, and regulatory protocols, something that is highly unusual for a UFC event.
As a result, even before the event, the show had garnered plenty of criticism, specifically from the head of the D.C. commission, Andrew Huff, who publicly complained that the ABC was setting a “dangerous precedent” by stepping over a local member commission to work directly with a promoter.
While this doesn’t automatically suggest any wrongdoing on the part of the UFC or ABC, it does add a bit more credibility to Ilia Topuria’s accusation than it would if it were a typical UFC event anywhere else in the US.
Nevertheless, this isn’t the first time Topuria has accused other fighters of cheating.
Imago
UFC Freedom 250 WASHINGTON, DC – June 14, 2026 : Justin Gaethje and Ilia Topuria meet in the octagon for a 5-round bout at UFC Freedom 250 at The White House South Lawn on June 14, 2026 in Las Vegas, NV. Photo by Louis Grasse/PXImages WASHINGTON, DC The White House South Lawn DC USA Copyright: xLouisxGrassex
Previously, the former two-division champion called some Dagestani fighters “super cheaters” during the UFC 308 media day, while excluding Khabib Nurmagomedov from his criticism. Topuria was taking a dig at what he described as the history of alleged steroid use among some fighters from the region.
Regardless, fighters accusing opponents of cheating after a loss is not new, either. Deontay Wilder famously alleged that Tyson Fury tampered with his gloves during their 2020 rematch. Wilder also used those allegations while pushing for another fight with Fury.
Topuria’s latest accusation therefore follows a familiar pattern in combat sports, where claims about an opponent’s equipment can become part of the aftermath of a major fight. This time, however, Gaethje was quick to respond.
Justin Gaethje breaks silence on Ilia Topuria’s accusations
After Topuria accused Justin Gaethje of putting something “weird” on his gloves, ‘The Highlight’ fired back on X. Rather than engage with the allegation directly, Gaethje dismissed it as an excuse and took another shot at the Spaniard’s performance at UFC White House.
“94 days and the best you could come up with is a lame excuse,” Gaethje replied on X. “As terrible as your last performance. Do better, kid.”
Gaethje has been critical of Topuria’s performance in their June 14 main event before. The Arizona native recently explained what he believed went wrong for ‘El Matador’ during the fight, arguing that Topuria became too emotional in the buildup.
“I’m referring to the twelve weeks before the fight, those emotional mistakes in preparation,” Gaethje told Demetrious Johnson. “He wasn’t prepared for what happened that night, and that’s his fault, because he didn’t think it was possible for someone to be there with him for that long, or whatever it was. He forgot who he was and how dangerous this game is. Every fight is so individual, and nothing matters.”
The lightweight champion’s comments suggest that he believes Topuria became too caught up in his expectation of winning and finishing the fight, leaving him unprepared for the challenge he ultimately faced. He has maintained that view since their bout, making his latest response consistent with his previous criticism of the former champion.
Now, with both men trading words months after their fight, their rivalry has taken another turn. Whether the latest exchange has any bearing on a potential rematch remains to be seen. For now, both fighters appear to be focused on what comes next when they return to the Octagon in early 2027.