“Damage accumulated over rounds, forcing the champion into a defensive approach”
Gaethje entered the fight as the underdog but quickly made it competitive with aggressive pressure and powerful striking. Topuria started well and had moments of success, especially with body shots, but he struggled to maintain control as the fight progressed.
From the middle rounds onward, Gaethje began to take over, landing clean and damaging shots that slowly broke down the champion. The momentum shifted heavily in his favor as Topuria started to absorb more punishment.
In the fourth round, Gaethje’s continued offense caused serious damage, forcing Topuria’s corner to stop the fight before the fifth round, with the champion unable to continue.
The victory gave Gaethje his first undisputed UFC title and marked one of the biggest upsets in recent UFC history, on a night held at the White House South Lawn.
In the co-main event, Ciryl Gane defeated Alex Pereira by second-round stoppage in their interim heavyweight title fight.