Justin Gaethje gives Ilia Topuria his flowers

Whoever signs up to be a sacrificial lamb for Ilia Topuria‘s return is in for a long night—or rather a short one—insists Justin Gaethje.

Gaethje and Topuria haven’t let their bad blood die down following that historic night at the White House. With the former champion expected to make his comeback soon, the war of words has raged on. Amid the wild allegations and teased rematch, Gaethje has taken the time to give Topuria his flowers.

Discussing their fight, Justin Gaethje recalls the exact moment he saw a shift in momentum for Ilia Topuria.

“I saw it when I cut him; not the first uppercut I threw, but the first uppercut I landed and cut his eye,” Gaethje said. “Even then he didn’t give me the respect. It was more like, ‘Oh sh*t.’ There’s really no time to process what’s happening in there. So, yeah, I saw him get cut. I saw him get affected by it, and I was like, ‘Sweet.'”

Trying to pour water on the fire that is their feud, Justin Gaethje praised Ilia Topuria. Expecting him to come back with a bang, the UFC lightweight king knows and wants to see Topuria reach those heights again, as long as he stays humble.

“It sounds like I am talking sh*t about him. He is so skilled, and whoever fights him next is going to be f***ed,” Gaethje added. “If he forgets how dangerous this sport [is], and how there’s a little bit of luck and chance, then you know, he’s going to maybe become and make mistakes and not be his best or as locked in as he should be.”

“But outside of that, without those mental mistakes, he is one of the best in the world. There’s no doubt about it… I want to see him come back. I want to see him thrive. I want to see him prosper.”

Using his own career as proof, Gaethje stated that Topuria still has the chance to achieve everything he wants in the sport and inspire people while doing so.

“The reason that my story was so significant and so, you know, relative and relatable was because I failed, got knocked out by Max Holloway, come back, believed in myself, and came back and was able to achieve the championship. He has the same opportunity to inspire the world through what he’s going to do next. So, that’s really what I’m most excited to see.”