Tsarukyan Rips Topuria's Gaethje Glove Claim

Arman Tsarukyan has no patience for Ilia Topuria's theory about Justin Gaethje's gloves.

Topuria, who lost his lightweight title to Gaethje via fourth-round corner stoppage at UFC Freedom 250 in June, posted on social media this week claiming he would ensure officials check Gaethje's gloves for anything "weird" ahead of a potential rematch. The Georgian fighter sustained heavy facial damage over four rounds against the then-interim champion, who entered as a sizable underdog.

Tsarukyan Says Commission Makes Cheating Impossible

Tsarukyan dismissed the claim outright when asked about it by Carlos Contreras Legaspi. "Just excuses," he said, per Sherdog. "How can the commission let [Gaethje] wear different gloves? They stay in, check. Just excuses. You got to accept what really happened. You got to start with what you did wrong. Not finding excuses and talking about gloves."

The top-ranked lightweight pointed out that athletic commission officials monitor every step of the glove process, making any tampering impossible. Gaethje weathered a dangerous second round before dominating Topuria in the third and fourth frames, forcing the stoppage before the fifth could begin.

Topuria announced his medical clearance earlier this week and immediately called for the rematch. Gaethje has built a reputation for damaging opponents throughout his UFC run, with fighters including Khabib Nurmagomedov praising his power over the years.

Reported via:

• Sherdog — Arman Tsarukyan rips Ilia Topuria’s Justin Gaethje glove claim: ‘Just excuses’