Ilia Topuria’s comeback announcement wasn’t just a declaration that he’s medically cleared; it also reignited an old suspicion about the man who beat him. In his post confirming he’s back, Topuria took a shot at Justin Gaethje, writing that “next time I’ll make sure they check Justin’s gloves so he doesn’t put anything weird on them,” a clear implication that he believes something was off with Gaethje’s hands during their fight at UFC Freedom 250 on the White House South Lawn.
No Evidence Against Justin Gaethje, But the Suspicion Isn’t New Among Fans
Ilia Topuria’s comment doesn’t come with any proof, and there’s no official record or commission finding suggesting Justin Gaethje’s gloves or wraps were tampered with in any of his fights. Still, the allegation taps into a conspiracy theory that’s circulated among fans for a while, largely centered around how much facial damage Gaethje tends to inflict relative to his knockdown power.
A recent Reddit thread on r/ufc, discussing a separate clip of Gaethje’s punches connecting during his fight with Paddy Pimblett, shows how divided fans are on the theory. One user pointed to Gaethje’s punch that “damn near got past Paddy’s eye and into his brain,” while others debated whether loaded gloves were even physically possible in a regulated sport.
Several commenters pushed back hard on the idea. One user pointed out that “gloves and wraps are provided for athletes as well as checked multiple times before a bout,” while another noted that an opponent’s cornerman is required to be present when a fighter’s hands are wrapped, meaning any tampering would have to go unnoticed by the opposing team as well. Others argued that a loaded glove would be immediately obvious to the fighter getting hit, since “there’s a difference between being hit really hard by a glove and being hit by something that’s really hard.”
On the other side, some fans referenced boxer Antonio Margarito, who was caught with illegal hand wrap material years into his career despite passing inspections repeatedly, using that case to argue detection isn’t foolproof even with checks in place.
One commenter called Gaethje “a pioneer of engineering hand-to-hand combat,” while another simply chalked the entire theory up to Gaethje’s technique, noting that coaches have described his punches as “swipes” that tear up an opponent’s face more than a clean strike would.
When Khabib Nurmagomedov Weighed In From Experience About Justin Gaethje
Whatever the truth, Justin Gaethje’s power has never been in question among the people who’ve actually fought him. Khabib Nurmagomedov, who beat Gaethje by submission at UFC 254, has said flatly that nobody hit him harder in his career.
“He hits like a truck,” Khabib said. “Nobody hit me harder than Justin Gaethje, his kick, his punch, his left hook, right hook, right uppercut.”
For now, that remains the most credible testimony on record, gloves and all.
Also read: Salahdine Parnasse Welcomes Former UFC Two-Division Champion Ilia Topuria Back
About The Author
