Topuria warns Gaethje 'I'll put you to sleep in front of your whole family' after divorce jab

Ilia Topuria has issued a pointed warning to Justin Gaethje after the American crossed what the Georgian considers a personal line, mocking his recent divorce in the build-up to their lightweight title unification bout at UFC White House on Sunday, June 14.

Gaethje, the interim lightweight champion, had called Topuria “an annoying little bastard” and suggested that, like Topuria’s ex-wife, he too would leave “El Matador.” The remarks appear to have shifted the tone of a rivalry that had largely stayed focused on fighting credentials.

In the first episode of the UFC Freedom 250 Embedded series, Topuria responded with a double-handed gesture directed at Gaethje and a blunt message. “I thought he was a great guy,” Topuria said. “But since he crossed the personal line, he’s not going to have my respect; he’s not going to have my team’s respect. All I’m going to need is 2 minutes in the octagon with you, and I’m going to put you to sleep in front of your whole family, your country, in front of everyone.”

The exchange adds a sharper edge to a contest that was already generating significant attention. Topuria has spent the build-up projecting near-total certainty about the outcome — he preemptively changed his Instagram handle to “18-0” and promised to present Gaethje with a white rose after knocking him out, a callback to the gesture he made following his featherweight title win over Alexander Volkanovski.

Oddsmakers have installed Topuria as a heavy favourite, with some lines placing him as close to a 7-to-1 favourite over Gaethje heading into fight week.

The main card at UFC White House also features an interim heavyweight title fight between Alex Pereira and Ciryl Gane.