Tsarukyan dismisses Topuria's Gaethje glove claims as 'just excuses' after UFC loss

Arman Tsarukyan has publicly dismissed Ilia Topuria’s claims that Justin Gaethje used irregular gloves during their UFC lightweight title fight at UFC Freedom 250, calling the allegations nothing more than excuses from a fighter struggling to process his first professional loss.

Gaethje pulled off one of the biggest upsets in recent UFC history at the promotion’s White House event in June, entering the cage as a heavy underdog against Topuria in the Georgian’s first lightweight title defence. After surviving a dangerous second round, Gaethje systematically broke Topuria down over the third and fourth frames, inflicting severe facial damage and significantly impairing his vision before Topuria’s corner called a halt before the fifth round.

Topuria, who has since been medically cleared to return to competition, has called for an immediate rematch while alleging that Gaethje placed something “weird” in his gloves — a claim that drew a sharp response from Tsarukyan, the top-ranked lightweight contender.

“Just excuses,” Tsarukyan told journalist Carlos Contreras Legaspi. “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.”

Tsarukyan’s point centres on the athletic commission’s pre-fight inspection process, which he argues makes any glove tampering effectively impossible. His broader message to Topuria is one of accountability — that the path back to the title begins with an honest assessment of the defeat, not external blame.

Gaethje’s ability to inflict punishment has long been a talking point among UFC lightweights. Hall of Famer Khabib Nurmagomedov is among those who have acknowledged the American’s exceptional power, even in bouts Gaethje did not win.

Topuria’s loss snapped an unbeaten professional record and ended a reign that had seen him knock out Alexander Volkanovski to claim the featherweight title before moving up a division. Whether a rematch materialises will likely depend on how the lightweight division shapes up around Gaethje’s first title defence — and whether Topuria can put the controversy behind him.