Merab Dvalishvili Claims Ilia Topuria Was Affected by Illegal Move

Merab Dvalishvili believes an illegal move by Justin Gaethje at UFC Freedom 250 left Ilia Topuria severely compromised during the fight.

Merab Dvalishvili made these comments in an interview with MMA Junkie Radio.

What happened?

Ilia Topuria suffered the first loss of his professional MMA career at UFC Freedom 250, losing to Justin Gaethje.

Why it matters for Merab Dvalishvili

Merab Dvalishvili thinks Ilia Topuria could have finished Justin Gaethje in the second round if he had continued his attack.

Topuria was forced to quit on the stool after four grueling rounds, suffering an orbital fracture and visible damage to both eyes.

What comes next?

Ilia Topuria is expected to require an eight-week recovery window and could return to competition before the end of the year, according to his lead physical trainer, Jesus Gallo.

Merab Dvalishvili praised Ilia Topuria's heart and toughness, saying he was still a winner despite the loss.

Ilia Topuria was unable to see out of his right eye after the opening round and lost vision in his left eye by the end of the second, according to a report by MMA Junkie.

Merab Dvalishvili claimed that an eye poke by Justin Gaethje had severely compromised Topuria's vision, saying 'Ilia was pretty much blind, nose broken, and he was still fighting hard'