Israel Adesanya’s verdict for the forthcoming UFC Freedom 250 showdown between lightweight champion Ilia Topuria and MMA star Justin Gaethje speaks volumes.
Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje’s five-round clash will be the co-main event alongside the interim heavyweight championship fight between Alex Pereira and Ciryl Gane.
Gaethje put himself in pole position to fight Topuria after he defeated Paddy Pimblett at UFC 324 in January and secured the UFC interim lightweight title.
Topuria climbed back to lightweight in June 2025 and captured the lightweight championship after his stunning first-round knockout win over Charles Oliveira.
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Israel Adesanya has thrown his backing behind Ilia Topuria ahead of Justin Gaethje for the UFC Freedom 250 fight
Ilia Topuria is undefeated and the 29-year-old Georgian and Spanish MMA fighter previously held the UFC featherweight championship before he vacated the title.
The UFC star won the featherweight title from Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298 in 2024 before he successfully defended it against Max Holloway at UFC 308.
Speaking ahead of the UFC Freedom 250 event on Sunday, Israel Adesanya admitted that he thinks Topuria will overcome interim champion Justin Gaethje.
“On the biggest stage in combat sports history, the main event, I think Ilia Topuria is going to make it 18-0 and do what he’s done again and again and again, which is just beat legends,” he said on his YouTube channel.
“[Ilia] will stamp his name as one of the greats.”
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Israel Adesanya drops what would be ‘spicy’ for Ilia Topuria after the Justin Gaethje fight
The White House will be the venue of choice for UFC Freedom 250 ahead of the UFC Fight Night 279 card at the Meta Apex in Las Vegas on 20th June.
Adesanya said that it would be “spicy” if UFC star Topuria stuck around in Las Vegas ahead of Conor McGregor’s return fight against Max Holloway at UFC 329.
“Now, imagine if Ilia gets this done the way he says he’s going to do it, 18-0, and then he just sits cageide in Vegas International Fight Week and watches Max and Connor,” he continued.
“That’s spicy.”
Conor McGregor and Holloway will headline the UFC 329 card at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on 11th July.
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