TLDR
- Ilia Topuria accused Justin Gaethje of using illegal gloves after their UFC White House fight in June
- Athletic commission director Andy Foster confirmed multiple inspectors checked Gaethje’s gloves and found them within regulations
- Topuria lost his undefeated record and lightweight title after his corner stopped the fight in round four
- Both fighters have expressed openness to a rematch, though the UFC has not officially booked one
- The accusations mirror a 2009 boxing scandal but officials say modern inspection protocols make tampering nearly impossible
Sources: mmamania.com | lnt.ma
Mixed martial arts officials have rejected Ilia Topuria’s recent accusations against Justin Gaethje following their fight at the White House in June. The Spanish-Georgian fighter suggested that Gaethje may have used illegal gloves during their bout.
Topuria suffered the first loss of his professional career when his corner threw in the towel after the fourth round. He fought with two broken orbitals and severe vision problems after walking into Gaethje’s power early in the fight.
The defeat also cost Topuria the UFC lightweight championship. He remained quiet about the loss until last week when he began posting promotional videos on Instagram.
On Tuesday, Topuria posted on X accusing Gaethje of tampering with his gloves. “Next time I’ll make sure they check Justin’s gloves so he doesn’t put anything weird on them,” Topuria wrote.
Dana White told Nina Drama he didn’t know Ilia Topuria accused Justin Gaethje of loading his gloves
“I missed that… I try to stay away from the fight stuff. Social media is full of sh*t.” pic.twitter.com/uJFf1CVveK
— Happy Punch (@HappyPunch) September 18, 2026
Commission Director Responds
Andy Foster, director of the California State Athletic Commission, quickly shot down the claims. Foster was one of the officials overseeing the UFC Freedom 250 card in Washington, D.C.
“His gloves and wraps were fine and totally within regulations,” Foster told USA TODAY Sports. “Also well inspected by multiple inspectors.”
Legendary referee Big John McCarthy also defended the inspection process on social media. “Trevor Whitman wrapped Justin’s hands with a knowledgeable State inspector watching the entire process,” McCarthy tweeted.
McCarthy added that the inspector signed off on the wraps after watching the entire process. “There is no validity to the allegation in anyway,” he wrote.
Some fans have pointed to what appears to be a bulge in Gaethje’s glove as evidence of wrongdoing. They compared it to the 2009 boxing scandal when Antonio Margarito was caught using a hardening substance in his wraps.
That incident led to stricter inspection protocols in combat sports. Officials now check hand wrappings before and after fights to prevent tampering.
The smaller size of MMA gloves makes it extremely difficult to hide loaded gloves. Inspectors would likely catch any illegal substances during the pre-fight and post-fight checks.
Rematch Talk Heats Up
Despite the controversy, both fighters appear open to a second bout. Topuria has been medically cleared to return to competition and has made it clear he wants an immediate rematch.
Gaethje responded to Topuria’s accusations by calling them excuses. However, he has not ruled out fighting Topuria again.
“He dismissed the suggestion as an excuse and pushed back against Topuria’s comments,” according to reports. “But when it came to the part fans actually care about, whether he’d fight him again, Gaethje made clear that he’s open to it.”
The UFC has not officially announced or booked a rematch between the two fighters. Other potential matchups exist in the lightweight title picture that could take priority.
Internal conversations within the UFC suggest a rematch could be next for both fighters. UFC commentator Jon Anik mentioned hearing about the possibility through company discussions.
Topuria’s immediate call for a rematch follows a pattern of major UFC rematches after high-profile fights. The UFC rarely passes up opportunities to book second fights when both competitors and fans show interest.
Gaethje remains open to the rematch despite rejecting Topuria’s glove accusations. The first fight drew major attention as the biggest event of the year so far.
