The war of words between Justin Gaethje and Ilia Topuria has turned deeply personal, just days out from their lightweight title unification stoush at UFC Freedom 250.
The undefeated Spaniard heads into Monday’s (AEST) blockbuster as a red-hot favourite, but recent comments from Gaethje have added extra heat to the contest.
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Topuria, who is returning to the UFC following a highly publicised divorce and custody battle, believes Gaethje crossed a line by referencing his personal life during a recent interview with Fox Sports Australia.
“All that guy is, is a gimmick,” Gaethje said.
“He calls himself the king. He thinks he’s a God. What an annoying little bastard. I couldn’t imagine being in a room with him for 30 minutes listening to him talk about himself …
“And I can say this: I would leave him. That’s all I’m saying. I would leave him.”
Topuria fired back at Gaethje over the weekend, vowing to make the American pay inside the Octagon.
“I thought he was a great guy,” Topuria said on the first episode of UFC Freedom 250 Embedded.
“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 two 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 champ also doubled down on social media, blasting Gaethje for dragging his family into the build up.
“Justin crossed a line,” he wrote on X.
“What happened between my ex-wife and me is our business. We may no longer be together, but she is the mother of my daughter.
“To everyone insulting her or speaking about things they know nothing about: show some respect.
“You don’t have to respect our relationship. But respecting someone’s mother should be one of the most basic codes in life.”
Gaethje didn’t take long to return fire, insisting he never directly brought Topuria’s ex into it.
“Proving my point,” Gaethje wrote on X.
“Insufferable little bitch boy. Never said a thing about your wife. You want to speak words to my father then act like I crossed some line. We already fighting buddy.”
Topuria replied claiming that Gaethje was the one who made it personal.
“You should’ve kept your father out of this,” Topuria wrote, referencing Gaethje’s dad’s remarks where he described the Spaniard as a ‘little short guy’.
“He was the one calling me a short guy and saying you’d smash me, all while holding a beer in his hand.
“Then you started talking about my divorce and telling the world you wouldn’t want to be my roommate. Idiot.
“First, we’re fighting, not dating. Second, I’m not looking for a roommate. When I put you to sleep and you’re lying there next to the rose, I’ll look at your father and ask him one simple question: Who’s the short one now? I’m gonna break you Justin.”
The latest war of words adds another layer to an entertaining build of tension between the pair.
Only last month, Topuria decided to bait Gaethje during a meeting with President Trump inside The Oval Office, asking the world leader: “Why did you want to give the toughest test to a friend of yours?”
Jon Anik previews White House fights | 20:47
More recently, ‘El Matador’ released a video of himself placing a white rose at the base of a Gaethje mural — which itself sits next to murals of previous victims Charles Oliveira, Max Holloway, and Alex Volkanovski, each of which has a red rose before it.
UFC Freedom 250 kicks off at 10am on Monday, June 15.