Ilia Topuria Suffers First Loss After Illegal Move

Ilia Topuria suffered his first professional MMA loss at UFC Freedom 250. The Georgian-born Spaniard was forced to quit on the stool after four grueling rounds.

Merab Dvalishvili claims an illegal move by Justin Gaethje left Ilia Topuria severely compromised during the fight. Topuria suffered visible damage to both eyes and was unable to see out of his right eye after the opening round.

He lost vision in his left eye by the end of the second round. Dvalishvili said Gaethje's eye poke affected Topuria's vision, and he was **pretty much blind**.

Ilia Topuria's loss was a significant upset, as he was a 6-1 favorite at many sportsbooks. The fight also left him with an orbital fracture, which will require an eight-week recovery window.

According to Jesus Gallo, Topuria's lead physical trainer, **Ilia Topuria** is expected to return to competition before the end of the year.

Merab Dvalishvili believes Ilia Topuria could have finished Justin Gaethje in the second round if he had continued his attack rather than hunting for a highlight-reel finish. Dvalishvili said Topuria was firmly in control of the fight and had Gaethje badly hurt after a crushing body shot.

So Ilia Topuria will look to bounce back from his first loss. And he will have to do it without the benefit of a full training camp, as he is still recovering from his injuries.

Ilia Topuria's next fight will be highly anticipated, as he looks to regain his winning form. But for now, he will have to focus on his recovery and rehabilitation.

Ilia Topuria is still a winner in the eyes of Merab Dvalishvili, who praised his toughness and heart in the fight against Justin Gaethje