Matt Brown argues UFC ‘might ruin Ilia Topuria’s life’ with another savage beatdown from Justin Gaethje

Retired UFC welterweight Matt Brown has raised serious concerns about a potential immediate rematch between Justin Gaethje and Ilia Topuria, warning that rushing the former champion back into the cage could cause lasting psychological and physical damage.

Gaethje defeated Topuria in dominant fashion at UFC White House in June, forcing the Georgian fighter's corner to throw in the towel after the fourth round due to accumulated damage. The victory earned Gaethje the undisputed lightweight title. Commentator Jon Anik recently suggested the UFC may be considering an immediate rematch once both fighters recover in 2027, a proposition Brown found troubling.

While acknowledging the commercial appeal of a quick rematch, Brown argued that Topuria needs confidence-building fights rather than another encounter with Gaethje, a fighter known for dishing out punishment at an elite level. Brown noted that Topuria himself has spoken about struggling with the psychological weight of the loss—his first significant defeat after years of dominance. "If that first fight repeats itself, I'm not sure Ilia comes back the same," Brown said on *The Fighter vs. The Writer*. He cited the severity of Topuria's injuries: two broken orbitals, a broken nose, and a broken foot—damage sufficient to force most fighters to quit, yet which Topuria survived before his corner ended it.

Brown compared the situation to boxing, where elite fighters rarely fight for rematches immediately after devastating losses. He suggested Topuria should instead face a tune-up opponent like Renato Moicano to rebuild his confidence and competitive rhythm before challenging Gaethje again. Interestingly, Gaethje has already expressed little interest in running it back, citing Topuria's decision to quit on the stool as removing any intrigue from a rematch.

Brown's core concern reflected hard-won experience: some fighters never recover their edge after brutal defeats, and subjecting Topuria to a repeat performance could fundamentally alter him as a competitor and person.