impenetrable.
Gaethje will challenge Topuria for the lightweight title in the
main event at
UFC White House on June 14. Gaethje is a +385 underdog going
into the fight against Topuria, a -500 favorite.
Topuria is coming off three consecutive knockouts against Alexander
Volkanovski, Max Holloway, and Charles Oliveira. However, Gaethje
saw at least two of his fellow veterans find success against
Topuria. While Topuria had dominant wins over all three, Gaethje,
on closer inspection, saw Oliveira and Holloway winning some
exchanges against “El Matador.” However, Gaethje believes Oliveira
and Holloway even made some mistakes, which he knows he can’t
afford against a precise technician like Topuria.
Upon Further Review
“It’s very important for me to use my head for position and put my
head in his chest, push him backwards, put him in a dog fight,”
Gaethje told Grind City Media. “We’ve seen him getting hit.
You watch the Max Holloway fight, you’re like, ‘Wow, he’s so
dominant.’ But then you go back and watch it again, Max had plenty
of success in the exchanges, Oliveira had plenty of success in the
exchanges. Then they made certain mistakes, and he is so good at
taking advantage of your mistakes. So those are the things I cannot
do, I cannot go backwards.”