Ilia Topuria ‘unproven’ at lightweight after shocking loss according to UFC broadcaster

Jon Anik believes Ilia Topuria’s short stature for the lightweight division was exposed in his shocking UFC Freedom 250 loss.

Justin Gaethje pulled off one of the most shocking wins in UFC history when he defeated Ilia Topuria by TKO (corner stoppage) at UFC Freedom 250 last month. Gaethje handed Topuria his first career loss and won the UFC lightweight championship after two prior failed attempts to win the undisputed title.

After winning belts at lightweight and featherweight, Topuria was on the fast track to entering the UFC GOAT conversation, according to many analysts and fighters. But while Topuria still had plenty of positive moments inside the Octagon against Gaethje, the accumulation of damage ended up being the difference.

As Topuria begins his path to recovery from several brutal injuries suffered against Gaethje, a top UFC broadcaster believes the former featherweight champion’s small stature for the lightweight division could be problematic.

Jon Anik: ‘Unproven’  lightweight Ilia Topuria has questions to answer

In a recent interview with Submission Radio, UFC play-by-play broadcaster Jon Anik shared a unique perspective on Topuria’s return after UFC Freedom 250.

“I think this will probably be more interesting to see how Ilia Topuria comes out of the other side of this,” Anik said of Topuria.

“Whatever his goals might have been internally in terms of legacy and when he was going to retire, that undeniably has shifted because now the focus is on regaining a title he was not successfully able to defend, in a weight class in which he is going to be relinquishing size to a lot of these guys. Size does matter at some point in this equation, but he’s a mental giant, in my opinion.

“You can’t just get jabbed up, but Kenny Florian and other people have called Topuria the greatest MMA fighter that they’ve seen. And at his best, maybe he is that,” Anik continued on Topuria. “But at lightweight, he’s unproven, and he’ll be ready to prove himself at 155, hopefully sooner rather than later.” (h/t Bloody Elbow)

Who should Ilia Topuria fight after his loss at UFC Freedom 250? Let us know in the comments!