Daniel Cormier breaks down the personal element in Ilia Topuria vs Justin Gaethje before UFC Freedom 250

Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje have apparently been quite cordial in the buildup to their UFC lightweight title unification fight. Nevertheless, as the date of the highly anticipated showdown draws closer, their feud seems to be reaching a crescendo. 

Well, former UFC light heavyweight and heavyweight champion, MMA great Daniel "DC" Cormier, has now broken down how the Topuria vs. Gaethje rivalry has lately gotten personal. 

Justin Gaethje recently referenced Ilia Topuria's divorce, while "El Matador" hit back at John Ray Gaethje

As seen in a video recently posted to Justin Gaethje's official YouTube channel, his father, John Ray Gaethje, referred to Ilia Topuria as a "little, short guy." He also asserted that his son would do quite well against the smaller Topuria. 

Meanwhile, the Georgian-Spaniard fighter hit back with a post on the social media platform, X. "El Matador" seemingly warned that although John, as a father, hopes that his son Justin wins, the latter knows that his defeat is inevitable in their upcoming fight. 

On the other hand, Gaethje went all out against Topuria during an interview with Fox Sports Australia. The American fighter referred to Topuria as a "gimmick" and "an annoying little ba*ta*d." 

"The Highlight" then seemed to make an allusion to Topuria's divorce from his ex-wife, Giorgina Uzcategui, which had forced the Georgian-Spaniard combatant to take a hiatus from MMA competition late last year. 

Gaethje said, "I would leave him (Topuria). That's all I'm saying. I would leave him." He emphasized that he wouldn't put up with Topuria's behavior, which he appeared to deem as too self-absorbed. 

Daniel Cormier talks about the personal angle of Ilia Topuria vs. Justin Gaethje before UFC Freedom 250

Taking to his official YouTube channel, MMA legend and UFC color commentator, Daniel Cormier, discussed UFC Freedom 250 that'll be headlined by Ilia Topuria vs. Justin Gaethje.

The event -- which will transpire at the White House in Washington on June 14, 2026 -- will see lightweight champ Topuria and interim lightweight champ Gaethje clash for the undisputed lightweight title. 

Cormier alluded to the caliber of athletes in that matchup as well as other matchups on the card, underscoring that it'd surely attract the attention of fight fans and experts. However, "DC" emphasized that the escalation in the trash talk and personal jibes is what's truly captivating the attention of the casual audience. 

Cormier stated, "Now add in the Gaethje vs. Topuria. Real beef. Right? Justin is a competitor and a dog. He doesn't like hearing that a person thinks they're just gonna walk through him. Ilia won't like hearing Justin reference his divorce because now it's personal. Now it's personal. Whether you like it or not, now it's personal." 

On that note, Cormier seemed to reiterate that these are the elements that draw in the casual audience to the sport of mixed martial arts and the UFC organization. 

 

Watch Daniel Cormier discuss the Ilia Topuria-Justin Gaethje feud turning personal below (*comments at the 7:55-minute mark of the video):