Quote · The Joe Rogan Experience
JRE MMA Show #181 with Justin Gaethje & Trevor Wittman
Where this was said
The Fight Breakdown — Round 1 and The Pivotal Body Shot
At 17:59 · chapter starts 14:03
Gaethje opens this segment with a revelation: he told Trevor the next day that Topuria hurting him to the body might be the main reason he won. [1] — Justin Gaethje "Getting hit with a liver shot didn't cost Gaethje the fight — it won it for him. Topuria sensed Gaethje was hurt and blew his entire gas ta…" 14:03 The body shot wasn't the first — it was the fourth or fifth — but it was the cleanest, and Topuria sensed Gaethje was in trouble. That caused Topuria to dump everything he had into a finishing attempt. Wittman adds the context: Topuria's stated plan was to finish Gaethje in the first two rounds; when Gaethje survived, Topuria had nothing left in the tank. Wittman compares it to Shane Carwin burning out against Brock Lesnar. He emphasizes the lesson for all fighters: always expect a war. Letting fighters believe a fight will be easy is one of the most dangerous coaching mistakes he's ever made. The best mental outcome going into a fight is to expect the worst — then anything better than the worst is a gift. Gaethje adds that round one's damage, though possibly close on the scorecards, set up the entire fight structurally.
Gaethje told Trevor that Topuria hurting him to the body was one of the main reasons he won — it caused Topuria to 'dump everything' and blow his tank trying to finish.
Getting hit with a liver shot didn't cost Gaethje the fight — it won it for him. Topuria sensed Gaethje was hurt and blew his entire gas tank trying to finish in one burst, leaving nothing for the final three rounds.
