Topuria shoves Gaethje by Lincoln Memorial ahead of White House UFC event

Ilia Topuria shoved Justin Gaethje in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC, as tensions spiked in the final news conference before their headlining bout at the UFC’s White House event this weekend.

Topuria, the unbeaten Georgian-Spanish lightweight belt holder, is coming back from a nearly yearlong hiatus following ⁠his highly publicised divorce.

Gaethje is the interim champion and a beloved American brawler who upset the highly touted Paddy Pimblett at UFC 324 in January to earn the belt amid Topuria’s absence.

UFC boss Dana White separated the fighters after Topuria shoved Gaethje during the face-off at Friday’s news conference. Gaethje laughed after the incident and said to his opponent: “Look where we’re at, look at this beautiful view and you want to act like an animal?”

Earlier, Topuria, 29, said he was going to knock Gaethje out in the first round of their fight on Sunday night.

“I know I’m best in the world, in two days we’re going to share the same place. I know I’m the best, just prove me wrong if you can,” said Topuria.

Gaethje, 37, dismissed Topuria’s threats by saying that his experience would be the decisive factor.

“I have so much experience in the cage that I am going to use that experience to be great. All I have to do is go in there and be great … I am going to go in there and put it on the line. That’s all I can do,” he said.