Merab Dvalishvili has accused Justin Gaethje of using an illegal tactic that cost Ilia Topuria the UFC Freedom 250 fight on June 14.

What happened?

Merab Dvalishvili told MMA Junkie that Ilia Topuria was blind since the first round due to an eye poke from Justin Gaethje.

Why it matters for Merab Dvalishvili

The former UFC bantamweight champion believes Ilia Topuria is still the winner, despite Justin Gaethje's corner retirement victory.

What comes next?

Merab Dvalishvili hopes for a rematch between Justin Gaethje and Ilia Topuria, predicting that Ilia will win.

Merab Dvalishvili's accusation is not the first time Justin Gaethje has been accused of eye pokes.

Paddy Pimblett and Rafael Fiziev have also made similar claims after their fights against Justin Gaethje.

The Georgian-Spanish fighter Ilia Topuria revealed that he went blind in his right eye and later in his left eye during the fight.

Ilia Topuria did not complain about the eye poke during the fight, which is why the referee did not take note of it.

Slow-motion replays appear to show Justin Gaethje landing an accidental or grazing eye poke on Ilia Topuria's right eye.

The UFC Freedom 250 main event took place on June 14, with Justin Gaethje securing a stunning corner retirement victory over Ilia Topuria.

Merab Dvalishvili has traveled to Spain to train with Ilia Topuria, and they have long supported each other due to their shared Georgian origins.

Justin Gaethje recently appeared on The Joe Rogan Experience, discussing his reputation among UFC referees.

The newly-crowned lightweight champion expects officials to be more aware of his fighting style.

The controversy surrounding Justin Gaethje's eye pokes has sparked a debate in the MMA community, with some calling for stricter rules and others defending Justin Gaethje's actions.

Merab Dvalishvili's accusation has added fuel to the fire, with many fans and fighters weighing in on the issue.

As the debate continues, one thing is certain - the rematch between Justin Gaethje and Ilia Topuria will be highly anticipated.

The question on everyone's mind is whether Ilia Topuria can overcome the challenges he faced in the first fight and come out on top in the rematch.

Only time will tell, but one thing is for sure - Merab Dvalishvili will be closely watching the developments in the UFC lightweight division.