Ilia Topuria has decided to mix things up ahead of his next appearance.
The UFC lightweight champion is just over two weeks away from stepping back into the Octagon, having been out of action since his knockout win over Charles Oliveira in June 2024.
That victory added to an already impressive list of names, with Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway among those Topuria has beaten.
Topuria is known for carrying a red rose in honour of his opponents, but for this particular event at the White House, he's decided to do something a bit different.
Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC
In a 2023 interview with The Schmo, Topuria explained the meaning behind his tradition.
"So, it's a respect I showed for my opponents after the fight. I'll leave the rose in the Octagon; that's just showing the respect," he said at the time.
This time, though, there will be a change. Ahead of UFC White House, Topuria will swap out his usual red rose for a white one.
"Justin will fall at the White House," Topuria said in the promo.
"I have a special rose just for him."
The early promotional material for UFC White House didn't go down well with fans, largely because of its heavy use of AI-generated content. But this new clip had a much better reception online.
A lot of fans honed in on Topuria's choice of a white rose, seeing it as an ominous sign for Gaethje's chances.
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