Underdogs in 1776 Vibes: Justin Gaethje Goes Full Patriot on Joe Rogan After Shocking Upset Victory Over Ilia Topuria (Video)
Justin Gaethje just delivered one of the biggest upsets in recent MMA history — and then dropped some pure American fire in his post-fight interview with Joe Rogan.
After knocking off the heavily favored Ilia Topuria, Gaethje leaned into the mic and said it best: “Hey, I’m from America! 250 years ago, we were way bigger than 6-to-1 dogs.”
Video:
The former interim lightweight champion didn’t stop there. He went on to thank the military, first responders, and God — classic Gaethje. The guy from Arizona has always fought like someone who grew up understanding what it means to scrap from the bottom.
The 1776 comparison landed perfectly. Back then, a bunch of farmers and frontiersmen with squirrel guns took on the most powerful army and navy the world had ever seen. They were massive underdogs too — and they won. Gaethje’s win carried that same spirit. Nobody gave him much of a shot, but he went out there and did what he does best: fight with heart, toughness, and zero quit in him.
There were even some fun patriotic moments surrounding the fight. One clip showed Gaethje walking past a portrait of Teddy Roosevelt right before stepping into the cage — the ultimate “speak softly and carry a big stick” energy. Then he went out and beat the foreign champion in front of a massive crowd.
Topuria’s face after the war told the story. The former champ looked like he’d been through a Mel Gibson battle scene — bruised, battered, and humbled.
This is what makes moments like these feel bigger than just sports. Gaethje represents something real: the American underdog who refuses to bow to the odds. He fights hard, stays humble, and never forgets where he came from.
Meanwhile, the contrast between administrations couldn’t be clearer. The White House these days is filled with soldiers, Marines, police officers, and straight-up patriots. Just a couple years ago, it felt like it was full of groomers, trans activists, and people pushing the exact opposite of what made this country great.
The White House in 2026 is full of:
-Soldiers
-Marines
-Police & patriotsThe White House in 2024 was full of:
-Groomers
-Transgenders
-PedophilesThe contrast is CLEAR.
Nobody likes that gay garbage. pic.twitter.com/xbz9fhZpkw
— Valentina Gomez (@ValentinaForUSA) June 15, 2026
Gaethje’s win and his post-fight words were a reminder that the American spirit is still alive and well — in the cage and outside of it. Sometimes the underdog doesn’t just survive. He wins.
This is America.
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Bruce Hoenshell is a military historian, he is one of the most prolific conservative writers today, often churning out multiple columns per week. His writings tend to focus on international themes, modern warfare. Style Sampling: “ It is not that we need social networking and Internet searches more than food and fuel, but rather that we have the impression that cool zillionaires in flip-flops are good while uncool ones in wingtips are quite bad.”
