Former BMF Champion Justin Gaethje has stated that he will fight in the UFC again, but only under a specific condition.
Gaethje was notably unhappy after being bypassed for the upcoming lightweight title opportunity at UFC 317. Instead, former champion Charles Oliveira, whom Gaethje has previously faced, was selected to challenge the undefeated Ilia Topuria for the vacant championship during International Fight Week.
While Oliveira holds a 2-2 record in his last four bouts, Gaethje`s stands at 3-1, with his sole recent defeat being a severe knockout loss to Max Holloway at UFC 300 in April 2024. UFC commentator Din Thomas suggested that Gaethje would have offered a more thrilling challenge for Topuria, implying the Holloway knockout likely influenced the UFC`s decision to favor Oliveira.
Following the title snub, Gaethje`s manager, Ali Abdelaziz, publicly claimed that Gaethje would retire if he wasn`t granted another title opportunity. This would mark Gaethje`s third shot at an undisputed belt, having lost his previous two attempts as the former interim champion. In contrast, his rival Dustin Poirier received a third title shot against Islam Makhachev last year.
Having seemingly decided he`s done with fighting merely for entertainment, Justin Gaethje has now personally addressed his manager`s retirement ultimatum.
Gaethje Aims Solely for the Lightweight Championship
Dismissing the prospect of facing other contenders like Arman Tsarukyan or Paddy Pimblett, it appears Gaethje is determined to hold out for nothing less than a lightweight title fight at this juncture in his career.
Gaethje is coming off a dominant performance against top contender Rafael Fiziev and feels his recent record warrants a championship challenge.
“I’m waiting for the winner of Ilia and Charles,” Gaethje told MMA Fighting’s Jose Youngs.
“I’ll be there. That’s [who] I wanna fight.”
Regarding the retirement ultimatum, Gaethje commented:
“Let’s see how it goes… Catch me on a certain day. I’ll tell you a certain thing. It’s a very emotional sport, but, I try not to speak too out of pocket when I’m emotional, which is right now.”
He firmly reiterated his position on his next fight:
“So, I’m gonna fight again in the future. Has to be the champion.”
Justin Gaethje Reacts to Ilia Topuria`s Welterweight Talk
Even before his planned return at lightweight, Ilia Topuria has openly discussed the possibility of moving up to the welterweight division, mentioning potential challenges against fighters there or even pursuing a third belt against Islam Makhachev.
Topuria recently transitioned from the featherweight division after defending his title once against Max Holloway.
Addressing Topuria`s potential divisional move, Gaethje stated:
“I can’t control any of that, so I don’t spend no energy on it.”
He then added candidly:
“But, sounds stupid to me.”
Percy Harlow