Justin Gaethje, gearing up for his interim lightweight title bout, suggested a possibility that might inadvertently prevent him from facing Ilya Topuria. Recently, UFC president Dana White unexpectedly announced that the reigning lightweight champ Topuria would be stepping away from MMA for personal reasons. Rather than pausing the division, White revealed Gaethje’s upcoming fight against Paddy Pimblett for the interim belt at UFC 324. The winner is slated to eventually challenge Topuria upon his comeback, but Gaethje hinted there could be a way to bypass that matchup.
Since claiming the lightweight crown by knocking out Charles Oliveira, Topuria has expressed ambitions to follow Islam Makhachev into a historic welterweight superfight. Gaethje sees a victory over Pimblett as a chance to become undisputed champion and possibly face Oliveira or Max Holloway in a double-title clash. Although Holloway is set to defend his BMF title against “De Bronx” at UFC 326—and Gaethje has losses to both fighters—unifying the lightweight belts could offer him a shot to avenge those defeats. When asked about Topuria’s plans to move up in weight, Gaethje remained unfazed, focusing on a rematch with Holloway or Oliveira and securing both the undisputed and BMF titles, following a plan he’s held since his bout with Rafael Fiziev.
Ahead of UFC 324, Gaethje has received help offers from lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan, who harbors some friction towards Pimblett. Despite Tsarukyan’s willingness to assist in training, Gaethje declined, mindful that they may eventually face each other in the octagon.
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Fan Take: This development shakes up the lightweight division, setting up exciting possibilities for new matchups and title unifications. For fight fans, Gaethje’s potential path to undisputed champion and a double-title run could redefine the lightweight landscape and create unforgettable moments in UFC history.
