After capturing the interim UFC lightweight title just weeks ago, Justin Gaethje revealed that he has one more fight planned before moving forward.
At UFC 324, the promotion’s first event of the year, Gaethje defeated Paddy Pimblett in the main event, making history as the first fighter to hold two interim UFC titles.
This victory sets Gaethje up for a massive showdown against Ilia Topuria for the undisputed lightweight championship. Topuria, who recently announced his intention to return at the upcoming UFC event held at the White House, is currently one of the sport’s brightest stars. Despite this, there remains one fighter who commands even greater attention, although he hasn’t competed since 2021.
Gaethje open to facing Conor McGregor at the White House event
On June 14th, the UFC will host a historic event on the White House lawn, expected to be one of the most unique shows in MMA history. Since the announcement, former two-time champion Conor McGregor has shown interest in making his comeback at this event and has re-entered the UFC’s drug testing pool to become eligible.
Fans originally speculated that McGregor might fight longtime rival Michael Chandler, but UFC president Dana White recently dismissed those plans, calling the matchup a thing of the past.
Despite being on the verge of a title clash with Topuria, Gaethje admitted the only other fight that could interest him would be a bout with McGregor on this special card. Previously, Gaethje expressed openness to a trilogy with Dustin Poirier but has since withdrawn that idea.
“No, I’m not interested in a trilogy with Dustin Poirier,” Gaethje told Stephen A. Smith. “We’re 1-1, and now we’re fighting for a championship. This is the biggest fight in the division’s history and the biggest any of us has faced—fighting for undisputed gold. Nothing else appeals to me, but if someone asked about fighting McGregor on the White House card, I’d consider it.”
McGregor’s potential return opponent remains uncertain
It’s still unknown whether McGregor will indeed return for the June 14th event, especially since the UFC recently confirmed the card will only include six or seven bouts. If he does come back, his opponent could be anyone from Nate Diaz to Paddy Pimblett, with multiple fighters eager to capitalize on a fight against the Irish superstar.
Fan Take: This news is huge for fight fans because Gaethje’s willingness to face McGregor adds a thrilling “what-if” scenario to an already explosive lightweight division. A potential showdown at a landmark event like the White House UFC card could electrify the sport and bring MMA even further into the mainstream spotlight.
