Irate Lightweight Contender Eager For Chance at Gold

“He was pi--ed,” Jon Anik began. “He feels like he was certainly passed over for this opportunity against Ilia Topuria and I think what Justin Gaethje and his manager, Ali Abdelaziz, are looking for is just some sort of guarantee that they will be next.”

Anik Understands Where Justin Gaethje is Coming From

In his comments, Jon Anik also remarked that Justin Gaethje’s demands for a shot at the UFC Lightweight Championship are reasonable.

“I don’t think it’s a crazy request for Justin [to ask for a lightweight title shot],” he said. “Having done what he did against Rafael Fiziev, staying on the fight card, not fighting Dan Hooker, getting a win, distance from the UFC 300 result, right? By the way, he fought at UFC 300 to help the UFC, when he could have fought for the undisputed championship at that time. I wouldn’t be surprised if Gaethje gets some kind of guarantee that he’s next for the Topuria [versus] Oliveira winner, but I can tell you that he was not thrilled.”

Justin Gaethje’s time for a shot at the UFC Lightweight Championship will undoubtedly come, but it is a little bit shocking that he hasn’t gotten the call to fight for the crown at 155 already. His resume speaks volumes as to why Gaethje should be among the shortlist for the new champion’s initial defense of the belt.

Winner of Topuria vs. Oliveira Tilt Should Prepare for Justin Gaethje

With the win at UFC 313 this past winter, Justin Gaethje picked up another $50,000 (USD) post-fight bonus for the Fight of the Night Award. Throughout his tenure in the UFC, he’s scored a post-fight bonus no fewer than 14 times.

Statistically speaking, Gaethje has completed his successfully completed his assignment before the final horn more often than not. Of his 26 career wins, only five have had to be confirmed by way of the judges’ scorecards after the advertised maximum number of rounds.

When Justin Gaethje touches down in the host city of a UFC event for fight week, you can bet that you’ll be treated to a cracking affair on Saturday night. He’s a fan favorite and has been such for a long time.

Final Thoughts

Although Justin Gaethje is going to miss out on a chance to claim the lightweight championship on a permanent basis right before Independence Day, he’s firmly in the mix for the next UFC Lightweight Championship fight after UFC 317. The championship at 155 will be on the line on June 28.

In the days afterward, Topuria or Oliveira will need to hunker down and start thinking about their opponent for the defense of the title. It could very well be Justin Gaethje for the winner at the end of this year or early next year.