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Justin Gaethje reveals disappointing aspect of last fight led to his title shot or retire mentality

Originally posted on Bloody Elbow | By Kyle Dimond | Last updated Dec 30, 2025 3:57 PM ET

Justin Gaethje’s bold decision to wait paid off for him in an unexpected way.

Gaethje and his team are preparing for UFC 324 next month where he will face Paddy Pimblett for the interim lightweight title.

There seemed to be a decent chance that the American star wouldn’t get to fight for a belt in his next outing until Ilia Topuria revealed that he wouldn’t be back in action for some time.

Dana White didn’t respond well to Gaethje’s claim that he would retire if his next fight didn’t involve him competing for UFC gold.

‘The Highlight’ recently revealed what may have inspired him to take such a strong stance regarding his future in the promotion.

Justin Gaethje says his last fight was the first time he’s ever made less than he did in his previous bout

Justin Gaethje has been an incredible asset to the UFC, as arguably the most reliable fighter in the history of the sport when it comes to putting on incredible fights.

That doesn’t mean that Gaethje wasn’t warned about his retirement ultimatum backfiring following his last outing inside the Octagon.

The 37-year-old defeated Rafael Fiziev on short notice last March after the striking specialist stepped in as a late replacement to face the American for a second time.

Gaethje and Fiziev put on another entertaining fight that ‘The Highlight’ believed should have earned him a title shot after everything he’s done for the promotion, including taking a replacement rematch.

In a recent interview with Carlos Contreras Legaspi, Gaethje revealed a key aspect of his second matchup with Fiziev which appears to have been a major factor in his strong stance.

“My contract says I’m going to get paid a certain amount to challenge for a championship, now I get paid that for this fight. That was very important for me,” Gaethje said. “I’m the most consistent, most exciting guy that’s ever stepped in there. The last fight was the first time that I’ve ever made less than my previous fight ever in my whole life and I don’t want that to happen so I’ve got to be in these big fights.”

Justin Gaethje still has a retirement plan in mind

Paddy Pimblett believes that he’ll retire Justin Gaethje by beating him in the main event of UFC 324 next month.

‘The Highlight’ has been very open about this being the final few chapters of his career and a loss on January 24 would make it very hard for him to get another shot at UFC gold.

In a recent interview with Submission Radio, ‘The Highlight’ mapped out how he wants the rest of his run to play out.

“I’d be a fool to think this is the beginning of my career. This is definitely toward the end, and what a way to finish.

“Beat Paddy, beat Ilia, and then if there’s another contender, beat them and be done,” he added.