Once Threatening to Retire, Justin Gaethje Eyes ‘Cocky’ Ilia Topuria for Title Fight

When asked about facing Gaethje, ‘El Matador’ quickly shut down the talks and dismissed the veteran’s legendary status in the sport. The American fighter just returned to the win column at UFC 313 this year after outlasting Rafael Fiziev. However, it was not the kind of performance that would make people believe that he can somehow defeat Topuria.

Following Gaethje’s retirement threats, UFC CEO Dana White labeled the fighter’s statements as bizarre, even calling them “wacky.” It remains to be seen what lies ahead for ‘The Highlight’ as he navigates the final stretch of his career.

Veteran lightweight fighter backs Justin Gaethje against Ilia Topuria

After Paddy Pimblett’s face-off with Topuria, Dana White appeared frustrated, indicating that it wasn’t part of the UFC’s plans. This fueled speculation that UFC might have other intentions, possibly booking Pimblett to fight Justin Gaethje instead of a title shot. Dricus Du Plessis recently claimed Gaethje vs. Pimblett could happen at UFC 319, but the Scouser swiftly denied the rumor.

Top lightweight contender Dan Hooker recently appeared on Submission Radio to share his thoughts on the current lightweight title picture. During the discussion, he analyzed the contenders and gave his personal take on who deserves the next shot at Topuria. Surprisingly, Hooker backed Gaethje over Pimblett, believing the veteran has earned it more with his overall career resume.

I think they’ll do Gaethje. I think they wanna do Gaethje [vs] Paddy, but apparently, Gaethje’s not gonna take the Paddy fight. The only pay-per-view sales that really count are in the North American market. And so it’s like, even though Paddy’s, like, this big star on Instagram…I don’t know if he actually really moves the needle in North America. For sure, Justin Gaethje moves the needle in North America. So, I think that he probably makes the UFC the most money by being champion.

Dan Hooker via Submission Radio

Topuria originally planned to defend his UFC title against Pimblett at Santiago Bernabeu, entertaining his passionate Spanish home crowd. However, recent reports suggest UFC Spain may not happen this year, altering promotional plans and potential matchups for the champion.

As Hooker noted Gaethje’s larger American fanbase, which could influence UFC’s decision-making on the next lightweight title challenger. Moreover, Arman Tsarukyan is equally deserving of a title shot, but the UFC boss insisted that the Armenian has to fight one more time. As such, either of Pimblett or Gaethje could become the next title challenger.