Justin Gaethje doesn’t plan on retiring after his massive UFC White House win over Ilia Topuria, but don’t expect him to give “El Matador” an immediate rematch.
Gaethje came into UFC Freedom 250 talking about laying down his gloves should he lose. Fortunately for his fans, he won in spectacular fashion, forcing Topuria’s corner to wave the fight off going into the fifth round (watch the highlights here). Now we’ll get to see more of “The Highlight,” should the UFC properly compensate their new undisputed lightweight champion.
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“Right now, I’m planning on [continuing fighting],” Gaethje said on The Joe Rogan Experience. “There’s not something natural in me that feels like it’s over. So that’s all I can say.”
“But I’m in a place where I deserve to be compensated for what I have done,” he continued. “Not for what I’m going to do … UFC 300, UFC 324, and now this. Those are the biggest stages that the UFC needed somebody to do something phenomenal. And they picked me every single time, and I delivered. I wasn’t the main event of UFC 300, but co-main event, still stole the show even though I lost. And so I think I need to be compensated for what I’ve done. That’s where I’m at.”
“I’m talking about the UFC should make a company and give me equity in that company so I can build passive income like that.”
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The only other fighter who’s ever asked for equity in the UFC was Conor McGregor at the height of his popularity and prowess. He got a flat ‘No’ from the company, but here’s hoping the UFC figures out a way to make Gaethje happy. Because while an immediate Topuria rematch is off the table, Justin isn’t shying away from fighting No. 1 ranked Arman Tsarukyan.
“I’m not taking a truck from him,” Gaethje said of stories that Tsarukyan was going to buy him a truck with money won from betting on UFC Freedom 250. “In a f–king truck that a dude bought for me every day? I don’t know. I just can’t go there … That’s the guy. Yeah. He’s definitely the guy that’s up [next].”
As for Topuria?
“No. He doesn’t get a rematch,” Gaethje said flatly. “He can try, but he doesn’t get one. He quit on the stool. He quit twice. I stopped him twice. What else do I have to f–king do? His next challenge can’t be me. He needs to fight Paddy [Pimblett] or someone like that.”
