Newly crowned UFC lightweight champion Justin Gaethje has officially shut the door on a rematch with the man he defeated to win the title, Ilia Topuria.
Appearing on a recent episode of Joe Rogan’s podcast, “The Joe Rogan Experience,” alongside his coach, Trevor Wittman, Gaethje made it clear that he has no interest in giving the former champion an immediate second chance:
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Gaethje’s decision comes on the heels of his stunning victory over Topuria at the historic UFC Freedom 250 event, which took place on the White House South Lawn. His promotion to undisputed champion officially ended Topuria’s legendary and undefeated run in MMA, which included victories over champions Alexander Volkanovski, Max Holloway, and Charles Oliveira.
Gaethje Shuts Down Rematch
When Rogan asked about Topuria’s attempt to secure a second fight, Gaethje was straightforward in his response.
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“No, he doesn’t get a rematch. He can try, but he doesn’t get one,” Gaethje stated firmly.
(R-L) Justin Gaethje, Ilia TopuriaJeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Getty Images
While Topuria has established himself as one of the best fighters of his generation, Gaethje believes the lopsided nature of their fight disqualifies him from an immediate rematch. The new champion justified his stance by pointing out how the fight concluded at the White House.
“He quit on the stool. He quit twice. I stopped him twice,” Gaethje declared. “What else do I have to f— do?”
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Ilia TopuriaJeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Getty Images
Topuria’s corner opted to retire him on his stool before the fifth round, as the damage from Gaethje’s relentless assault had become too severe. The loss was the first of Topuria’s 18-fight career and ended his reign as a UFC lightweight champion.
Gaethje Suggests Topuria’s Next Opponent
“His next challenge can’t be me. He needs to fight Paddy [Pimblett] or someone like that,” Gaethje explained.
A fight between Pimblett and Topuria would make sense from a promotional standpoint, as the two have already shared a dramatic altercation outside the cage back in 2022 (h/t MMA Junkie):
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In addition, Pimblett reacted to Topuria’s performance similarly to Gaethje, calling the former champion a “quitter.”
During the contest, Gaethje dropped Topuria with a huge right hand and punished him with uppercuts and knees, causing his opponent’s face to swell and bleed (via UFC on Paramount+ on X):
Topuria later revealed in a social media post that he lost vision in one eye during the fight, which contributed to his corner’s decision to stop it:
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Gaethje On Retirement
Despite his age of 37 and previous speculation about retirement, Gaethje confirmed on the podcast that he plans to continue fighting.
Justin Gaethje celebrates with a backflip off the octagon after defeating Ilia TopuriaChip Somodevilla/Getty Images
“Right now I’m planning on [fighting again]. There’s not something natural in me that feels like it’s over,” Gaethje told Rogan.
The victory at UFC Freedom 250 secured Gaethje’s first undisputed UFC title after several prior attempts, and he now holds the lightweight belt. By suggesting Topuria should fight rising star Paddy Pimblett, Gaethje has laid out the lightweight division’s immediate future.
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This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Jun 21, 2026, where it first appeared in the MMA section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
