Justin Gaethje’s manager has provided a big update regarding the champion’s first title defense.
This past June, Justin Gaethje pulled off a monumental upset when he dethroned Ilia Topuria of the undisputed lightweight title in the UFC Freedom 250 main event.
After pulling off such a triumph, ‘The Highlight’ is now reaping the rewards of his success while he sits and assesses his options going forward.
And with that, his manager Ali Abdelaziz has dropped a major hint regarding his first title defense despite Gaethje being told to retire at the top of his game.
Gaethje’s manager confirms fresh matchup as he shuts down rematches for first title defense
After admitting that it is ‘highly unlikely’ that he fights again this year, fans have been wondering who the 37-year-old will defend his title against next.
‘El Matador’ called for an immediate rematch with the American, hoping that it could take place in Spain.
The lightweight champion was in attendance for UFC 329 this past Saturday, watching on with a keen eye as Conor McGregor and Max Holloway clashed in the main event, which ended disastrously.
In the co-main event, his former foe Paddy Pimblett pulled off a slick submission over Benoit Saint-Denis, returning to the win column.
Despite that, Abdelaziz has stated that Gaethje’s first title defense will be against someone he has never fought before, shutting down rematches with Topuria, Pimblett, Holloway and Charles Oliveira.
“The champ’s next fight will be against someone he’s never fought before. I’m really excited for this matchup,” Abdelaziz wrote on X.
Following Gaethje’s title win, Oliveira immediately campaigned for a rematch against him, stating that he would sit out and wait for that to be his next fight.
But with rematches having been shut down, that seemingly leaves only one man who makes sense and that is the rightful number one contender, Arman Tsarukyan.
Although the Armenian hasn’t fought since last November, he has been staying active by competing in Real American Freestyle Wrestling.
And after the UFC were told it has to be Tsarukyan fighting for the title next, it seems as though all roads are leading to that being the outcome.
Tsarukyan is the only fighter in the top five of the lightweight division who Gaethje hasn’t fought yet.
Unfortunately for the 29-year-old, though, he will likely have to wait until the turn of the new year to finally fight for the undisputed lightweight title.