Justin Gaethje isn’t a fan of personalities like Paddy Pimblett
and Ilia Topuria. | Getty/UFC
Justin
Gaethje is getting personal as his fight with Ilia
Topuria draws near.
In a recent interview with Fox Sports Australia, the interim lightweight
champion expressed his distaste for Topuria’s personality while
also taking a thinly veiled shot at Topuria’s divorce from Giorgina
Uzcategui.
“All that guy is, is a gimmick,” Gaethje said when asked about a
Topuria video where the Georgian-Spaniard places a rose next to a
mural of Gaethje. “He calls himself the king. He thinks he’s a God.
What an annoying little bastard. I couldn’t imagine being in a room
with him for 30 minutes listening to him talk about himself.
“And I can say this: I would leave him. That’s all I’m saying. I
would leave him. No way I would put up with his s—t.”
Topuria’s split from his ex-wife led to the undisputed 155-pound
champion taking a hiatus until he was able to
settle a lawsuit with Uzcategui.
While Topuria dealt with personal matters, Gaethje took a
five-round verdict over Paddy
Pimblett in the UFC 324
headliner on Jan. 24 to capture the interim lightweight crown. The
former World Series of Fighting champion compared Topuria to
Pimblett in the way that the UFC stars carry themselves.
Yeah, look, I was young and dumb once, too.And up until this point,
it’s served him well. People see the way he talks and they believe
it. Because he believes it. Which is amazing really,” Gaethje
said.
“It was similar with Paddy
Pimblett. He was so full of himself. It can be so detrimental
to approach life that way, thinking you’re better than everybody
else, because nobody is better than anyone. We’re all children of
God. You’re a product of your circumstances at the end of the day.
I’ve been so blessed with the parents I have, the family I have,
and the opportunities I’ve been granted. And I thank God every
single day for those opportunities. And I promise daily that I will
never change. No matter the success, no matter the failure. I’ve
promised countless times to my Lord and Savior that I will never
disappoint him. Or that I won’t ever think I’m better than anything
or anybody. That’s how I got here. That’s how I’ve resonated with
people. For me, that’s the way I have to live.”
Topuria will return to action for the first time since June 2025
when he faces Gaethje in the
UFC White House main event on June 14.
Prepping for the Elements
Much has been made about the conditions for an outdoor event in the
middle of June. UFC CEO Dana White has mentioned a
potential insect issue, while veteran commentator Joe Rogan
also expressed concerns about both the heat leading to
dehydration.
As far as the bugs go, Gaethje expects his focus to overcome any
such distraction.
“When I’m fighting I don’t even notice all the people inside the
arena,” Gaethje said. “I’m so cerebral that time isn’t even really
a factor, either. So if time isn’t a factor, bugs won’t be. And no
matter what the variables are in there, he’ll have to face the same
things that I do.”
However, Gaethje is taking the heat into account as he trains for
the UFC White House main event.
“A lot of my workouts have been designed around fighting outside,”
he said. “Today, for example, I had 10 minutes of jump rope, then
did 15 minutes of sauna – got my body heat real high – before I
went and did my seven rounds of hard work. That way I’m starting
workouts with a high body temperature.
“We’re expecting humidity, but who knows? There is a cold front
coming next week but that could also bring rain, so maybe the
humidity [come fight night] is higher. I have no idea what to
expect …”