Justin Gaethje produced one of the biggest moments of his UFC career at the White House last Sunday night.
He entered as a major underdog against Ilia Topuria, who was unbeaten before the fight, but left with the undisputed lightweight title.
After almost a decade in the UFC, Gaethje finally holds the belt outright. That status has already made him a target, with two familiar contenders moving quickly.
Charles Oliveira wants a Justin Gaethje rematch with symbolic belt on line
Charles Oliveira issued his challenge on X this Monday, calling for another fight with Gaethje and offering to put his symbolic belt on the line.
That detail matters because Gaethje has held it before, and few lightweight rematches would carry more history.
Oliveira and Gaethje first met at UFC 274 in May 2022. The Brazilian star had been stripped after missing weight, meaning only Gaethje could win the title, but he still submitted him with a rear-naked choke in the first round.
It was chaotic while it lasted. ‘The Highlight’ dropped Oliveira twice, only for the former champ to recover, hurt him and finish the fight on the ground.
Paddy Pimblett also wants Justin Gaethje again
Paddy Pimblett has also made his position clear, even with Benoit Saint-Denis waiting during International Fight Week on July 11.
The Briton lost to Gaethje in their interim lightweight title fight in January, a bout still remembered partly because of eye-poke complaints.
“I’m gonna finish BSD and I want that rematch with Justin Gaethje for the undisputed title… Me vs Justin, let’s do it. No eye pokes and we’ll see how the fight goes,” Pimblett said on his YouTube channel.
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