Justin Gaethje isn’t ruling out one more run at the UFC lightweight title, and he sees four realistic opponents to make the first step.
Despite suffering the worst loss of his career with a highlight-reel knockout against Max Holloway in their BMF title fight at UFC 300 in April, Gaethje (25-5 MMA, 8-5 UFC) is looking at the landscape of the 155-pound division and still sees some openings.
Champ Islam Makhachev is expected to defend against Arman Tsarukyan in early 2025 once he recovers from injury, but after that, there is no clear No. 1 contender. Gaethje thinks he could start rebuilding his resume if he gets one of four possible matchups.
“I think Dustin Poirier, I beat him, he fought for a belt (and) there’s always those certain set of circumstances that can happen which will lead to (a title shot),” Gaethje told MMA Junkie and other reporters during a recent media scrum. “I think this fight with (Makhachev) and Tsarukyan is the next fight, then there’s kind of another opportunity for somebody like how Dustin Poirier stepped in. There’s not a clear contender.
“I have to fight and win then I’m right back in there. I have a list. I think (Dan) Hooker, (Charles) Oliveira, Poirier and (Alexander) Volkanovski is a list of four people that I think any of those would do for me what I need to do to get back in the picture.”
The idea of another fight with Poirier (30-9 MMA, 22-8 UFC) to settle their trilogy has been compelling to many MMA fans since Gaethje evened the series with a head kick knockout finish at UFC 291 in July 2023. “The Diamond” won the first meeting by fourth-round TKO at UFC on FOX 29 in April 2018.
Gaethje said the prospect of a rubber match with Poirier isn’t that compelling and would likely be at the bottom of his four-name list.
“No (I wouldn’t be bummed if we can’t settle the trilogy),” Gaethje said. “I walked out of there after we were 1-1, I said, ‘Let’s not do it again.’ I’m not saying I don’t want to or whatever, but that was the conversation we had that night because we’re 1-1 and we’re taking years from each other’s lives. So we can fight some of these young kids, but we’ll see what happens.”
Poirier caught wind of Gaethje’s comments and appeared to have a different opinion, welcoming the matchup on social media for his seemingly planned retirement fight.
You know I'm down https://t.co/ycuhUKrd86
— The Diamond (@DustinPoirier) September 13, 2024
With Gaethje, 35, having some opponent possibilities in mind, it’s now about determining the timeline. The former interim UFC champ vowed to take a legitimate break from sparring after the devastating knockout vs. Holloway at UFC 300, and although he’s stuck to his guns so far, he admits it’s getting more difficult to stay out of the gym.
“I said I was going to take six months before I sparred – it’s been four,” Gaethje said. “I’m going to have a difficult time making it six months because I’m itching, but I think I’m going to give it another month before I spar and then get back into camp. We’ll see. My coach, manager – they’ll decide (when the next fight is).”
