“Arman Deserves It”: Justin Gaethje Sets One Condition for Ilia Topuria Rematch
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The new UFC lightweight champion, Justin Gaethje, shares his two cents on a potential rematch with the former champion, Ilia Topuria.
At the UFC Freedom 250 event on June 15, Gaethje was a heavy underdog going into the fight with Topuria, yet managed to pull off one of the biggest upsets in the sport's history.
Topuria, who was unbeaten at the time, was unable to resist Gaethje's vicious strikes. The American star's upper cuts in the fourth round so severely damaged the Spaniard that his corner, commanded by his younger brother Aleksandre, had to end the bout by corner TKO.
Now with the 155-lb gold around his waist, Gaethje made it clear that he is not giving Topuria an immediate rematch until one condition is met.
Justin Gaethje Shuts the Door on an Ilia Topuria Rematch
In an interview with RMC Sports Combat, Gaethje bluntly denied a rematch. He said, "He's not fighting me next.”
Additionally, the champion stated that the #2-ranked contender Arman Tsarukyan deserves it more. “Arman deserves it way more than him. I didn't get lucky, I beat him up.” Gaethje added
However, he added that Topuria must earn another shot at the title with a win. “He's gonna have to get a win before he fights for a championship,” Gaethje said.
In the lead-up to the June fight, Topuria had projected a knockout victory against Gaethje in the first round. However, ‘The Highlight’ flipped the outcome and feels that this victory made a statement. He thus doesn't want to defend his belt against someone he has totally dominated.
Is Arman Tsarukyan next for the title?
Arman Tsarukyan has been knocking on the door for years. However, when the opportunity arrived against Islam Makhachev at UFC 311 in January last year, the Armenian pulled out of the fight due to a back injury.
This irked the UFC matchmakers and Dana White. But Tsarukyan kept collecting wins and is on a five-fight streak. Additionally, his newfound fame on social media has made him a global star.
Also, he’s got backing from fans for the next title shot; even the champion himself acknowledged it. However, a few days ago Tsarukyan stated he is not fighting for the title next.
Instead, the 29-year-old revealed that he is in negotiations with the organization to fight either Max Holloway or Charles Oliveira at UFC 331 in Los Angeles in September. While the opponent is not officially announced, Tsarukyan will certainly have the next shot to capture the title if he wins.
