“He is right, he's 37”: Daniel Cormier weighs in on Justin Gaethje’s uncertain UFC future

UFC lightweight champion Justin Gaethje remains skeptical about whether to return to the octagon to defend the title or hang up the gloves while he's at the top. For now, Gaethje has indicated that he will enjoy being champion for the rest of the year and will make a decision in 2027.

Now, Gaethje's close friend and former UFC two-division champion Daniel Cormier has weighed in on the situation and shared his thoughts.

Daniel Cormier reveals key question surrounding Justin Gaethje’s UFC future

Speaking about Gaethje's future on his YouTube channel, Cormier pointed out that age is an important factor. At 37, Gaethje is entering the later stages of his MMA career, and 'DC' believes the physical demands of competing in the lightweight division make his situation different from that of a younger fighter.

Cormier also highlighted the potential challenges waiting for Gaethje if he decides to continue. Arman Tsarukyan is among the leading options for a title defense, while a rematch with Topuria could also be a possibility.

The former two-division champion noted that Gaethje delivered an exceptional performance against Topuria and questioned whether he could replicate that level in another difficult title fight.

“One, he is right, he's 37. That's getting up there in years, especially in that division. Arman Tsarukyan at this point is a massive star, but he's a big underdog in that fight. Probably bigger than he should be. As Justin said himself, he had the performance of his life . Can he replicate that again?. Which he would need to in order to get past Arman Tsarukyan. Number two, Ilia Topuria as a second option. But again, that's dangerous,” Cormier said. 

For Cormier, the biggest question isn't necessarily whether Gaethje can continue competing at the highest level, but whether he still wants to. The former UFC champion explained that the reigning lightweight champion loves competition, but suggested that the decision becomes much simpler if that competitive drive is no longer there.

“So now you got a guy that's 37 who is thinking about retirement. He said it's never been about money with him. It's been about fighting and it's been about the health. So many fighters say that. With Justin Gaethje, I believe it. Knowing him the way that I know him. Gaethje loves the competition, but if that fire is gone, then what's the point?,” Cormier added. 

Check out Daniel Cormier's comments below: 

Gaethje put on arguably the best performance of his career at UFC Fight Night 250, in a fight where almost everyone doubted his chances of defeating Topuria. That said, the American inflicted so much damage on the Spaniard that his corner stopped the fight after the fourth round, and 'The Highlight' captured the lightweight belt.

If Gaethje does return to defend his title, he has shown interest in a matchup with Tsarukyan.

Justin Gaethje names Arman Tsarukyan as frontrunner for next lightweight title shot

Tsarukyan pulled off an insane knockout victory at UFC 331, knocking out Mauricio Ruffy with elbows in the first round. This earned him the Performance of the Night bonus and also potentially cemented him as next in line for the title.

Reacting to Tsarukyan's win at UFC 331, Gaethje emphasized that the Armenian is the frontrunner for the next title shot and said that if he were able to fight this year, he would have faced 'Batman.'

“Arman just had a huge fight and a huge finish, so obviously he’s at the forefront of everybody’s mind, and he’s clearly the next contender. If I were able to fight this year, then we’d be fighting at the end of this year,” Gaethje said.