Justin Gaethje says there is virtually no chance he fights again in 2026 after winning the UFC lightweight title at UFC Freedom 250, explaining that competing twice in one year is already an extreme rarity for him.
Gaethje spoke on The Pat McAfee Show following his fourth-round doctor stoppage TKO of Ilia Topuria at the White House.
I already fought twice this year and very rarely do you get me twice in one year so there’s a very, very, very small chance that I would ever consider fighting this year again with what I put myself through.
He also broke down how he approached the fight itself, describing a strategy built around keeping Topuria off balance.
I was able to reset his feet every 1-2 seconds, I was very diligent about it, and I fought a perfect fight. He was completely caught off guard. He was not expecting it. That obviously is another part of this whole game — the expectations. I don’t go in with expectations, so that way I can never be surprised. That’s just the way I compete. He took the opposite approach. I said it before the fight: When we go into Rounds 2 and 3, you’re going to be in hell, and that’s where he was.
Gaethje has been suspended 180 days or until his right wrist and left knee MRIs are cleared, with an additional 45-day mandatory rest.