Matt Brown understands why the UFC would book Justin Gaethje against Ilia Topuria again. He just thinks it could break Topuria.
Jon Anik said last week that there are internal conversations about running the fight back once both men are healthy in 2027. Gaethje took the lightweight title at UFC Freedom 250 in June, with Topuria’s corner throwing in the towel after the fourth round. Brown gave his read on The Fighter vs. The Writer.
If I’m the UFC, I don’t think that’s a bad idea. I don’t dislike it at all. It was obviously an amazing fight, and Justin Gaethje is always going to be a banger. I don’t think it’s ever a bad idea to put him in there with another guy that’s going to be a banger. I think you have to talk with Ilia Topuria though.
The comments Topuria has made since are what give him pause.
Does he need his confidence rebuilt? If you’re the UFC, do you want him to rebuild his confidence or do you want him go in there and fight a guy like Gaethje again, who’s a *** dog! If that happens to Ilia again, as much of his soul left during that first fight, can he regain some of that soul if that happens again ever? I think you need to talk with Ilia about it. Is he even up for that? Is that really what’s the right next move for Ilia? I think Ilia needs a confidence builder.
He put it more bluntly after that.
I get where the UFC is coming from. I get where the UFC would want to make that fight. The downside of that fight, you might ruin Ilia Topuria’s life. If that first fight repeats itself, I’m not sure Ilia comes back the same. I’m not sure he comes back from the first one already. If you actually care about Ilia’s life, you need to put him in there with someone like a Renato Moicano.
His comparison is a boxing one.
He needs a proper return fight, in my opinion. You see this in boxing all the time. Guys don’t come back from wars like that and go try again unless it’s like Gatti and Ward. It’s pretty rare that these type of fights get rebooked and it happens right away. You’ve got to rebuild it back up and give the guy a tuneup when you come off a loss.
Gaethje is not pushing for it either. He has said Arman Tsarukyan is more deserving and that Topuria is not fighting him next. He also told Sports Illustrated that both his hands are still hurt and that he will not return before 2027.
Topuria has no timetable. He spoke publicly for the first time last week in a message addressed to his son, saying a champion is someone who finds a reason to get back up.
