Matt Brown thinks the idea of Justin Gaethje retiring right now is absurd, and he has one word for why: money.
Gaethje finally realized his dream at UFC White House, upsetting Ilia Topuria to become undisputed lightweight champion, and he’s hinted he wants to keep going. Plenty of fans and pundits believe he should walk away on top instead. Brown isn’t one of them, and he made his case on The Fighter vs. The Writer.
That’s what we talk about all the time on here — don’t forget what we’re doing is prize fighting. Justin’s value is higher than it’s ever been. Take advantage of this —- while you can.
The retired welterweight’s point is simple. A fighter’s earning window is short and unpredictable, and Gaethje has never been more marketable than he is as a newly crowned champion coming off one of the biggest wins of his life.
The counterargument is the romantic one: Gaethje chased the undisputed title for years, finally has it, and could ride off with the perfect storybook ending. Brown understands the appeal but sees it as leaving life-changing paydays on the table for the sake of a narrative.
Gaethje seems to agree with Brown. He’s already indicated he plans to fight on, and has pointed to Arman Tsarukyan as the most deserving next challenger rather than granting Topuria an immediate rematch. Whoever he faces, Brown’s message is that the champion should cash in while the cashing is good.
