Justin Gaethje has turned his attention toward Conor McGregor after capturing the UFC lightweight championship with a stunning victory over Ilia Topuria.
Rather than pursuing rematches with former opponents Max Holloway or Charles Oliveira, both of whom have defeated him in the past, Gaethje has identified McGregor as a more appealing option for his next major fight.
Gaethje became the undisputed UFC lightweight champion after defeating Topuria at UFC Freedom 250, held at the White House. The victory represented one of the biggest achievements of his career and put him at the top of a highly competitive 155-pound division.
Interestingly, Gaethje believes his victory over Topuria already provided a measure of revenge for his previous defeats. Topuria had previously beaten both Holloway and Oliveira, meaning Gaethje’s win over Topuria allowed him to claim that he had effectively settled those old scores without having to face either fighter again.
That has opened the door for a potential showdown with McGregor. Gaethje indicated that facing the former two-division champion would be a particularly entertaining option, even suggesting that he would enjoy the opportunity to “shut him up.”
A McGregor matchup would also carry plenty of history and star power. McGregor recently returned to competition after a lengthy absence, but his comeback against Holloway ended prematurely after he suffered a knee injury. He has not recorded a victory since 2020 and is expected to remain sidelined while recovering.
For Gaethje, however, the timing of his next fight remains uncertain. The champion suffered hand injuries during his recent run and has indicated that he will not compete again until 2027, giving the UFC time to determine how the lightweight title picture develops.
Other contenders remain in the mix, including Arman Tsarukyan and Oliveira, but Gaethje’s public interest in McGregor adds another intriguing possibility to the division.
For now, the proposed rivalry remains only a potential matchup. If both fighters eventually return healthy and the UFC decides to make the bout, a Gaethje-McGregor fight would bring together two of the division’s biggest personalities and could become one of the sport’s most anticipated matchups.
Source: sports.yahoo
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