Justin Gaethje not only believes Ilia Topuria shouldn’t get a rematch, he isn’t sure Topuria will be able to bounce back from his first loss.
In one of the greatest moments and biggest upsets in UFC history, Gaethje earned a corner stoppage TKO win over Topuria in the main event of UFC White House to become the undisputed lightweight champion of the world.
In a recent edition of the Joe Rogan Experience, Gaethje was asked if Topuria will be able to get back to form after suffering the brutal loss.
“The odds are f*cking great against that right now,” Gaethje said. “I hope he does [bounce back], and I know he has the skill to be a champion again. However, same thing with Tony Ferguson, I didn’t break Tony Ferguson’s confidence. I changed the perception of his opponents of him and that is a huge factor when you go in there. …
“Before this, he was the guy you couldn’t get through, that you couldn’t push through, that you couldn’t survive with. And once I showed people that all you gotta do is get through that, then nobody is ever going to go in there thinking he’s unbeatable now. And that was his identity. That’s going to be such a tough task for him, to fight people that aren’t scared of him.”
Topuria nearly for Gaethje out of there in the second round with brutal body shots. After he dropped Gaethje, Topuria looked for a submission win, but he couldn’t force the tap, or gain a big advantageous spot in order to get it, and as the horn sounded, it appeared Topuria was very tired.
Gaethje then took advantage with a big third round, and after the stanza, the doctor appeared to stop it, but the bout ended up continuing, but after another five minutes of action, and Topuria looking unrecognizable, Topuria’s corner waved it off.
“He wanted out,” Gaethje explained. “You know for a fact, you do not ever, as a fighter, say I cannot see. It’s over. And he was counting on that. He had already stated it, he didn’t need to say it again, I don’t think he thought they were going to send him back out there. …
“I stopped him twice. I stopped him twice that night. There’s no doubt about it.”
Gaethje left the decision to continue fighting on after the biggest win of his career open ended, and when asked if he’d continue on by Rogan, and if Arman Tsarukyan, or a rematch with Topuria would be next if Gaethje chose to keep on going, there still wasn’t a clear path.
“Right now I’m planning on it. There’s not something natural in me that feels like it’s over. I can’t say that I have a name. [Ilia] doesn’t get a rematch. He can try but he doesn’t get one. He quit on the stool, I stopped him twice, what else do I have to f*cking do?
“His next challenge can’t be me. He needs to fight Paddy or someone like that.”
