Justin Gaethje believes Ilia Topuria is simply too small for lightweight and needs to go back to 145 pounds. “I don’t think he’ll ever be champion at lightweight. He can’t beat Arman, he’s gonna have a difficult time with Paddy. There’s a bunch of dogs. I think he’s undersized for lightweight. That’s what I felt.” Gaethje’s manager, Ali Abdelaziz, has completely ruled out an immediate title rematch, stating Topuria must earn his way back by fighting someone like Paddy Pimblett or Arman Tsarukyan instead. On @Kalshi, there is an 86% chance that Justin Gaethje remains the UFC lightweight champion through the end of the year.
Lightweight champion Justin Gaethje has questioned whether Ilia Topuria can succeed at 155 pounds, arguing the Spaniard is too small for the division and should return to featherweight.
Gaethje said he does not believe Topuria will ever hold the lightweight title. He argued that Topuria cannot beat Arman Tsarukyan, would have a difficult time with Paddy Pimblett, and that the division is full of dangerous fighters. "I think he's undersized for lightweight," Gaethje said, describing it as what he felt in the matchup.
His manager, Ali Abdelaziz, went further and ruled out an immediate title rematch. Abdelaziz said Topuria must earn his way back to a title shot by beating someone such as Pimblett or Tsarukyan first.
The fighters
Gaethje, 37, is the reigning UFC lightweight champion with a record of 28-5. The American, who trains at Genesis Training Center, is one of the division's highest-volume strikers, landing 6.48 significant strikes per minute at 58 percent accuracy. He stands five-foot-eleven with a 70-inch reach.
Topuria, 29, is 17-1 and sits at number one in the lightweight rankings and number one in the pound-for-pound list. The Spanish fighter from Climent Club lands 4.81 significant strikes per minute at 48 percent accuracy and averages 1.96 takedowns per 15 minutes. At five-foot-seven with a 69-inch reach, he gives up four inches of height to Gaethje, which is the physical gap the champion is pointing to.
Why it matters
- Abdelaziz's stance suggests Topuria's path to a rematch runs through another contender rather than a direct return to the title picture.
- Pimblett and Tsarukyan are named as the fighters Topuria would need to get past, putting both in the frame as potential next opponents.
- Gaethje's size argument sets up a debate over whether Topuria's featherweight dominance carries over to lightweight.
Prediction market Kalshi currently gives Gaethje an 86 percent chance of remaining UFC lightweight champion through the end of the year.
