Justin Gaethje eyes Ilia Topuria showdown, pushes for White House event: "I’m just as deserving as anybody in the lightweight division"

Justin Gaethje is not letting the lightweight title picture move on without him, and he has made it clear that he wants Ilia Topuria next. He believes a fight on the White House lawn would be the perfect stage to take on the Spaniard.

Gaethje has been out since his win over Rafael Fiziev at UFC 313. However, he remains confident that his record and consistency make him the rightful contender.

While Paddy Pimblett has gained momentum after stopping Michael Chandler at UFC 314, Gaethje insists that experience and reliability should matter when the UFC books Topuria’s first defense. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Gaethje said:

“My next fight, I’m planning on fighting whenever Ilia Topuria is fighting. I was hoping we’d fight him in January, but I can’t see that happening now. The biggest question is, when is Ilia fighting again? I don’t know the answer to that…Best case scenario now is they put us on the White House card."

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He added:

"I can’t imagine why they wouldn’t put that fight on that card. He’s the champ, very popular, I’m an American and just as deserving as anybody in the lightweight division. Never not shown up for a fight, never let the UFC down. Never failed them, and I’ve always been there for them. So I expect to get that fight and represent the United States of America on the White House lawn.”

Check out Justin Gaethje's comments below:

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Dustin Poirier backs Justin Gaethje for Ilia Topuria title fight

Dustin Poirier believes Justin Gaethje should be next in line for Ilia Topuria, not Paddy Pimblett. The former UFC interim lightweight champion, now stepping into analyst duties, feels Pimblett’s rise has been too quick and lacks the signature win needed for a title shot.

Poirier acknowledged Pimblett’s momentum but questioned whether a victory over a declining Michael Chandler justifies a championship opportunity. He sees Gaethje as the more proven challenger with elite striking and experience against top contenders.

Speaking in a recent episode of The Bohnfire podcast, Poirier said:

"Gaethje [should get the title shot]. He's such a precise striker, and he's so good. Gaethje puts himself in harms way. It would be a horrible matchup for Gaethje if he lunges in and gets sniped by one of those clean shots. But also it could be a tough fight for Topuria. Respect to Paddy and what he's done [but] I don't think a win over Michael Chandler, on the skid Chandler is on and the way his fights have been going, deserves a title shot right away."

Edited by Abhishek Nambiar