Team Justin Gaethje Confirms Sticking to ‘Retirement’ if He Doesn’t Get Title Shot Next!

Ranked UFC lightweight Justin Gaethje's manager has issued a worrying statement about his UFC future after threatening retirement.

Team Justin Gaethje Confirms Sticking to ‘Retirement’ if He Doesn’t Get Title Shot Next!

Overlooked but overbooked? Justin Gaethje to really retire if not scrap for gold (Source: X)

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During his recent appearance on the Pound-4-Pound podcast, Ali Abdelaziz, one of the sport’s most prominent managers, touched on a variety of topics. But with Kayla Harrison prepping for her biggest fight yet, and former 155-pound king Islam Makhachev doing much the same a weight class up, all attention is elsewhere. All sights are now set on UFC lightweight Justin Gaethje and his immediate future.

Justin Gaethje has had the nod and preference of UFC execs and matchmakers in the process, given he pitches in a lot even when he doesn’t need to. Bagging 14 post-fight bonuses in 14 ballot appearances, human “Highlight” is always the interesting option.

However, Gaethje and his rep, Abdelaziz, recently said that brass had to show some love back and give him his due 155-pound title shot. UFC CEO Dana White, when asked about the ultimatum that he’d retire after UFC 317 PPV, scoffed at the ‘whacky’ take, saying maybe ‘The Highlight’ should.

After a historic barnburner at UFC 300, Elevation Fight Team’s Gaethje refuses to make championship weight at 155-pound for ‘fun’ scrapper. The American lightweight said he’d do so again, but only for a title shot against the current guard. Unfortunately for fans in the clique hoping Gaethje will backtrack thoughts about retiring, Abdelaziz believes his fighter will stick to his gut.

Nobody can say [expletive] — to Justin Gaethje [and go free]…and I normally don’t go talk about stuff like this publicly… I think he’s the type of guy who will [walk]; He ‘will’ walk away. Justin Gaethje will walk away… The way that this guy fights, you’d have never thought that this dude has this much value and principle. Nothing matches with Justin Gaethje.

Ali Abdelaziz on Pound-4-Pound podcast

Gaethje is a 9X “Fight of the Night” post-fight bonus winner and close to banking $1M in performance bonuses himself. The former BMF champion defeated the then-consensus best boxer, Dustin Poirier; snapped Tony Ferguson’s 12-fight winning streak; and participated in Khabib Nurmagomedov’s retirement fight.

UFC execs usually place him in high regard to get it done. He recently agreed to a classic brawler-on-brawler rematch with Muay Thai specialist Rafael Fiziev at UFC 313 PPV after his original opponent, Dan Hooker, withdrew due to injury. With 18,869 in attendance, Justin Gaethje delivered a PPV thriller and got yet another $50k fight-bonus for it.

Coming into UFC 313, the lightweight fighter had already made his title aspirations and demands clear. Yet, it was two whole other people who got the crack at the vacant hardware, stipulated by their star power. Gaethje had the blessing for a top contender spot from Team Makhachev, with Abdelaziz as the common manager for both.

Yearning to face the current title challengers, he now has the blessing of champ Ilia Topuria’s team rep, Lukasz Orzel, as an interesting option. Hence, there might be some hard-hitting side to his resolve after all. Much like Abdelaziz, yet another voice stands on that Gaethje might actually hang it up if not given his top shot.

Kamaru Usman mirrors Ali Abdelaziz’s take on Justin Gaethje

Having been overlooked, Gaethje delivered a resounding ultimatum to the UFC brass. Asserting that if he were not granted a subsequent UFC 155-pound title opportunity, he’d call it quits. With #10 lightweight Paddy Pimblett sharing space with Topuria, No.4-ranked Justin Gaethje is out in title limbo.

Close friend pitches in on Justin Gaethje and state of mind
Close friend pitches in on Justin Gaethje and state of mind (Source: X)

Many fans and pundits have billed him as being at a Haggard’s crossing. His milestone UFC 300 PPV fight is proof why UFC needs Gaethje. But it’s also his drawback; for example, analyst Din Thomas said it’s in bad view. While an interesting fight, the imagery of him flatlining has taken away some of that sparkle.

No.2-ranked UFC 155-pounder on the Athletes’ Listings, Arman Tsarukyan, finds himself bound to agree. Given, the fighter was ranked ‘#1’ and was the top seed vying for gold not that long ago. Then, UFC Execs wore off the Justin Gaethje option and allowed for the lifelong Topuria-Pimblett friction to manifest again. Many people think ‘The Highlight’ is on a short draw and an unlucky streak at the moment.

The interim lightweight champ can’t catch a break, and Abdelaziz can get his frustrations for not getting top shot despite helping the UFC out. In response to the manager, close friend Kamaru Usman said he gets Gaethje’s mindset:

I agree, he’s one of the most honest and principled guys… And he’s a damn good golfer now, and…[Yeah] I hate to admit that…That [he might retire if not].

Kamaru Usman on Pound-4-Pound podcast

The convoluted 155-pound weight class is in a hard shuffle. Without the 35+ top crops, there’s Armenian lightweight Tsarukyan ready for gold. Polish Team ATT mate Mateusz Gamrot is #8 in lightweight rankings and 3-1 in his last few, akin to Gaethje’s run.

Fiziev is just beyond the bounds at #11 but fresh of a rebound win at UFC Fight Night: Hill vs. Rountree Jr. Even with a weird ranking elswhere, Max Holloway is also a top 5 lightweight fighter. Nobody knows what’s Topuria’s first title defense will be, but he’s set on Pimblett. However, there are quite few many options to make, even as a title eliminator. So, where Gaethje ends up is anyone’s guess.

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