TLDR
- Justin Gaethje confirms Arman Tsarukyan is next in line for a lightweight title shot after his UFC 331 knockout
- Gaethje is recovering from knee and hand injuries sustained in his June fight against Ilia Topuria
- The 37-year-old champion fought twice in 2026 and is considering retirement after achieving his goals
- UFC CEO Dana White hasn’t guaranteed Tsarukyan a title shot, saying it depends on what Gaethje decides
- Gaethje plans to rest and make a decision about his future later this year
Sources: yardbarker.com | sports.yahoo.com | mmafighting.com
Justin Gaethje has made it clear who should be next in line for a lightweight title shot, but the UFC champion isn’t sure when — or if — he’ll fight again. The 37-year-old champion said Arman Tsarukyan deserves the next opportunity after his knockout win over Mauricio Ruffy at UFC 331 on September 19.
“He’s clearly the next contender,” Gaethje said on the One Night with Steiny podcast. “If I was able and willing to fight this year, then we would be fighting at the end of this year.”
The problem is that Gaethje is still recovering from injuries suffered during his championship fight against Ilia Topuria in June. He unified the lightweight titles at UFC Freedom 250 on the White House lawn, but the win came at a cost.
“I have injuries I have to take care of,” Gaethje said on the FLAGRANT podcast. He revealed he has a knee injury and can’t properly throw punches with one of his hands.
Justin Gaethje pushes back on the narrative that Ilia Topuria QUIT during their fight at UFC Freedom 250 👀
“He didn’t quit on the stool, his body was too compromised to continue fighting. He didn’t make the call, his coaches made the call because they’re there to protect him.… pic.twitter.com/jC9i3iYgYG
— Title Fight (@TitleFightMedia) September 25, 2026
Gaethje has already fought twice in 2026, first beating Paddy Pimblett for the interim lightweight title at UFC 324 in January. Both fights were physical wars that took a toll on his body.
“I gave a lot of myself for this fight in January and June,” he said. “Luckily I came out on top, but it cost me a lot, so I need to recover. I need to rest my brain because a lot of training went into those fights.”
Tsarukyan Makes His Case
Tsarukyan knocked out Ruffy in the first round at UFC 331, earning his sixth straight victory. After the win, he posted on social media: “Title shot secured” while calling out Gaethje.
The Armenian fighter had previously submitted Dan Hooker in Qatar ten months earlier. His recent knockout showed he can finish fights in different ways.
Gaethje watched the fight in person and acknowledged Tsarukyan’s performance. “Arman just had a huge fight, a huge win,” he said. “So I think, you know, obviously he’s at the forefront of everybody’s mind.”
The champion wants to make it clear he’s not avoiding the matchup. “It’s not that I don’t want to fight Arman; it really isn’t,” Gaethje said. “He’s the next in line. If and when I defend this championship, that will be who I fight. I just don’t know.”
Dana White Won’t Guarantee Title Shot
Despite Gaethje’s endorsement, UFC CEO Dana White hasn’t promised Tsarukyan the next title shot. At the UFC 331 post-fight press conference, White was asked if Tsarukyan would be next in line.
“I don’t know. We’ll see,” White said. “That’s up to — we don’t know what Gaethje is thinking yet.”
White confirmed that Gaethje was at the event and saw Tsarukyan’s knockout. “He was here tonight, so he saw the fight. We’ll see where his head is at,” White added.
Gaethje also discussed his victory over Topuria, saying he thinks “El Matador” is too small for the lightweight division. “I don’t think he’s a lightweight,” Gaethje said. “I think he should go down. I think he can beat [Alexander] Volkanovski and be champion at featherweight.”
The champion dismissed Topuria’s recent accusations that he loaded his gloves before their fight. “He honestly has to believe that I cheated, because if not, how could you do it again?” Gaethje said. “I broke his face.”
Retirement has crossed Gaethje’s mind since becoming undisputed champion. “I do not feel like I have anything left to prove,” he said. “My first fight was in ’08. I’m 37 years old. But I know that I also just performed better than I’ve ever performed, so I’m stuck in between a rock and a hard place.”
Gaethje mentioned Conor McGregor as a potential fight he would like but said he no longer needs revenge on Charles Oliveira and Max Holloway, the last two men to defeat him. He plans to enjoy being champion for the rest of the year before making a decision about his future.
