TLDR
- Charles Oliveira defends his BMF title against Diego Lopes at UFC 335 on December 12
- Oliveira believes Justin Gaethje may retire because his next fight won’t match his White House payday
- Gaethje unified the lightweight titles in June at the White House and hasn’t fought since
- Oliveira thinks he deserves the next title shot over Arman Tsarukyan if he beats Lopes
- Diego Lopes is interested in fighting Gaethje for the BMF title if he defeats Oliveira
Sources: mmafighting.com | sherdog.com | heavy.com
Charles Oliveira says UFC lightweight champion Justin Gaethje needs to decide whether he will retire or continue fighting. Oliveira defends his BMF title against Diego Lopes at UFC 335 on December 12 in Las Vegas.
Gaethje stopped Ilia Topuria in June to unify the 155-pound titles on the White House lawn. He has stated he will not fight again before the end of the year and has discussed potentially retiring as champion.
🏠💰 Jorge Masvidal says he'd bet the house on Ilia Topuria again if he ever rematches Justin Gaethje, because this time he'd show more respect:
"That first round, those first two blows that he got hit with, I felt like when I was watching it live, 'you’re not giving this guy… pic.twitter.com/pRiu2WAPG0
— Full Mount MMA (@MMAFullMount) October 9, 2026
White House Payday May Keep Gaethje Retired
Oliveira believes Gaethje’s massive payday from the White House event could be the deciding factor in his retirement. “I think that, without a doubt, he is not going to make more money in his next fight than he made at the White House,” Oliveira told MMA Fighting.
“The White House was a place everyone wanted to fight at, everyone wanted to be there,” he said. Oliveira explained that fighters who normally made $100,000 were earning $500,000 for that card.
Oliveira said he understands if Gaethje chooses to walk away after 33 professional fights. “I also understand his side of saying, ‘Man, I’ve already had great fights, I’ve built a great history, and wanting to retire,'” Oliveira said.
However, Oliveira wants clarity on the situation. “The first step is for the UFC to sit down with Gaethje and find out exactly what he plans to do,” he told Sherdog.
Gaethje has mentioned he would only fight this year if it were against Conor McGregor. He has also openly discussed retirement as a possibility.
Oliveira Believes He Deserves Next Title Shot
Oliveira thinks he will earn a lightweight title shot with a win over Lopes, regardless of whether Gaethje is champion. He believes his star power gives him an edge over Arman Tsarukyan, who also deserves a title opportunity.
“If we’re going to talk about name value, what do I think? I think I sell a lot more than Arman,” Oliveira said. Tsarukyan recently knocked out Mauricio Ruffy in the first round to strengthen his case for a title shot.
Tsarukyan holds a split-decision win over Oliveira from 2024. However, Oliveira submitted Gaethje in 2022, which he sees as a key selling point for a potential rematch.
If Gaethje retires, Oliveira envisions fighting Tsarukyan for the vacant title. “If he retires, then it’s me and Arman fighting for the vacant title,” he said.
Oliveira defended his strategic approach in his last fight against Max Holloway. Some critics said his grappling-heavy performance didn’t suit the BMF title style.
“Anyone who truly understands fighting, with all due respect to Max, knows that what I did to him is something no other fighter has done,” Oliveira said. “I completely neutralized his game.”
Meanwhile, Diego Lopes is looking beyond their upcoming fight. He told MMA Fighting he would be interested in defending the BMF title against Gaethje if he defeats Oliveira.
“I’d like to defend the BMF title — and if it’s against Justin Gaethje, even better,” Lopes said. He doesn’t believe he would get a lightweight title shot even with a dominant win over Oliveira.
Oliveira is currently a -145 betting favorite over Lopes, who is listed at +125. The fight headlines UFC 335 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on December 12.
