TLDR
- Israel Adesanya advises Ilia Topuria to get another win before attempting a rematch with Justin Gaethje
- Adesanya draws from his own experience with Alex Pereira, though his immediate rematch was successful
- Justin Gaethje’s manager Ali Abdelaziz says he doesn’t expect a rematch to happen next
- Topuria was dominated by Gaethje at UFC White House in June, unable to answer the bell for Round 5
- Adesanya believes Arman Tsarukyan should be next for Gaethje after his UFC 331 knockout win
Sources: mmafighting.com | timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Israel Adesanya is urging Ilia Topuria to think twice before jumping into an immediate rematch with Justin Gaethje after his devastating loss at UFC White House in June. The former middleweight champion knows firsthand what it’s like to face a dangerous opponent right after a brutal defeat.
Adesanya recently shared his thoughts on the Precision podcast, drawing from his own experience with rival Alex Pereira. Pereira knocked out Adesanya at UFC 281 to capture the middleweight title, marking his third straight win over Adesanya across kickboxing and MMA.
Adesanya got his immediate rematch at UFC 287 and knocked Pereira out cold to reclaim his belt. But despite his own success with a quick turnaround, he believes Topuria’s situation is different.
“After a beating like that—because again, I’ve been on the receiving end of one of them—you have to realize, OK, how can I come back from this?” Adesanya said. “I’d advise him not to take it with Justin, because I think getting another win before cracking the title shot again would be best for him.”
Topuria was recently cleared to fight again and has publicly stated his interest in an immediate rematch. The former two-division champion entered the Gaethje fight undefeated with impressive knockout wins over Charles Oliveira, Max Holloway, and Alexander Volkanovski.
👀😲Israel Adesanya advises Ilia Topuria not to jump straight back in with Justin Gaethje after the beating he took.
“After a beating like that, I’d advise him not to take the fight with Justin because I think getting another win before getting a title shot would be best for… pic.twitter.com/6A2INkwYmn
— FREAK.MMA (@FREAKMMA1) September 21, 2026
Gaethje’s Manager Dismisses Rematch Talk
Justin Gaethje’s manager Ali Abdelaziz has made his position clear on a potential rematch. Speaking to Submission Radio, he doesn’t expect a second fight between the two to happen next.
“He’s not fighting Justin Gaethje next,” Abdelaziz said. “I believe Justin Gaethje will beat him nine out of 10 times. You know why? Justin have his number.”
Abdelaziz added that he believes the fight will never happen. His comments come as Topuria has raised questions about Gaethje’s gloves from their first fight, suggesting they should be checked carefully if they meet again.
Andy Foster, executive director of the California State Athletic Commission, confirmed that Gaethje’s gloves and wraps were compliant. “His gloves and wraps were fine and totally within regulations,” Foster said.
The June fight at UFC Freedom 250 saw Gaethje dominate Topuria for nearly four rounds. After overcoming an early scare, Gaethje pummeled Topuria so badly that “El Matador” couldn’t answer the bell for Round 5.
Adesanya Picks Next Challenger
Adesanya believes the obvious next challenger for Gaethje should be Arman Tsarukyan. The number one lightweight contender knocked out Mauricio Ruffy at UFC 331 this past Saturday and has now won 11 of his past 12 fights.
“I think Arman’s next,” Adesanya said. “He and Justin Gaethje has to be the next fight, who else?”
Adesanya suggested the fight could happen as soon as September or October this year, or in January if the schedule is already full. Tsarukyan earned a Performance of the Night bonus for his knockout victory.
UFC CEO Dana White has not publicly commented on what’s next for either Gaethje or Topuria. Topuria recently completed his medical requirements and is now eligible to compete again after his first professional loss.
