The new UFC lightweight champion Justin Gaethje\u2019s manager, Ali Abdelaziz, shut down retirement talks and revealed a condition for his next fight.<\/p>\n
The 37-year-old pulled off one of the sport’s biggest upsets by beating Ilia Topuria<\/a> via fourth-round corner TKO at UFC<\/a> Freedom 250 in June on the White House grounds.\u00a0<\/p>\n Since becoming the new undisputed UFC<\/a> lightweight champion, the MMA world has been curious about what the champion would do next, and Abdelaziz seems to have answered all of their questions.\u00a0<\/p>\n Abdelaziz Rules Out Justin Gaethje<\/a>\u2019s Retirement With One Condition<\/p>\n Many fans questioned if Justin Gaethje<\/a> would become UFC champion before retiring, and the Ilia Topuria<\/a> bout appeared to be his final championship try. However, Gaethje turned the tables, but the retirement question still looms.\u00a0<\/p>\n Abdelaziz, however, denied those claims. He told MMA Junkie, \u201c2027, we will see Justin Gaethje fight. He’s fought two times this year. He deserves that time off. He’s still the lightweight champion, undisputed, and I think all those guys have to chase him.”\u00a0<\/p>\n <\/p>\n However, Gaethje\u2019s manager made it clear that the champion has conditions, and he doesn\u2019t want to take small fights. “He wants to be in a big fight. Big, big fight. At the end of the day, it just has to be a massive fight,” Abdelaziz said.\u00a0<\/p>\n The UFC’s lightweight division is full of killer fighters, and several worthy contenders are already in the title race. Even Abdelaziz has a few suggestions for Gaethje’s future defense.\u00a0<\/p>\n Who\u2019s the Massive Fight for Gaethje Next?<\/p>\n Shortly after capturing the championship against Topuria, Gaethje stated on The Joe Rogan Experience that he does not believe it is finished.\u00a0<\/p>\n However, Gaethje is on medical leave due to injuries and will not return until March. Thus, his first championship defense will take place in early 2027.\u00a0<\/p>\n In the same interview, Abdelaziz floated a few names for Gaethje\u2019s first title defense. \u201cHe can fight one more time because nobody tells him what to do. He’s the boss\u2026 I think a rematch with him and Max Holloway<\/a> would be huge. There are a lot of rumors Charles and Arman are gonna fight in LA in September, maybe the winner of that,\u201d Abdelaziz said.<\/p>\n Max Holloway is coming off a victory against McGregor after the latter got injured in the initial seconds of the round. Meanwhile, Charles Oliveira dropped out of the Arman Tsarukyan fight following the untimely death of a teammate.\u00a0<\/p>\n