UFC lightweight champion Justin Gaethje doubts he fights again in 2026
· Yahoo Sports
Justin Gaethje will take the rest of the year off after reaching his ultimate goal at UFC Freedom 250.
Gaethje (28-5 MMA, 11-5 UFC) pulled off a shocking upset to dethrone Ilia Topuria (17-1 MMA, 9-1 UFC) by doctor's stoppage TKO to claim the lightweight title this past Sunday at the White House in Washington.
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Gaethje fought only once in 2024 and 2025, but managed to log in two fights this year already. With his violent style, which has seen him win 17 bonuses in 16 fights, "The Highlight" doesn't expect to compete again in 2026. He was suspended 180 days by the Association of Boxing and Combative Sports Commissions (ABC) until his right wrist and left knee MRIs are cleared, and was also handed 45 days mandatory rest.
"I already fought twice this year and very rarely do you get me twice in one year so there's a very, very, very small chance that I would ever consider fighting this year again with what I put myself through," Gaethje said on "The Pat McAfee Show."
It was Gaethje who was inflicting the damage against Topuria, leaving the formerly unbeaten champion with severe damage to both eyes and a battered face.
"I was able to reset his feet every 1-2 seconds, I was very diligent about it, and I fought a perfect fight," Gaethje said. "He was completely caught off guard. He was not expecting it. That obviously is another part of this whole game is the expectations.
"I don't go in with expectations, so that way I can never be surprised. That's just the way I compete. He took the opposite approach. I said it before (the fight): When we go into (Rounds) 2 and 3, you're going to be in hell, and that's where he was."
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC champion Justin Gaethje says tiny chance he fights again in 2026