Topuria’s first title defence as lightweight champion has been the subject of intense speculation
Justin Gaethje’s manager has insisted that the fighter is maintaining his strict stance on a UFC title fight, amid reports that he will challenge Ilia Topuria in November.
Gaethje has repeatedly said he will leave the UFC if he is not granted a shot at the lightweight belt next, despite having previously failed to win the undisputed strap twice.
The American, a former interim champion, failed to dethrone Khabib Nurmagomedov in 2020 and lost to Charles Oliveira in 2022, with the vacant belt on the line on the latter occasion. In both fights, Gaethje was submitted.
This week, an image circulated that appeared to show an Instagram story from Topuria’s manager, Lukasz Orzel, in which he teased a title defence against Gaethje at UFC 322 – planned for November. The story seemed to be quickly deleted, however.
UFC lightweight Renato Moicano also hinted that the fight could take place at UFC 322, although it is unclear whether he was referring to Orzel’s alleged Instagram post or other sources.
In any case, Gaethje’s manager Ali Abdelaziz addressed his fighter’s situation on Wednesday (27 August), while speaking to Submission Radio.
Ilia Topuria’s manager posted this. Looks like Justin Gaethje vs Ilia is next at UFC 322 pic.twitter.com/ASOTE6ITw0
— Dovy🔌 (@DovySimuMMA) August 27, 2025
“Nothing’s changed, Justin’s sticking to his gun,” Abdelaziz said. “I support him 100 per cent. It’s the right thing to do to give him a title fight.
“Listen, if you said, ‘I’m gonna give Arman [Tsarukyan] a title fight before Justin,’ I’d say: ‘Okay, I agree. He’s No 1, he’s on a crazy winning streak.’ But you can’t tell me you’re gonna give anyone apart from Justin [a title fight], outside Arman.
“And it looks like Arman is maybe gonna fight [Dan] Hooker, and I think the right thing to do... With the body of work Justin Gaethje has done for the UFC, I think the least you can do for him [is] give him a title shot against Topuria.
“It’s a car crash [of a fight], it’s a car crash. Who’s gonna land first is gonna [put the other] to sleep. That’s just my opinion. I think Topuria might try to wrestle with Justin also, because I think Justin Gaethe is way too dangerous to just stay in front of him and throw punches.
“But at the end of the day, Topuria is a good striker, Justin’s a very powerful striker – he’s very dangerous. Honestly it’s one of the best fight you can make in the UFC.”
Topuria, 28, won the vacant title by knocking out former champion Oliveira in round one in June, after Islam Makhachev – another of Abdelaziz’s clients – vacated the belt in May.
With that result, Topuria stayed unbeaten and became a two-weight champion, having held featherweight gold from last February until this February, when he relinquished the belt.
Meanwhile, Gaethje last fought in March, outpointing Rafael Fiziev for the second time in two years. Between those bouts, the 36-year-old went 1-1, winning the ‘Baddest Motherf*****’ belt with a knockout of Dustin Poirier then losing it with a last-second KO by Max Holloway.
Category: General Sports
