Gaethje-Topuria rematch emerges as top contender for next title fight

The prospect of a rematch between Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje is rapidly gaining momentum.

In their first meeting at the UFC White House event in June, Topuria lost his lightweight title to Gaethje by TKO at the end of the fourth round. Topuria, who suffered a facial fracture in the fight, has only recently resumed public activity after recovering from the defeat.

Given the competitive state of the lightweight division, the conventional path back to a title shot would require Topuria to fight one or two more bouts first. But an insider familiar with UFC discussions suggested the rematch could happen sooner than that.

UFC commentator Jon Anik said on his YouTube channel Anik Brothers that internal discussions appear to be underway about pursuing a second fight between Gaethje and Topuria. "A lot of people are wondering who Topuria fights next," Anik said. "What promoter wouldn't want to put Topuria — who headlined a massive event like the UFC White House card — right back into a title fight?"

The biggest variable Anik identified is whether Gaethje will retire. The newly crowned lightweight champion has said he does not plan to fight again this year and intends to return sometime next year. Those around him, however, have not ruled out the possibility that the 38-year-old could walk away from the sport without fighting again.

Anik said that if Gaethje chooses to fight rather than retire as champion, Topuria is currently the leading candidate to be his first title defense opponent. "I think Justin is far more interested in his paycheck than in who he actually fights," Anik said, adding that a Gaethje-Topuria rematch "would be an enormous fight."

If Gaethje instead announces his retirement next year, the rematch scenario would fall apart on its own. The winner of the bout between Arman Tsarukyan and Mauricio Ruffy at UFC 331 on Sept. 20 (Korean Standard Time) would almost certainly earn the next title shot. Anik projected that the other contender slot could then be decided by the matchup between Paddy Pimblett and Charles Oliveira.