Justin Gaethje makes shock retirement claim as Arman Tsarukyan fight hangs in balance
Justin Gaethje has discussed the possibility of retiring from MMA after unifying the lightweight titles in June.
Gaethje handed out a brutal beating to Ilia Topuria at the White House three months ago, as the Spanish-Georgian was forced to quit on his stool after the fourth round.
The American extended his UFC record to 28 wins from 33 fights as he became the undisputed lightweight champion. A shock victory to end Topuria's flawless record has only raised questions about what comes next for the veteran, and he has since provided an answer.
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Justin Gaethje makes shock UFC retirement claim
After producing the biggest win of his career, Gaethje was honest about taking the year off following two title fight triumphs in 2026.
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But at the age of 37, many have suggested that his impressive performance against Topuria should be the final dust-up of his career.
On the other hand, Gaethje's manager, Ali Abdelaziz, has announced that the lightweight champion will continue fighting in 2027 - despite believing he has already "fulfilled his legacy" in the sport.
That is why, after a career spanning almost two decades, the American feels he has "nothing left to prove", with retirement seemingly becoming a real possibility.
"I do not feel like I have anything left to prove," Gaethje told Andrew Schulz. "My first fight was in 08’; I’m 37 years old. Everyone’s saying to fight Arman Tsarukyan. I haven’t made a decision. I know that I just performed better than I’ve ever performed, so I’m stuck between a rock and a hard place.”
Should Gaethje continue his career in the UFC, then Arman Tsarukyan is the most likely challenger to his title after he scored arguably the biggest win of his career against Mauricio Ruffy in the co-main event of UFC 331 in Los Angeles.
Gaethje was seated cageside for that fight, and he was instantly met with a strong message from Tsarukyan, who showcased his willingness to fight the 37-year-old next.
“He already knows his message; he’s fighting me next,” the 29-year-old said immediately after knocking out Ruffy.
Tsarukyan is currently on a six-fight win streak at lightweight and was supposed to challenge Islam Makhachev for the title last year, but a last-minute withdrawal from the event, plus other incidents, put him in the doghouse with the UFC.
Arman Tsarukyan wants to become UFC champion
It isn't a surprise that the Armenian-Russian is desperate to become a UFC champion after putting extra pressure on himself to ensure a title shot.
"Every fight is pressure for me,” Tsarukyan said. “It’s not a joke because I want to be a UFC champion. Every fight for me is so important. This fight is important too, especially finish and show the great performance.
"When I’m going to talk to UFC, the bosses are not going to say, ‘It was a boring decision, and you want to fight for the title.’ I knocked him out in the first round, and they can see the crowd, people, and my ability in the cage.
“I’ve been waiting a long time/ I need a title fight, and today I proved it again. This is the third time I’m fighting for the No. 1 contender, and the third year. After this fight, hopefully I’m fighting for the title.”
Whether Gaethje vacates the belt or fights Tsarukyan remains to be seen, but it would be a mouth-watering showdown nonetheless.
Topics: Justin Gaethje, UFC, MMA
Thomas Griffin