Justin Gaethje has done it all in MMA, and he checked off one last box on his career checklist this past June at UFC White House when he upset Ilia Topuria to become undisputed lightweight champion.
At 37, Gaethje has acknowledged his time is running short, and he’s made no indication as to when or who he plans to fight next and if that bout will mark the conclusion of his legendary 17-year run. His manager Ali Abdelaziz recently appeared on the Pound 4 Pound podcast, where he plainly laid out the determining factor for Gaethje’s decision and asked why his last fight can’t be a superfight with welterweight champion Islam Makhachev.
“If Justin Gaethje is to choose one fight, I only want him to fight one fight, and he needs to pick the biggest guy who is the biggest check next to him,” Abdelaziz said. “It doesn’t have to be for the title. It can be for a welterweight title, it can be for a lightweight title, it can be for ‘BMF’ title. Whoever’s going to give him the most zeroes.
“I think nobody of these guys will add anything to Justin Gaethje’s legacy. Charles Oliveira, he tapped so many times. Arman [Tsarukyan], probably the toughest fight in the division. He’s probably going to be a future champion. Max Holloway, he beat Justin, cool. But also, like me, I’m talking selfishly here, if Ilia [Topuria] would have won, he would have fought Islam [Makhachev] next. I think Justin Gaethje, if you choose to fight Islam, he could get to fight Islam, why not? And he vacates his lightweight title. If that’s the biggest paycheck, that should be the biggest paycheck.”
Abdelaziz has a vested interest in making a Makhachev vs. Gaethje bout happen as he has been the longtime manager of both fighters. Currently, Makhachev and Gaethje stand as two of the UFC’s most popular names, with Makhachev having won titles at 155 and 170 pounds and standing atop the MMA Fighting Pound-for-Pound Rankings, and Gaethje establishing himself as one of the most exciting fighters in MMA history long before his stunning performance against Topuria.
For now, Abdelaziz defers to Gaethje and his coaching staff as far as deciding what’s next.
“At the end of the day, Justin Gaethje has one of the smartest coaches in MMA,” Abdelaziz said. “I listen to this guy with my eyes closed. He gets to choose who Justin fights. Justin Gaethje gets to choose who he fights. So many scenarios. It can be a Max rematch. Charles Oliveira, for me, doesn’t bring anything to the table, in my opinion.”
Pound 4 Pound host Kamaru Usman—also an Abdelaziz client—asked the manager of Gaethje should be viewed as the greatest American fighter in UFC history, and Abdelaziz put him over numerous others, including fellow all-time great Jon Jones.
“Not even close,” Abdelaziz said. “It’s not even close. Jon Jones is great, Mike Chandler, it’s not even close. Justin Gaethje, one of the most loved—I’m going to tell you a story. I had the pleasure three weeks ago to have President Trump invite Justin Gaethje and sat down with him and spoke for three hours. And the way I saw the President of the United States speak to Justin Gaethje, I was bugging the hell out. He admires this man, he respects this man. I think the President of the United States loves two fighters more than anybody: Justin Gaethje and Khabib [Nurmagomedov].”
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SOCIAL MEDIA BOUILLABAISSE
OK, but this is how I remember the fight actually going.
Fixed fights? In the UFC???
How many fights do you all think have been fixed in the UFC?
This topic has come up a lot recently so I’m curious what everyone thinks. Obviously a lot have been in Japan, (there is an excellent video about it on YouTube) but the UFC is different. I would say only a few but I know others will say many more. So what are your thoughts? 0? 5? 10? 100? Let me know!
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Not the greatest weekend of fights, but tomorrow’s main event is terrific, and then we’re on the road to UFC 330. Enjoy the fights, and see y’all next week.
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