Justin Gaethje is enjoying his reign as the undisputed UFC lightweight champion, but fans will have to wait a while to see him back in action. The “Highlight” has confirmed he won’t be stepping into the Octagon again in 2026.
Gaethje has already been to war twice this year. After a grueling back-and-forth battle against Paddy Pimblett in January, he pulled off a massive upset by stopping Ilia Topuria at the UFC White House main event in June. However, walking away with two victories came at a physical cost.
On Injuries and the Future: “I still can’t punch anything,” Gaethje told Sports Illustrated. “Both of my hands are still hurt from the fight so I’m just going to enjoy being the champion for the rest of the year because I fought two times already in the first six months.”
The Topuria Rematch: While leaving his future up to discussions with his family, Gaethje scoffed at the idea of an immediate rematch with Topuria, noting that his opponent couldn’t even make it off the stool after the fourth round.
“Ultimately the UFC makes the decision,” Gaethje admitted. “But seeing as he’s still recovering from some things too, I don’t think that’s my next fight, in my gut.”
