Gaethje warns Topuria's next opponent is 'going to be f*****' while backing Pimblett showdown

Justin Gaethje has credited a “perfect storm” of mental and tactical factors for his stunning upset of Ilia Topuria at UFC White House earlier this year, while insisting the Georgian remains one of the most dangerous fighters on the planet and that whoever faces him next is “going to be f*cked.”

Speaking on the Double Coverage podcast, Gaethje reflected candidly on the circumstances that allowed him to stop Topuria and claim the UFC lightweight title — the first undisputed championship of his career. “It was such a blessing in disguise for me to catch Ilia in such a vulnerable place,” Gaethje said. “It was a mixture of my mindset, my experience, my coach’s game plan, and then him being in a bad spot mentally was the culmination of a perfect storm.”

Gaethje was careful to frame his comments as admiration rather than criticism. He revealed he had privately warned Topuria during the pre-fight build-up that his approach could backfire, and said the Georgian’s talent is beyond question. “He is so skilled, and whoever fights him next is going to be f*cked,” Gaethje said. “If he forgets how dangerous this sport is, how there’s a little bit of luck and chance, then he’s gonna make mistakes. But outside of those mental mistakes, he is one of the best in the world — there’s no doubt about it.”

The champion also drew a parallel between Topuria’s situation and his own road to the title, which included a knockout loss to Max Holloway before his eventual triumph. “He has the same opportunity to inspire the world through what he’s going to do next,” Gaethje said. “He has the same opportunity to prove everybody wrong, and I think he’s good enough to do that.”

Topuria has already begun lobbying publicly for a rematch, and UFC CEO Dana White has indicated he is open to the idea. Gaethje, however, said he is sidelined until 2027 and declined to discuss specific opponents. Instead, he threw his support behind a potential clash between Topuria and Paddy Pimblett, describing it as a fight he would love to see.

“Who would win? Paddy is a conundrum to me,” Gaethje said. “After fighting him and being in a couple of grappling situations with him, my main goal was do not let him touch my head — don’t let him grab my head, because he’s definitely got long-ass arms, and he wraps them around your neck and there’s a lot of leverage going on in there.” Gaethje added that Pimblett’s recent performances had surprised him in terms of raw strength, suggesting the matchup with Topuria would be genuinely competitive.