Gaethje's manager shuts down Topuria rematch push: 'He doesn't call the shots'

Ali Abdelaziz, manager of UFC lightweight champion Justin Gaethje, has flatly rejected Ilia Topuria’s bid for an immediate rematch, arguing the Georgian-Spaniard lacks the leverage to dictate his next fight after losing the title at UFC Freedom 250 in June.

Topuria suffered the first defeat of his professional career at that event, relinquishing the lightweight belt to Gaethje. He has since publicly lobbied for a quick return, but Abdelaziz made clear that call is not his to make.

“He’s not fighting Justin Gaethje next,” Abdelaziz told Submission Radio. “He doesn’t call the shots. Only one guy in the past did that and his name is Conor McGregor and he’s not Conor McGregor. Nobody is.”

Abdelaziz went further, expressing total confidence in Gaethje’s ability to beat Topuria in any potential rematch. “I believe Justin Gaethje will beat him nine out of 10 times. You know why? Justin has his number. I don’t think he can beat Justin Gaethje.” He also argued there is little incentive for the champion to take the fight. “Justin Gaethje has zero gain to beat Ilia Topuria again,” he said.

Abdelaziz also responded to Topuria’s suggestion that Gaethje had something unusual in his gloves during their bout — a claim that drew significant attention in the lead-up to Arman Tsarukyan’s recent fight week.

“If this is what he wants to say that he had rocks in his gloves, that’s a compliment to Justin Gaethje — how hard he punches,” Abdelaziz said. “I’m not going to be insulted by that, because the Las Vegas Commission was there, the D.C. Commission was there, Andy Foster from California was there. He had three commissions watching him about the gloves.”

Abdelaziz suggested Topuria’s glove allegations were a deliberate media tactic rather than a genuine grievance. “He said that during Arman’s fight week to take away from Arman and Ruffy’s hype. This is what Conor used to do, and he did a good job. He got himself in the media.”

With Gaethje’s camp showing no appetite for an immediate rematch, Topuria’s path back to the lightweight title looks set to run through the UFC’s matchmaking process rather than any direct negotiation.