Justin Gaethje has been given advice while he waits to fight UFC Champ Ilia Topuria.
The former BMF and interim titleholder is putting his foot down in the lightweight division. Prior to Ilia Topuria’s title capture against Charles Oliveira at UFC 317, Gaethje has maintained the only way we see him back in the Octagon is if it’s against the champion.
Winner of three out of his last four fights, Gaethje believes he’s ‘owed’ Topuria after a near-finish of Rafael Fiziev at UFC 313.
UFC CEO Dana White wasn’t a fan of Gaethje’s ‘wacky’ retirement ultimatum, saying he should probably retire.
Amid rumors of Gaethje getting his wish against Topuria, we asked former top contender Al Iaquinta his thoughts on a potential third undisputed title shot for the fan favorite.
Al Iaquinta on Justin Gaethje threatening to retire: ‘It’s almost better to beg’
Iaquinta says retirement ultimatums are ‘never good’ in the UFC.
Iaquinta is a former top-five UFC lightweight who was once booked to fight Gaethje in 2018. The fight never took place because the bout agreement wasn’t completed.
‘Raging’ Al knows the industry, with the retired fighter commenting on Gaethje’s current situation.
“It’s never good,” Iaquinta said of Gaethje threatening to retire in an interview with Bloody Elbow.
“You never… Listen, I understand it a hundred percent,” Iaquinta added.
“I’m not saying I wouldn’t do the same thing if I were him.
“I think it’s, when you’re dealing with the UFC, it’s almost better to beg a little bit than to give an ultimatum,” explained Iaquinta.
“Gaethje’s been around for a while. He’s been in there and he’s done that. And always, everyone’s rooting for Gaethje. He’s such a warrior. It’s an exciting time in the lightweight division.”
Justin Gaethje is 2-3 in UFC title fights
When it does come time for Gaethje to retire, the lightweight legend will likely have a place in the UFC Hall of Fame.
Gaethje, the former WSOF Champion, first touched UFC gold in 2020 with a sensational standing TKO of Tony Ferguson at UFC 249. Gaethje was dropped early in the fight but came back to snap Ferguson’s 12-fight win streak and win the interim lightweight title.
Gaethje was unable to unify against undefeated champion Khabib Nurmagomedov later that year, suffering his first of three title fight losses.
The American lost by first-round submission to Charles Oliveira in an undisputed title fight and was stopped yet again by Max Holloway in the closing seconds of their BMF title fight at UFC 300, by brutal buzzer-beater knockout.
Gaethje’s second title fight win might have been his best one yet. That’s the time Gaethje knocked out rival Dustin Poirier with a head kick to capture the BMF title at UFC 291 in 2023.
from Bloody Elbow https://ift.tt/Zy5PBMw
