Justin Gaethje Eyes Conor McGregor Fight

Justin Gaethje has identified Conor McGregor as the opponent who most interests him, even as the new UFC lightweight champion says he has not settled on when or against whom he will defend his belt. Gaethje said he would rather face McGregor than avenge his past losses to Max Holloway and Charles Oliveira, despite both remaining in the title picture.

Gaethje explained that he does not feel compelled to directly revisit either loss. His reasoning is tied to Ilia Topuria, the fighter Gaethje defeated to become champion. Because Topuria had beaten Holloway and Oliveira in title fights, Gaethje said he can justify that result as having effectively settled those prior setbacks for him. That leaves McGregor as the name Gaethje volunteered when asked about old rivals, with Gaethje saying it would be fun to shut him up. The key distinction is that Gaethje framed it as a preference rather than a booked next move. He remains the champion and says the division’s best fighters are pursuing him.

Gaethje explains his McGregor preference

Gaethje’s answer was rooted in his own version of MMA math. He said Oliveira or Holloway would have been the natural names to consider, but Topuria’s victories over both men changed how he views the situation. After beating Topuria, Gaethje said he could regard those losses as answered without arranging a second fight against either athlete. That is why McGregor emerged as his choice instead.

The comment also provides context for Gaethje’s changed position in the division. Before his win over Topuria, he had won the interim lightweight title twice and held the BMF belt, while falling short in two earlier attempts to become undisputed UFC champion. He now describes being champion as unfamiliar because he has previously had a titleholder to chase. His focus, he said, is no longer on selecting a particular opponent but on retaining what he has while knowing elite fighters are coming after him. In that setting, the McGregor remark is a stated attraction, not a guarantee that Gaethje will bypass the contenders whose fights could affect the next title challenger.

Title picture remains unresolved for Gaethje

Gaethje said there are major fights that will help determine his next opponent. Arman Tsarukyan was previously set to fight Oliveira before being matched with Mauricio Ruffy at UFC 331 on Sept. 19. Gaethje specifically pointed to that evolving schedule as part of the picture he is watching. The champion’s next defense is not expected until 2027 because he is recovering from hand injuries suffered in the Topuria fight, giving the lightweight landscape time to change before his return. McGregor, meanwhile, suffered a major knee injury 19 seconds into his comeback bout against Holloway at UFC 329 in July. Those circumstances underline why Gaethje has not attached a date or a formal commitment to the matchup he says he would enjoy.

• Gaethje said he can mentally account for losses to Holloway and Oliveira through his victory over Topuria, who had beaten both fighters.
• Gaethje said he is taking his future one fight at a time and will rely on his team and family when retirement decisions need to be made.

For now, Justin Gaethje has offered a clear answer about the fight that interests him most: McGregor. But he has paired that preference with an equally clear acknowledgment that he does not yet know his next defense, and that upcoming lightweight results will help decide the path ahead. Gaethje’s title reign has moved him from pursuing a champion to managing the demands of being one, while his recovery means no immediate decision has been confirmed.