Morning Report: Israel Adesanya warns Ilia Topuria ‘not to take’ Justin Gaethje rematch

Israel Adesanya is urging Ilia Topuria to avoid an immediate rematch with Justin Gaethje, drawing on his own experience of suffering a devastating loss and bouncing back in the cage.

Topuria's world was turned upside down at UFC White House when Gaethje, who had started as a heavy underdog, methodically dismantled the former two-division champion over four rounds, forcing him to remain seated for Round 5. Despite his recent clearance to compete, Topuria has indicated interest in running it back with Gaethje as soon as possible. However, Adesanya believes that path is a mistake.

Adesanya knows the sting of a shocking loss firsthand. His longtime kickboxing rival Alex Pereira followed him into MMA and dethroned him at UFC 281 with a late finish—Pereira's third victory in their series. Adesanya rebounded immediately at UFC 287 with a knockout victory to even the score, but he acknowledges that the circumstances of his rematch were unique.

Speaking on the Precision podcast, Adesanya advised Topuria to secure a confidence-building win before pursuing another title shot, rather than face Gaethje again. "After a beating like that, you have to realize how can I come back from this," Adesanya explained. "I'd advise him not to take it with Justin, because I think getting another win before cracking the title shot again would be best for him."

Instead, Adesanya sees Arman Tsarukyan as the logical next challenger for Gaethje. The No. 1 lightweight contender earned Performance of the Night honors with a knockout of Mauricio Ruffy this past weekend and has now won 11 of his last 12 fights. Adesanya expects Gaethje and Tsarukyan to collide by fall, or January at the latest.