Jon Anik thinks UFC is considering Justin Gaethje vs. Ilia Topuria rematch: ‘That’s what I think is going to happen’

UFC commentator Jon Anik believes the promotion is seriously considering a rematch between Justin Gaethje and Ilia Topuria, despite Gaethje's recent comments about not fighting until 2027.

Topuria suffered the first loss of his career this summer when Gaethje stopped him at UFC White House in a stunning upset that earned Gaethje the undisputed UFC lightweight title. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Anik said internal UFC conversations are exploring the possibility of running the fight back, particularly given how massive that inaugural title bout was.

"I think there are internal conversations to potentially try to do Gaethje vs. Topuria 2," Anik explained. He noted that while a matchup between Topuria and Paddy Pimblett is an obvious alternative, promoting Topuria directly back into championship contention makes sense from a business perspective after such a high-profile event.

The lightweight title picture remains fluid. Gaethje has indicated he won't return to competition for several years, citing recovery needs from his war with Topuria. That has opened the door for contenders like Max Holloway, Charles Oliveira, and Arman Tsarukyan to stake claims at the vacant title. Anik suggested Charles Oliveira versus Paddy Pimblett as a likely title eliminator, with Tsarukyan's scheduled bout against Mauricio Ruffy at UFC 331 also functioning as an eliminator.

Ultimately, Anik predicted that if Gaethje does return to fighting—something he believes is likely despite Gaethje's stated retirement timeline—Topuria would be the front-runner for a second shot. Anik described a Gaethje-Topuria rematch as "absolutely enormous" and ventured that it represents the most probable outcome for both fighters going forward.