Justin Gaethje thinks Ilia Topuria is too small for lightweight, says Arman Tsarukyan is ‘next in line’

Justin Gaethje has dismissed Ilia Topuria's accusations of foul play following their UFC lightweight title fight at the White House, instead offering a straightforward explanation for the champion's upset loss: Topuria is simply too small for the 155-pound division.

Gaethje, who scored one of MMA's biggest upsets by stopping Topuria to claim the lightweight title, addressed the fallen champion's recent claims that his gloves were loaded. Speaking on the FLAGRANT podcast, Gaethje suggested Topuria needs to accept the loss and move forward. "He has to believe that I cheated, because if not, how could you do it again? I broke his face," Gaethje said, emphasizing that Topuria's size disadvantage was the deciding factor.

The new lightweight champion believes Topuria should return to featherweight, where he previously held the title and could potentially reclaim it. "I don't think he's a lightweight. I think he should go down. I think he can beat Alexander Volkanovski and be champion at featherweight," Gaethje stated. He noted that Topuria would struggle against other lightweights like Arman Tsarukyan and Paddy Pimblett, suggesting the size gap at 155 pounds is simply too much to overcome.

Regarding his own future, Gaethje remains noncommittal. At 37 years old with over four decades of amateur and professional fights, he expressed uncertainty about continuing. However, he acknowledged that Tsarukyan is the clear next contender if he does choose to defend. Gaethje also mentioned interest in fighting Conor McGregor and noted that beating Topuria has satisfied his desire for rematches against Charles Oliveira and Max Holloway, the only two active fighters who previously defeated him. For now, Gaethje said he plans to enjoy his championship status while making a calculated business decision about his future.