{"id":38894,"date":"2026-06-20T15:15:44","date_gmt":"2026-06-20T15:15:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sherdog.com\/news\/news\/Justin-Gaethje-unlikely-to-fight-again-in-2026-201586"},"modified":"2026-06-20T15:15:44","modified_gmt":"2026-06-20T15:15:44","slug":"justin-gaethje-unlikely-to-fight-again-in-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.martialartskleinanzeigen.com\/videos\/justin-gaethje-unlikely-to-fight-again-in-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Justin Gaethje unlikely to fight again in 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Don\u2019t expect to see Justin
\nGaethje<\/a> in the Octagon again this year. <\/p>\n

Gaethje (28-5) recently dethroned Ilia
\nTopuria<\/a> in a massive upset at
\nUFC White House<\/a> to win the undisputed lightweight title. \u201cThe
\nHighlight\u201d had previously won the interim title against Paddy
\nPimblett<\/a> this past January. Gaethje notes that it is already a
\nrarity to see him compete twice in a year. Gaethje revealed that it
\nis highly unlikely for him to compete again in 2026.<\/p>\n

Hiatus Loading<\/h2>\n

\u201cI already fought twice this year,\u201d Gaethje said on “The Pat McAfee Show.\u201d<\/a>. \u201cVery, very rarely do
\nyou get me twice in one year. So there\u2019s very, very, very small
\nchance that I would ever consider fighting this year again.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gaethje has never fought more than twice a year in the
\nUFC<\/a>. The newly-crowned lightweight champion had competed only
\nonce each in 2024 and 2025. Gaethje\u2019s win over Topuria marked his
\nthird bid for the undisputed title. There was speculation about the
\n37-year-old retiring if he had lost against
\nTopuria.  <\/p>\n