{"id":40672,"date":"2026-09-24T05:59:12","date_gmt":"2026-09-24T05:59:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sherdog.com\/news\/news\/Justin-Gaethje-unsure-hell-fight-again-I-dont-need-to-202935"},"modified":"2026-09-24T05:59:12","modified_gmt":"2026-09-24T05:59:12","slug":"justin-gaethje-unsure-hell-fight-again-i-dont-need-to","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.martialartskleinanzeigen.com\/videos\/justin-gaethje-unsure-hell-fight-again-i-dont-need-to\/","title":{"rendered":"Justin Gaethje unsure he\u2019ll fight again: \u2018I don\u2019t need to\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
<\/div>\n

Justin
\nGaethje<\/a> has yet to decide the next step of his career.<\/p>\n

Gaethje became the undisputed
\nUltimate Fighting Championship<\/a> lightweight king with a massive
\nupset win over Ilia
\nTopuria<\/a>, making the latter quit on his stool at
\nUFC Freedom 250<\/a> this past June. Amid recent developments in the
\ndivision, there\u2019s growing speculation about his future.<\/p>\n

\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

UFC lightweight champion Justin Gaethje details injuries and
\nweighs his fighting future<\/h2>\n

Arman
\nTsarukyan<\/a> further solidified his case for a long-overdue title
\nshot with a knockout win over Mauricio
\nRuffy<\/a> at UFC
\n331<\/a>. While Gaethje acknowledges that Tsarukyan deserves a shot
\nat gold, he\u2019s unsure about how long he\u2019ll continue fighting as he
\nenters the twilight of his career.<\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone’s like, ‘You f*cking fight Arman\u2026\u2019 I don’t know what the
\nf*ck,\u201d Gaethje said on the \u201cFlagrant\u201d podcast. \u201cI have injuries I
\nhave to take care of. I haven’t made a decision \u2013 but I am 37 years
\nold. My first fight was in 2008. I’ve had 40 fights, including my
\namateur fights, so I don’t know\u2026 I don\u2019t need to [fight
\nagain].\u201d<\/p>\n

Gaethje clarified that he isn\u2019t looking to avoid Tsarukyan (24-3).
\nHowever, he notes that he has absorbed a lot of damage in his wars
\nin the interim title win over Paddy
\nPimblett<\/a> in January, followed by the undisputed title victory
\nover Topuria in June. Gaethje revealed that he still has a serious
\nbruise in his knee and his hands are too injured to punch with. The
\nUFC lightweight champion wants to enjoy the rest of the year before
\nmaking a decision on his career.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt’s not that I don’t want to fight Arman; it really isn’t,\u201d
\nGaethje added. \u201cHe’s the next in line; if and when I defend this
\nchampionship, that will be who I fight. I just don’t know. Right
\nnow, I have a deep bruise in my knee. Still can’t punch with my
\nhand. We’re three months removed from my last fight. I gave a lot
\nof myself for this fight in January. In June, luckily, I came out
\non top, but it cost me a lot, so I need to recover. I need to rest
\nmy brain because a lot of training went into those fights. I’m just
\ngoing to enjoy being the champion for the rest of the year. I’m
\ngoing to make a business decision and a life decision whenever the
\ntime comes.\u201d<\/p>\n