Justin Gaethje has made it clear that a second fight with Paddy Pimblett is not something he is interested in, despite the English contender reigniting his championship ambitions with an emphatic victory at UFC 329.
Pimblett produced one of the biggest performances of his career last weekend, submitting Benoit Saint Denis with a D’arce choke in just 52 seconds at T Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The dominant finish immediately pushed him back into the lightweight title conversation after a difficult start to the year.
However, Gaethje, who currently holds the undisputed UFC lightweight championship, has dismissed suggestions that the pair are destined to meet again inside the Octagon.
Justin Gaethje gives a firm response
Speaking on The Pat McAfee Show, Gaethje was asked whether another clash with Pimblett could happen in the future. His response left little room for interpretation.
Destined for each other to fight again? No. No. No. No.
The American has enjoyed one of the most remarkable runs of his career over the past few months. After defeating Pimblett by unanimous decision at UFC 324 to capture the interim lightweight title, he stunned the MMA world by stopping previously unbeaten Ilia Topuria at UFC Freedom 250 to become the undisputed champion.
Topuria entered that contest as a significant betting favorite after dominating both the featherweight and lightweight divisions. Gaethje weathered the early pressure before systematically breaking down the Georgian Spanish star with relentless combinations and punishing leg kicks. Topuria’s corner ultimately stopped the fight after the fourth round, handing him the first defeat of his professional career.
The victory also made Gaethje, already regarded as one of the UFC’s most entertaining fighters, a world champion for the first time after years of competing against elite opponents such as Khabib Nurmagomedov, Charles Oliveira, Dustin Poirier, Tony Ferguson and Rafael Fiziev.
Pimblett quickly rebuilt his momentum
Pimblett entered UFC 329 needing an impressive performance following his comprehensive loss to Gaethje earlier this year. The Liverpool native delivered exactly that.
After securing an early takedown, Pimblett immediately threatened with submissions before locking in a tight D’arce choke that rendered Saint Denis unconscious in less than a minute.
The statement victory allowed Pimblett to immediately call for another opportunity at UFC gold.
I’ll beat Ilia up, I’ll rematch Justin, I’ll fight Conor or Max next. I don’t care. Give me anyone.
Pimblett also suggested he could become one of the promotion’s biggest stars following Conor McGregor’s unfortunate injury against Max Holloway in the UFC 329 main event.
Although the performance reminded everyone of Pimblett’s finishing ability, many believe he still has work to do before earning another title opportunity considering how decisively Gaethje won their first meeting.
Champion reflects on his impact
Rather than focusing on Pimblett’s challenge, Gaethje spoke about the influence his recent success has had across combat sports.
I think it’s crazy what my story has done for so many people.
He revealed that former opponent Rafael Fiziev told him the championship victory had inspired him after losing twice to Gaethje.
Rafael Fiziev, a guy I fought two times, says a very similar thing. I kind of rejuvenated him when I won that fight. Him losing two times to me, having been in there with me two times kind of rejuvenated him.
Gaethje also referenced former heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua, who recently praised the realities of professional fighting after witnessing Gaethje’s upset victory over Topuria.
“Anthony Joshua talked about how you can never forget how real fighting is and how dangerous it is. It’s pretty cool across the board. All athletes respect our sport because it’s so humbling. It’s one on one. It’s freaking awesome.”
The lightweight division faces uncertainty
Gaethje’s comments create even more uncertainty at the top of the lightweight division.
The 37 year old has already rejected the idea of granting Topuria an immediate rematch, and now he has publicly ruled out another fight with Pimblett. At the same time, the champion has yet to confirm whether he will continue competing or retire while sitting on top of the division.
That leaves several contenders hoping for an opportunity.
Arman Tsarukyan remains one of the strongest candidates after compiling a five fight winning streak and maintaining his position near the top of the rankings. Charles Oliveira also remains firmly in the championship picture thanks to his consistent performances against elite opposition over the past several years.
Still, Tsarukyan’s relationship with the UFC has not always been smooth. The Armenian withdrew from a scheduled title fight against then champion Islam Makhachev in early 2025 because of injury and later drew criticism after a headbutt incident involving Dan Hooker during fight week. Those issues could influence how quickly he receives another championship opportunity despite his impressive résumé.
What comes next for Gaethje?
For now, Gaethje appears to be enjoying the biggest achievement of his career after finally capturing the undisputed lightweight championship. Whether he decides to defend the belt or retire as champion remains one of the UFC’s biggest unanswered questions.
As for Pimblett, his spectacular UFC 329 submission win has restored his credibility as a legitimate contender, but Gaethje’s latest comments suggest another title fight against the American is not currently on the table.
With several elite contenders waiting in line and the champion yet to reveal his future plans, the UFC lightweight division remains one of the most intriguing storylines in mixed martial arts.
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