Ilia Topuria might be back in the lightweight title picture sooner than anyone imagined. At least, so says Jon Anik.
This summer, Topuria suffered the first loss of his MMA career when Justin Gaethje forced Topuria’s corner to throw in the towel in the main event of UFC White House. The epic upset win for Gaethje was the crowning moment in his storied career, finally earning him the undisputed UFC lightweight title. And UFC commentator Jon Anik says he might have to do it all again.
“I think there are internal conversations to potentially try to do Gaethje vs. Topuria 2,” Anik said on the Anik Bros YouTube channel. “A lot of people wonder aloud, ‘What is next for Ilia Topuria?’ And there’s certainly an obvious foundation for a fight between him and Paddy Pimblett. But if you have Ilia Topuria, as a fight promoter, would you not want to think about putting him back in a championship setting, given how big UFC Freedom 250 was?
“I think there’s strong consideration there.”
The lightweight title picture is currently up in the air, with Gaethje already saying he won’t fight again until 2027, citing the need to recover from his battle with Topuria. In the interim, lightweight contenders Max Holloway and Charles Oliveira, both of whom have wins over Gaethje, have made their case for a shot at the new champion, and Arman Tsarukyan is battling Mauricio Ruffy at UFC 331 in a bout that most assume is a lightweight title eliminator. All of it, Anik says, makes for exciting times at 155 pounds.
“You have Arman Tsarukyan fighting Mauricio Ruffy; it’s undeniably a lightweight title eliminator,” Anik said. “For me, I think you do Paddy Pimblett vs. Charles Oliveira. If you want to sweeten the pot and put the BMF belt on the line, so be it.
“But ultimately, Oliveira vs. Pimblett is as much an eliminator as Tsarukyan vs. Ruffy. So there’s a lot to sort of unpack at the top of the lightweight division right now.”
Still, if Gaethje does choose to fight again instead of retiring on top, Anik believes Topuria is currently the frontrunner to get the first crack at him.
“I think he probably is going to fight, if you take manager Ali Abdelaziz at his word,” Anik said. “I sort of thought maybe Mom would be like, ‘Justin, this is a great note upon which to go out.’ But I don’t think it’s going to be up to Justin. I say that with all due respect. I think Justin is far more concerned with his show money than with who he’s actually fighting.
“If Arman Tsarukyan beats Mauricio Ruffy and is able to finish him, potentially, I think that fight could be made expeditiously. I don’t know what Ilia Topuria’s timeline is, but my non-informed speculation is that Gaethje vs. Topuria 2, a rematch, would be absolutely enormous, and I guess, predictively, that’s what I think is going to happen. At least right now, as we sit here in late August.”
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