Justin Gaethje (28-5) says he would be open to fighting Conor McGregor despite the two never meeting before.
Gaethje had previously expressed interest in rematches with Charles Oliveira and Max Holloway, but said Ilia Topuria’s wins over both fighters have changed his thinking.
“I would’ve [rematched] Charles Oliveira or Max Holloway, but since Topuria beat them, I’m gonna go ahead and justify it to myself like I got them back. So I guess McGregor would be fun to shut him up,” Gaethje said.
Gaethje has yet to make the first defense of the lightweight title he won by defeating Topuria at UFC Freedom 250 in June. He is currently recovering from a hand injury suffered in that fight and is not expected to compete again until 2027.
The 37-year-old said he is continuing to rely on his team and family when deciding how much longer he will compete.
“I really rely on my team and my family to make these choices. When I retire, I have no idea. It has been one [fight] at a time since day one. I’m gonna continue to take it like that and trust in my team to have a conversation,” Gaethje said.
A potential McGregor fight would give Gaethje a high-profile option for his first title defense, although contenders such as Arman Tsarukyan remain in the lightweight title picture.
McGregor, meanwhile, is recovering from the knee injury he suffered against Max Holloway at UFC 329 and is targeting a return in 2027.