Justin Gaethje Confesses He ‘Loves’ the Terror of a potential Ilia Topuria Fight

Let’s be real for a second: Justin Gaethje is not built like the rest of us. While most people would look at Ilia Topuria—a man who is currently sleeping legends for sport—and think, “No thanks, I choose life,” Gaethje looks at him and sees a beautiful nightmare.

Before “The Highlight” can get his hands on the undisputed king, he has some business to handle at UFC 324 against Paddy Pimblett. But in true Gaethje fashion, he’s already looking at the horizon, and he’s being refreshingly honest about the absolute violence that awaits him if he wins. He isn’t talking trash or pretending he’s invincible. He’s talking about fear. And strangely enough, that’s exactly what makes him the most entertaining man on the roster.

Gaethje Embraces the Fear Factor

In a sport filled with alpha-male posturing and guys pretending they have ice in their veins, Gaethje’s recent comments to ESPN Deportes were a breath of fresh air. Discussing a potential unification bout against Topuria later in 2026, Gaethje didn’t say he’d smash him. He didn’t say Topuria was overrated. He admitted he’s going to be terrified.

“It’s a beautiful challenge, and I love how scared I’ll be,” Gaethje said. Read that again. Who says that? This is a guy who gets punched in the face for a living, admitting that the prospect of standing across from ‘El Matador’ gives him the kind of fear he actually craves. It’s almost masochistic, but that’s the Gaethje brand. He functions best when he’s on the edge of disaster.

He specifically pointed out Topuria’s “2-3” combination—the right hand into the left hook—calling it one of the best combos he’s ever seen. He knows if he eats that, he’s waking up with a flashlight in his eyes. The self-awareness here is wild.

The ‘A to B’ Philosophy

So, how does Gaethje plan to handle a guy who just knocked out Max Holloway, Alexander Volkanovski, and Charles Oliveira? He’s not overcomplicating it.

“I trust in my A to B,” Gaethje explained. “I have to trust in my intuition, I have to trust in my ability to judge distance and time—and just be there.”

Basically, he’s saying if he thinks too much, he dies. Topuria is too fast and too technical to play a chess match with. Gaethje has to rely on those primal instincts that have served him well (mostly) for the last decade. He knows he can’t walk into that right hand, but he also knows he can’t fight scared—even if he is scared. It’s a paradox that only a fighter with his chaotic energy can understand.

The Pimblett Obstacle Course

Of course, all this talk about fighting for the undisputed belt is moot if he doesn’t get past Paddy Pimblett first. On January 24, Gaethje steps in to defend the dignity of the lightweight rankings against the Liverpudlian hype train for the interim strap.

Let’s be honest, the matchmaking here is a bit weird. You’ve got Topuria taking a personal break (fair play to him), so the UFC spun up an interim title fight. For Gaethje, this is a trap game. On paper, his D1 wrestling and nuclear leg kicks should be a nightmare for Paddy. Even Urijah Faber recently came out saying Gaethje’s grit and wrestling cancel out Pimblett’s best weapons.

But this is MMA. We’ve seen stranger things happen than a scrappy grappler catching a striker who loves to brawl a little too much. If Gaethje looks past Paddy to stare at Topuria, he might end up waking up on the canvas in January wondering where it all went wrong.

One Last Ride for the BMF?

Justin Gaethje is 37 years old. In lightweight years, that’s basically ancient. He’s coming off that devastating last-second KO loss to Max Holloway at UFC 300, a moment that would have retired a lesser man.

This run feels final. He’s won the interim belt before. He’s held the BMF belt. But the undisputed crown has always slipped through his fingers—first against Khabib, then against Oliveira. Topuria represents the final boss, the new generation’s monster that the old guard has to face.

If Gaethje gets through Pimblett, a fight with Topuria isn’t just a title fight; it’s a collision of eras. It’s the most violent man of the last decade vs. the most precise killer of the current one. Gaethje knows the danger. He welcomes the fear. And frankly, we should all be scared for him—and absolutely glued to the screen when it happens.