Justin Gaethje Predicts How Failed Khabib Nurmagomedov UFC Rematch Would've Gone

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Jun 14, 2026; Washington, D.C. , USA; Justin Gaethje celebrates after winning the UFC Freedom 250 fight against Ilia Topuria at the White House South Lawn.

Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectHowever, given time to reflect, Gaethje took a moment to address his previous attempts at winning a world title, which included losses to former champions in Khabib Nurmagomedov and Charles Oliveira. Gaethje's UFC 254 loss to Nurmagomedov was emotional for both men, but more specifically for Nurmagomedov, who retired and vacated his then-lightweight title following a second-round triangle choke in the night's main event. Jun 14, 2026; Washington, D.C.

, USA; Justin Gaethje celebrates with his team after winning the UFC Freedom 250 fight against Ilia Topuria at the White House South Lawn. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect Gaethje quietly found a comfortable pace in the opening round and was getting inside on Nurmagomedov while both men stayed standing. Gaethje recalled feeling physically and mentally drained after the opening round, which he admitted changed the fight's eventual outcome.

Justin Gaethje still doesn’t know if he’d win a Khabib rematch.

“I beat Khabib in the first round on two of the three scorecards, and it took everything in my body to win that first round. I wasn’t going to win after…“I beat Khabib in the first round on two of the three scorecards, and it took everything in my body to win that first round," Gaethje said on theGaethje shut down the notion that a rematch with Nurmagomedov would have made a difference, acknowledging how great he truly was.

Overall, Gaethje's bottom line was simply put. Jun 14, 2026; Washington, D.C. , USA; Justin Gaethje fights Ilia Topuria during the UFC Freedom 250 at the White House South Lawn. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectA solid argument could be made that the loss to Nurmagomedov may have truly been the beginning of one of MMA's greatest comeback stories.

Six years later, even after losing in the closing seconds in April 2024 against Max Holloway at UFC 300 in their "BMF" title fight, Gaethje found himself on the right end of an interim title decision win against Paddy Pimblett in January to clinch a Topuria undisputed title fight. Had Gaethje lost to Pimblett, Gaethje was direct that he would consider retirement given the continuous opportunities that kept popping up, yet falling short.

With the weight of consolation prizes off his back, Gaethje can now reset to figure out if one title defense is enough juice to be worth the squeeze. The UFC appears to be open to either possibility, fully accepting Gaethje's time off as 2027 is nearly four months away. Either way, lightweight clarity is forthcoming, whether Gaethje is involved or not. Nonetheless, Gaethje's upset of Topuria is another chaotic chapter in an unpredictable year for the UFC.

Zain Bando is a combat sports columnist and reporter for Gameday Media’s MMA Knockout. A Northwestern Medill School of Journalism and Illinois alumnus, Bando specializes in tactical analysis, breaking news, and exclusive executive interviews across the UFC and PFL. His versatile background also includes extensive Big Ten football and men’s basketball coverage, with bylines featured in The Sporting News, FanSided, and Men's Journal. Contact him at [email protected].

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