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“So, I expect to get that fight and represent the United States of America on the White House lawn,” he concluded in the video. Gaethje’s record of stepping up for the UFC speaks for itself—he replaced Khabib Nurmagomedov to face Tony Ferguson for the interim title on short notice. More recently, he fought Rafael Fiziev at UFC 313 after Dan Hooker withdrew due to injury. Throughout his UFC career, ‘The Highlight’ has never missed weight and has consistently delivered fan-favorite performances, helping elevate the promotion’s global status. Given his dedication, few can question whether Gaethje deserves a shot at Topuria. Meanwhile, Dana White has an update for the potential Ilia Topuria vs. Paddy Pimblett matchup. Dana White shoots down Ilia Topuria vs. Paddy Pimblett rumors The UFC head honcho has poured cold water over the rumors about a potential fight between Ilia Topuria vs. Paddy Pimblett. Following Topuria’s stunning knockout win over Charles Oliveira at UFC 317, many expected the heated rivals to finally settle their feud, with reports suggesting the bout could take place in January as part of the UFC’s new broadcast deal with Paramount. However, Dana White dismissed those talks during an interview with TNT Fight Sports. “We’re always exploring lots of different things,” White said. “Obviously, it’s a fun fight; people would like to see that. But I don’t know. As of right now, no, we haven’t made that fight. We’re trying to figure out what’s next for Topuria.” While Pimblett sits at No. 6 in the rankings, White suggested the matchup isn’t on the table—at least not yet—as the UFC continues weighing options for Topuria’s first title defense. This means Justin Gaethje still has some skin in the game. However, whether he gets the fight is a different story. Only time will tell what’s in store for ‘The Highlight.’ But do you think Gaethje should get the Ilia Topuria fight?
