{"id":368079,"date":"2026-07-18T05:52:24","date_gmt":"2026-07-18T00:22:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/?p=368079"},"modified":"2026-07-18T05:52:24","modified_gmt":"2026-07-18T00:22:24","slug":"justin-gaethje-explains-the-one-thing-that-feels-different-since-finally-becoming-ufc-champion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/2026\/07\/18\/justin-gaethje-explains-the-one-thing-that-feels-different-since-finally-becoming-ufc-champion\/","title":{"rendered":"Justin Gaethje explains the one thing that feels different since finally becoming UFC champion"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Follow us on Google Discover<\/span> <\/a> <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Justin Gaethje claimed the undisputed lightweight crown in his third attempt.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Khabib Nurmagomedov and Charles Oliveira had previously stalled Gaethje\u2019s push to secure the final word prize within the UFC at 155 kilos.<\/p>\n

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Ilia Topuria was unable to affix them in doing so, as an alternative dropping the title to \u2018The Highlight\u2019 in an enormous upset on the White House event in June.<\/p>\n

Gaethje is now the undisputed UFC lightweight champion for the primary time, but life shouldn’t be all that different for the bonus-winning machine.<\/p>\n

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How would you matchmake the lightweight top five after UFC 329? \ud83d\udc40<\/h3>\n

Paddy Pimblett \ud83c\udff4\udb40\udc67\udb40\udc62\udb40\udc65\udb40\udc6e\udb40\udc67\udb40\udc7f has risen 4 spots following his submission over Benoit Saint-Denis.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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Credit: Jeff Bottari\/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n

Justin Gaethje admits it’s an odd feeling to not be \u2018chasing\u2019 anything within the UFC<\/h2>\n

Gaethje battered Topuria at UFC Freedom 250 to go away their unification fight in Washington, DC, as the brand new champion.<\/p>\n

Since then, \u2018The Highlight\u2019 has not been specializing in his future contained in the Octagon, as talk of Gaethje retiring as an alternative of defending his title continues to drift across the MMA community.<\/p>\n

The veteran lightweight didn’t discuss his plans during a recent appearance on The Pat McAfee Show<\/a><\/em>, but he did reflect on how he feels now that the undisputed gold is finally in his possession. <\/p>\n

Gaethje said the very fact he now not wakes up chasing a goal in MMA\u2019s leading promotion is the one real difference he has experienced thus far.<\/p>\n

\u201cLife really hasn\u2019t modified,\u201d Gaethje said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI could let or not it’s as big as I would like to or not change anything. Nothing feels different.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t have something to chase each morning after I get up, in order that feels somewhat bit foreign. First time I\u2019ve ever felt that in my life.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat is actually the largest difference,\u201d he continued. \u201cOutside of that, I still must make the correct selections.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Photo by Jeff Bottari\/Zuffa LLC<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Gaethje has been noncommittal in relation to an Octagon return, having ruled out a title defense obviously in 2027.<\/p>\n

The champ\u2019s mother allegedly told United States vice chairman JD Vance that her son will probably be retiring after his UFC Freedom 250 title win.<\/p>\n

It stays to be seen if that memorable night will mark the conclusion of Gaethje\u2019s memorable profession. If not, a rematch with Topuria or first-time showdown with Arman Tsarukyan could await.<\/p>\n

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Follow us on Google Discover Justin Gaethje claimed the undisputed lightweight crown in his third attempt. Khabib Nurmagomedov and Charles Oliveira had previously stalled Gaethje\u2019s push to secure the final word prize within the UFC at 155 kilos. Ilia Topuria was unable to affix them in doing so, as an alternative dropping the title to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":368080,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[21048],"tags":[1470,2704,1896,582,10916,4974,3928],"class_list":["post-368079","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mma","tag-champion","tag-explains","tag-feels","tag-finally","tag-gaethje","tag-justin","tag-ufc"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t