Gaethje’s Next Move Holds Up Volkanovski Superfight as Tsarukyan Waits

Justin Gaethje’s next decision could shape two lightweight title fights. Dana White says he’s willing to book Alexander Volkanovski against Gaethje in 2027, but the matchup depends on whether the newly crowned champion wants to continue. Arman Tsarukyan, meanwhile, remains a clear contender if Gaethje keeps the belt and chooses a conventional defense.

That leaves the UFC with an appealing superfight and a ranking question to resolve. Gaethje has said his recent win could be his last appearance in the Octagon. If he retires, the division moves on without him. If he stays, a fight with Volkanovski could bring major interest, but Tsarukyan’s position makes the route to that matchup harder to map.

White puts the choice on Gaethje

Speaking on The Jim Rome Show, White backed Volkanovski’s request to meet Gaethje after the Australian defended his featherweight title against Movsar Evloev at UFC 333. White said he’d do “pretty much anything” for Volkanovski, praising him as an athlete and champion. But he made clear that the decisive question is what Gaethje wants next.

“We’re talking to him, but we’ll figure it out,” White said of Gaethje. “He’s going to have to pull the trigger one way or another.” The comment puts the uncertainty squarely on the champion’s plans. The matchup has support from the promotion’s top executive; it still needs Gaethje’s answer.

Gaethje reached the lightweight throne by finishing Ilia Topuria at UFC Freedom 250. He had suggested immediately afterward that he might retire, giving his next move added weight. A champion’s departure would force the division to reset. A return would put the UFC in the position of choosing which challenger gets the first opportunity.

The UFC has more than one plausible route. Gaethje could defend against Tsarukyan in 2027, or accept Volkanovski’s challenge. The available source also points to retirement as a live possibility. Until Gaethje settles the question, each path remains conditional.

Tsarukyan’s claim complicates the booking

Tsarukyan’s case matters because he is described as a clear and deserving next challenger, and he has been passed over before. Giving Volkanovski a shot at Gaethje while Tsarukyan waits could provoke a strong reaction from fans. That pressure doesn’t make the superfight impossible, but it raises the cost of booking it without a plan for the lightweight title.

One option would be for Gaethje to vacate the belt and face Volkanovski without the championship at stake. Tsarukyan could then fight another contender for the vacant title. That arrangement would keep the two storylines alive: a high-profile matchup between champions from different divisions, and a route for the next lightweight champion to emerge.

It would also change what the Gaethje–Volkanovski fight means. With the belt at stake, the bout would directly affect the lightweight rankings and champion. Without it, the appeal would rest on the contrast between two accomplished athletes and the question of whether Volkanovski can succeed at 155 pounds. The source gives no indication that a final arrangement has been decided.

Tsarukyan remains a potential opponent for Gaethje if the champion chooses to defend. That possibility gives Gaethje’s decision consequences beyond his own schedule: it could determine whether the division gets a direct title defense or must fill a vacant championship.

Volkanovski has a different test at 155 pounds

At 38, Volkanovski is nearing the end of his UFC career, though his recent results have kept the door open to another run at lightweight. His wins over Diego Lopes and Evloev may strengthen the case for a return to the heavier division. White’s remarks suggest the promotion is receptive to that ambition, provided Gaethje accepts.

Volkanovski has already tested himself against larger opposition. In 2023, he challenged Islam Makhachev at UFC 284 and went five rounds, with some observers believing he had done enough to win. He took a late-notice rematch at UFC 294 and lost by first-round knockout. Those bouts showed both the challenge of moving up and Volkanovski’s ability to compete at the higher weight.

Gaethje would bring a markedly different problem from Makhachev. Volkanovski’s earlier lightweight challenge centered on Makhachev’s wrestling and sustained pressure. A meeting with Gaethje would demand preparation for a forceful striking style and the exchanges that have made him one of the UFC’s most aggressive punchers. The contrast gives the proposed fight a clear sporting question: can Volkanovski handle Gaethje’s pace and power at 155 pounds?

Volkanovski pushed Makhachev through five rounds, but the Gaethje matchup would require a different tactical response. His previous lightweight appearances offer context, not a direct answer to how he’d fare against this opponent.

The promotion now has a choice of compelling stories, but Gaethje’s plans come first. If he retires, the title picture must move ahead without him. If he fights on, Tsarukyan’s claim will need to be addressed alongside Volkanovski’s challenge. The next meaningful development is Gaethje’s decision—and whether it leaves the belt in his hands when he makes it.

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