White Open to Volk-Gaethje, Waiting for Lightweight Champ’s Decision

Sounds like UFC CEO and President Dana White is open to making a super-fight featuring lightweight champ Justin Gaethje and Alexander Volkanovski, which would serve as the retirement fight for both men.

He’s just waiting on Gaethje to make a decision about his future.

After winning lightweight gold at UFC Freedom 250 at the White House back in June, Gaethje has stepped away, publicly noting that he’ll make a decision between retirement and taking a fight next year. In the meantime, Alexander Volkanovski defended his featherweight crown, defeating the previously unbeaten Movsar Evloev last month.

Ahead of that UFC 333 showdown, Volkanovski suggested the idea of a double-retirement fight for the pair, that would send them off into the sunset in a champ vs. champ showdown. And while some expected White to be down on the idea, seems like he’s on board.

“I would pretty much do anything for Alexander Volkanovski at this point in his career,” White said on The Jim Rome show recently. “Great guy, great athlete, great champion. The big question is, what does Justin Gaethje wanna do?”

“Justin, coming off this unbelievable win at the White House. He’s an incredible athlete too; what does he wanna do next?” White brought up Fanatics Fest in New York, which Gaethje won, and a new golf tournament, Dave Portnoy’s Internet Invitational, that the fighter in involved in. In other words, the lightweight champ has a lot going on. “I don’t know yet. He’s in the middle of this golf thing that Portnoy is doing. We’re talking to him, but we’ll figure it out. He’s going to have to pull the trigger one way or another,” White added. “See if he wants to retire, or continue to fight.”

Both Volkanovski and Gaethje are future UFC Hall of Famers who have been loyal company men for the promotion. The only downside to the fight is that it would leave both divisions without a champion at its culmination. Still, with both men likely to retire soon enough, there are worse ideas, and it would certainly offer a fan-pleasing fight.

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