logo
Manager: Justin Gaethje deserves Ilia Topuria vs. Charles Oliveira winner after UFC 317

Manager: Justin Gaethje deserves Ilia Topuria vs. Charles Oliveira winner after UFC 317

USA Today19-05-2025
Manager: Justin Gaethje deserves Ilia Topuria vs. Charles Oliveira winner after UFC 317
With the UFC lightweight division getting a makeover in the aftermath of Islam Makhachev vacating the title, Justin Gaethje's position for a title shot has seemingly improved.
A new champion will be crowned in just over one month when Ilia Topuria takes on Charles Oliveira for the vacant belt in the UFC 317 headliner on June 28 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas (ESPN+ pay-per-view, ESPN, ESPN+). What happens after that remains to be seen.
Gaethje (26-5 MMA, 9-5 UFC) was already making the pitch for him to fight for the belt next before Makhachev vacated, as he represented a fresh matchup for the now-former champ. With Makhachev out of the picture now, though, Gaethje's manager, Ali Abdelaziz of Dominance MMA, still thinks he's next in line.
"I think Justin Gaethje's the No. 1 contender," Abdelaziz told MMA Junkie. "He was supposed to fight Dan Hooker, and Hooker didn't show up. He stepped up for the company, fought Rafael Fiziev (at UFC 313), and I think he should wait and fight the winner. That's what I think he should do, but in reality, this game leaves people behind, and I don't want this game to leave him behind. If it makes sense, Justin will fight. Justin is afraid of no one. He will fight anyone. It has to make sense for him."
With the way the 155-pound division is being booked, Gaethje is likely looking at a matchup with Paddy Pimblett (who recently called him out) or Arman Tsarukyan if he doesn't get the title shot. Abdelaziz said he's not opposed to either pairing, but simply wants the fight that would put his client in an undeniable spot.
"Who cares? It doesn't matter," Abdelaziz said. "If you're a fighter and you think you're the best in the world, you have to beat the best guys. You don't pick and choose. Justin Gaethje never picked an opponent, never chose an opponent. He will fight you anywhere, any time. It doesn't really matter, but it has to be fair. A guy who gave his title shot to save International Fight Week and fight Max Holloway. He knocked out Dustin Poirier and Dustin Poirier got a title shot. How are you going to tell him he can't get the next title shot?"
Abdelaziz and Gaethje will likely be waiting and watching to see what happens at UFC 317, and whether it's Topuria (16-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) or Oliveira (35-10 MMA, 23-10 UFC) who goes home with the belt. Gaethje would love the chance to avenge his first-round submission loss to Oliveira from UFC 274 if he emerges with gold, but if it's Topuria, then Abdelaziz thinks that's a massive fight for the sport.
"If Ilia wins, Justin Gaethje vs. Ilia Topuria is a blockbuster fight," Abdelaziz said.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Shara Magomedov vs. Marc-Andre Barriault prediction, pick, start time for UFC on ABC 9
Shara Magomedov vs. Marc-Andre Barriault prediction, pick, start time for UFC on ABC 9

USA Today

timea few seconds ago

  • USA Today

Shara Magomedov vs. Marc-Andre Barriault prediction, pick, start time for UFC on ABC 9

Shara Magomedov and Marc-Andre Barriault meet Saturday on the main card of UFC on ABC 9 at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. Check out this quick breakdown of the matchup from MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom. Last event: 2-3 UFC main cards, 2025: 70-53-1 Shara Magomedov vs. Marc-Andre Barriault UFC on ABC 9 preview Magomedov (15-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) will look to bounce back from the first loss of his professional career, which came by unanimous decision against Michael Page in February. Prior to his first career setback, "Bullet" won his first four UFC fights, including stoppages of Antonio Trocoli and Armen Petrosyan, while earning two Performance of the Night and a Fight of the Night bonus. ... Barriault (17-9 MMA, 6-8 UFC) aims to stay in the winners circle as he enters on the heels of a first-round knockout of Bruno Silva. That result in May snapped a three-fight skid, successfully turning the page on what was a very rough 2024 campaign. Shara Magomedov vs. Marc-Andre Barriault UFC on ABC 9 expert pick, prediction Filling out the main card is a middleweight attraction between Shara Magomedov and Marc-Andre Barriault. Despite getting beaten in a lackluster affair his last time out, the glazing of Magomedov is still going strong as far as the betting line is concerned. Don't get me wrong: Magomedov has shown some improvements since stepping on the UFC scene and has been reportedly taking training more seriously this time around, so I suppose we should leave some room to be surprised. That said, Magomedov might not need to improve all that much if he wants to pass this test. Although I'd happily take Barriault over Magomedov if this fight were a few years ago, I'm not sure I can take a chance on the Canadian underdog after he's lost his once-vaunted durability. I would love to be wrong here, but the official pick is Magomedov by knockout in Round 1. Shara Magomedov vs. Marc-Andre Barriault UFC on ABC 9 odds The oddsmakers and the public heavily favor the hyped product, listing Magomedov -600 and Barriault +425 via FanDuel. Shara Magomedov vs. Marc-Andre Barriault UFC on ABC 9 start time, how to watch Magomedov and Barriault are expected to walk to the cage at approximately 1:10 p.m. ET. The fight broadcasts live on ABC and streams on ESPN+.

Petr Yan vs. Marcus McGhee prediction, pick, start time for UFC on ABC 9
Petr Yan vs. Marcus McGhee prediction, pick, start time for UFC on ABC 9

USA Today

timea few seconds ago

  • USA Today

Petr Yan vs. Marcus McGhee prediction, pick, start time for UFC on ABC 9

Petr Yan and Marcus McGhee meet Saturday in the co-main event of UFC on ABC 9 at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. Check out this quick breakdown of the matchup from MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom. Last event: 2-3 UFC main cards, 2025: 70-53-1 Petr Yan vs. Marcus McGhee UFC on ABC 9 preview Yan (18-5 MMA, 10-4 UFC) appears to be back on track after ending a three-fight skid from 2022-23. The former titleholder turned in a strong 2024 campaign, picking up a unanimous decision over Song Yadong and Deiveson Figueiredo. ... McGhee (10-1 MMA, 4-0 UFC) has been impressive thus far in his UFC career. Four fights in, he's picked up three stoppages and one unanimous decision. The fight against Yan is a big step up in competition. Petr Yan vs. Marcus McGhee UFC on ABC 9 expert pick, prediction The co-main event on ABC features a banger at bantamweight between Petr Yan and Marcus McGhee. Don't let his resemblance to Drexl from "True Romance" fool you, McGhee is a real-deal action fighter who is looking to prove that he can hold his own with the top of the division. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if McGhee can take the first frame off of Yan due to his heavy hands and fast starts. That said, Yan, akin to Max Holloway, is a fighter archetype I refer to as "a builder," given the fact that he tends to get better as the fight goes on. Couple that with McGhee's propensity to slightly slow down, and I suspect that the more experienced and well-rounded Yan can make the American pay for his aggression with counters, leg kicks and the like. It could be closer than it should, considering the tendency some judges have when it comes to over-rewarding the perceived 'biggest shot of the round' in favor of the work that is actually more consistent and effective, but I'll officially pick Yan to edge out the decision on the scorecards. Petr Yan vs. Marcus McGhee UFC on ABC 9 odds The oddsmakers and the public are favoring the Russian fighter, listing Yan -370 and McGhee +295 via FanDuel. Petr Yan vs. Marcus McGhee UFC on ABC 9 start time, how to watch As the co-main event, Yan and McGhee are expected to walk to the cage at approximately 1:40 p.m. ET. The fight broadcasts live on ABC and streams on ESPN+.

Dodgers trade rumors: Will L.A. add bullpen depth?
Dodgers trade rumors: Will L.A. add bullpen depth?

Yahoo

time29 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Dodgers trade rumors: Will L.A. add bullpen depth?

The Los Angeles Dodgers are in the middle of several trade rumors as the deadline approaches. Any trades involving players on the 40-man roster must be completed by 6 p.m. ET on Thursday, July 31. MLB teams can still place or claim players off waivers, but trades will no longer be allowed. The Dodgers always have high expectations and this year have a championship to defend, adding to the likelihood the team makes a move before the deadline. The bullpen should be addressed. It's one of the team's biggest needs at the moment, considering the number of pitchers on the injury report. Who could the Dodgers bring in at the trade deadline? With a glaring need to add depth in the bullpen again, the Dodgers will likely be buyers. USA TODAY Sports' Bob Nightengale provided some options to consider. Among them: Jhoan Duran of the Minnesota Twins and Emmanuel Clase of the Cleveland Guardians. Duran has been a solid reliever this season with a 1.62 ERA. Clase has once again been one of the better relief pitchers this season and if the right offer comes along, Cleveland might be willing to part ways with him. ESPN's Jeff Passan believes Cade Smith of the Guardians could be a good fit for the Dodgers' needs. Passan writes: 'The 26-year-old right-hander's 3.21 ERA is misleading; he has struck out 63 in 42 innings and given up only two home runs. He is a throwback, hurling almost 70% fastballs and not just getting away with it but thriving because of it. And with the L.A. bullpen full of unknowns, he is the (type of player) manager Dave Roberts can deploy at any point in the game with great efficacy. Bonus: He comes with an additional four years of club control.' Who could the Dodgers move at the trade deadline? The Dodgers could move on from pitcher Dustin May, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. May could be moved in an attempt to address other areas of need, but he is expected to become an unrestricted free agent, which could impact how he is viewed on the market. He allowed seven runs in 4⅔ innings pitched during his last start on July 11, an 8-7 loss to the San Francisco Giants. He's started 17 of the 18 games he's played in and has a 6-6 record this season. He's allowed 56 runs and 92 hits while striking out 92 in 99 innings pitched. If he isn't moved, May could be used as a reliever to finish out the season. His last outing came in relief of Shohei Ohtani, pitching 4⅔ scoreless innings. It was his first relief appearance since 2020. The Boston Red Sox could have interest in catcher Dalton Rushing, according to Sean McAdam of MassLive. Boston could include shortstop Franklin Arias and left-handed pitcher Brandon Clarke in a potential deal. Arias, a 19-year-old Venezuelan, is currently listed as the Red Sox's top prospect. Clarke is ranked as the fourth-best prospect in Boston's system. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What moves could Dodgers make at trade deadline? Latest rumors

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store