Israel Adesanya believes Justin Gaethje’s most lucrative path as newly crowned undisputed lightweight champion runs through Conor McGregor.
Gaethje, who defeated previously undefeated Ilia Topuria in the UFC White House main event to claim the title, is being lined up for a big-money first defense, with a potential challenger expected to emerge from Conor McGregor vs. Max Holloway at UFC 329 on July 11 in Las Vegas.
Speaking on MightyCast, Adesanya laid out why he sees McGregor as the financial standout for Gaethje’s first defense. “I think Gaethje sitting frontside at the Max vs. Conor in Vegas, he’s already got the story there with Max, wants revenge, but also Conor and Gaethje would feed families, it would feed f*cking countries, that would be crazy,” he said. “It would. It would feed everybody, World Vision.”
McGregor and Holloway first met at featherweight in 2013, a fight McGregor won by decision while tearing his ACL. Both later went on to win UFC titles, and they are now booked for a rematch at 170 pounds in Las Vegas. Holloway also previously knocked out Gaethje at UFC 300.
Adesanya questioned McGregor’s choice of Holloway for his comeback after five years out since breaking his leg against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264. “Look, reality is reality and Max is reality, so dealing with that for your first fight back, I reckon he should have done the [Michael] Chandler fight, to be honest,” Adesanya said.
He also pointed to Arman Tsarukyan, the No. 1 lightweight contender who withdrew from a title fight with Islam Makhachev at UFC 311 due to injury, as the rightful challenger. “Technically, [Tsarukyan], he should be the next guy to fight Justin, that would be a crazy fight, but the UFC likes the narratives they can create and the one with Conor or Max, revenge match with Max, that would be insane,” Adesanya said.
