Justin Gaethje will look to unify the lightweight title when he meets Ilia Topuria in the main event of UFC Freedom 250, scheduled for June 14 at the White House.
Gaethje enters as the interim UFC lightweight champion with a 27-5 MMA record and 10-5 mark in the UFC, while Topuria holds undisputed status at 17-0 overall and 9-0 in the promotion.
Reflecting on his mindset ahead of another title shot, Gaethje said, "Coming off of losses, I'm much more dangerous than I am coming off wins," and added, "That's the human mind, and it's just a tricky, tricky situation to be in when you're being successful, to stay as committed to the process as you need to. But there's always a UFC 300 quick reminder – nice knockout."
Gaethje emphasized his resilience and place among the elite, saying, "So again, I'm training with the thought of I just got knocked out by Max Holloway. I have had two wins since then, and yeah, it's been awesome. They tried to get rid of me. They don't want to get rid of me – obviously I'm a great fighter for the company. But I have held off these young, up-and-coming (fighters)."
A two-time UFC interim champion, Gaethje has previously defeated Paddy Pimblett, Michael Chandler, Rafael Fiziev and Tony Ferguson, and previously lost to Khabib Nurmagomedov, Charles Oliveira and Max Holloway. This bout will be his third shot at an undisputed title.
