After winning the UFC lightweight title on June 14, 2026, Justin Gaethje announced he would attend UFC 329 on July 11. He used the moment to again call out Conor McGregor for a bout that he has wanted for years. Now that he is champion, Gaethje has the leverage to try and force McGregor into the octagon.
McGregor heard it all and replied in the way he almost always does, with a dismissal dressed up as a scouting report.
Justin Gaethje’s Victory Over Ilia Topuria Backs Up Every Word of His Conor McGregor Callout
Gaethje earned his right to call the shots as he became the first person to ever beat Ilia Topuria, stopping him in the fourth round at the UFC White House card to take the lightweight belt. It was a massive win that completely changes the trajectory of his career.
Speaking on “The Jim Rome Show,” Gaethje made his intentions clear about “The Notorious,” saying, “As I’ve stated hundreds of times publicly — I would love to punch Conor McGregor in the face,” he said, adding that a fight with McGregor would do “great things for me financially and for my legendary status.”
🚨 Justin Gaethje says he’ll be in attendance for Conor McGregor vs Max Holloway
“Max knocked me out, but I feel like I got that win back with the Ilia Topuria fight.
I would love to punch Conor McGregor in the face.” 👀
(via @jimrome) pic.twitter.com/Z6djYmSXJB
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) June 27, 2026
To prove he is serious, Gaethje is showing up in person for UFC 329 during International Fight Week to watch McGregor fight Max Holloway. Sitting cageside is a smart way to steal the spotlight and force McGregor to look him in the eye.
Conor McGregor Fires Back at Justin Gaethje
McGregor’s reply has since turned viral across social media. He tried to downplay Gaethje’s new title status by bringing up his past knockout loss. Just to recap, Holloway already knocked Gaethje completely out cold back in 2024.
He called Gaethje’s style sloppy, saying, “Justin’s OK. When he’s on, Justin’s OK. When he’s bad, he’s atrocious. He’s woeful. He slaps his punches a lot. But he’s very, very durable and he’s unorthodox in his style.”
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Gaethje relies heavily on volume and looping power shots rather than clean precision, which a sharp counter-puncher like the Irishman could take advantage of. The real wildcard is whether McGregor can still fight at that elite level after five years away from the sport.
McGregor also clarified his timeline. He intends to fight at 170 pounds and has two fights left on his contract. While the promotion tentatively set his final fight for April 2027, McGregor is pushing to fight sooner. If McGregor beats Holloway on July 11, a massive championship fight with Gaethje becomes highly likely.
