Justin Gaethje checked off the final box on his UFC bucket list by defeating Ilia Topuria at UFC Freedom 250 to become the undisputed lightweight champion. However, if Jon Anik is right, Gaethje’s title-winning performance may have also been the final bout of his career.
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The veteran UFC commentator recently revealed that, while he was convinced ‘The Highlight’ would win, he also feels the American may have already stepped into the Octagon for the last time, and that big decision has little to do with potential opponents or title ambitions but more to do with respecting his family’s wishes.
“Yeah, I’m going to tell him I came this close to violating my contract to bet on him,” Jon Anik said on The Anik & Florian podcast. “You know, we were talking at the bar last night, and I don’t think Justin Gaethje is going to fight again.
“I think there’s a little bit of maternal pressure coming in, you know, and we’ll see. We’ll see. I think financial freedom has been accrued.”
This big statement comes just weeks after ‘The Highlight’ achieved his dream of becoming the undisputed UFC lightweight champion by defeating Ilia Topuria after four brutal rounds in the main event of UFC Freedom 250 in Washington, D.C.
The performance also earned him a nomination for ESPN’s 2026 Fighter of the Year ESPY Award, making him the only MMA athlete among the four combat sports nominees.
Despite quickly becoming the subject of speculation about potential title defenses against names such as Arman Tsarukyan or a rematch with ‘El Matador,’ Justin Gaethje has remained uncommitted regarding his future. However, he has already firmly ruled out a rematch with Paddy Pimblett.
“Destined for each other like, to fight again? No. No, no, no,” Gaethje said when asked about a rematch with ‘The Baddy’ during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show.
With no opponent confirmed, fans are now wondering whether he’ll defend the belt at all. After all, Jon Anik isn’t the first big name to mention the influence of Justin Gaethje’s mother on his decision to hang his gloves.
During an appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience, U.S. Vice President JD Vance said that he met with ‘The Highlight’ during the UFC’s visit to the White House and even asked the champion if he planned to continue fighting after what many already believed would be his last dance.
“We saw Gaethje at the White House a couple of weeks ago,” Vance said. “I asked him, ‘Are you done fighting?’ He kind of hesitated a little bit, and then I think it was his mom in the Oval Office with him, and she was like, ‘Yes.'”
The situation has naturally drawn comparisons to Khabib Nurmagomedov‘s retirement in 2020. After defeating Gaethje at UFC 254, ‘The Eagle’ kept his promise to his mother by retiring from MMA following the death of his father, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, despite still being at the very peak of his career.
However, not everyone believes Justin Gaethje’s career has reached its end just yet. According to Joe Rogan, the UFC can entice the lightweight champion back if the Dana White-led promotion offers the perfect financial deal.
“If they offer him some life-changing money for one more fight after that performance, I have a feeling he’ll take it,” the JRE host told JD Vance.
‘The Highlight’ has yet to confirm whether he has made a final decision about his future inside the Octagon. However, with both Jon Anik and JD Vance pointing to his mother’s influence, retirement has suddenly become a very real possibility—even as fans impatiently await at least one title defense.
