Dana White Urged to Ditch Justin Gaethje and Book Ilia Topuria Super Fight Before Time Runs Out

The margin for error in the UFC lightweight division just shrank, even after a clear win. That tension sharpened Saturday night, when Justin Gaethje defeated Paddy Pimblett by unanimous decision at the first Paramount+ CBS headliner, positioning himself for a lightweight title unification. But as ‘The Highlight’s title unification clash against ‘El Matador’ later this year continues to build hype, a UFC 325 star believes there is another fight Dana White should consider while there is still time.

UFC 325 co-main event fighter Dan Hooker, who is set to face Benoit Saint Denis in Sydney, believes the UFC should seriously consider matching champion Ilia Topuria against the No. 1 contender Arman Tsarukyan while both are still in their prime. According to ‘The Hangman,’ the two lightweight stars are operating at peak level right now, and if the fight does not happen soon, both could lose momentum later in their careers. For that reason, the Kiwi fighter wants Dana White to ditch the interim champion Justin Gaethje and book the Topuria vs. Tsarukyan clash instead.

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Dan Hooker Urges Dana White to Book Ilia Topuria vs Arman Tsarukyan Before Time Runs Out

“I don’t know why we’re not seeing Ilia vs Arman, right? We gotta have this. We gotta do this. I like Gaethje, we gotta do this. The sport is all about timing. Momentum. And Arman’s in his physical peak, Ilia’s in his physical peak. We want to see the guys who are on streaks, who are having their moment, compete against each other at this time. If we sit around and wait long enough, one day Ilia will not have that momentum. Guys can get clipped, and they lose that momentum,” Hooker said at the UFC 325 media day.

While Hooker’s argument centers on timing and momentum, the reality of the lightweight title picture remains far more complicated. At present, the Armenian contender sits atop the lightweight rankings and defended his position by defeating the Kiwi at UFC Qatar. Still, Dana White has largely dismissed his status, pointing to ‘Ahalkalakets’ withdrawal from UFC 311.

On the other side, the lightweight champion is eyeing a return around June and has already made it clear that he plans to face the interim titleholder next. Based on the UFC CEO’s current plans, ‘The Highlight’ appears set to get the next shot at the Georgian-Spaniard champion, possibly on the projected White House card.

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That situation pushes the Tsarukyan matchup even further down the line, especially if Topuria decides to chase a welterweight clash against Islam Makhachev in the welterweight division. If the UFC eventually revisits the fight after all that, the big question remains. Will Topuria still be the same fighter by then? Hooker does not think so, as he believes “Father Time” could soon start catching up with ‘El Matador.’

“Someone asked me the other day in an interview how do you beat Ilia Topuria right now, and I said Father Time. You give it enough time, you roll the dice long enough, and that’s it. No one’s the best forever. It’s extremely momentary,” ‘The Hangman’ added.