Justin Gaethje says thanks but no thanks to Arman Tsarukyan‘s offer to help him ahead of UFC 324.
Gaethje (26-5 MMA, 9-5 UFC) meets Paddy Pimblett (23-3 MMA, 7-0 UFC) for the interim lightweight title in the UFC 324 headliner Jan. 24 from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas (Paramount+).
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Tsarukyan (23-3 MMA, 10-2 UFC) was snubbed out of the title picture but is willing to fly in and help Gaethje beat Pimblett, whom he absolutely hates. Gaethje appreciates the offer, but knows the intention behind it isn’t about him.
“From my perspective, that was more of him trying to go against Paddy rather than help me,” Gaethje told Submission Radio. “I’m not going to go and start making drastic changes in my training camps when it comes to getting ready for these fights. I trust the team that I have. I will bring in training partners, but ultimately I’m not going to bring in guys that I’m possibly going to fight in the future. He would be a great training partner, but ultimately I might have to fight him one day, so I think that would be not smart.”
If Gaethje beats Pimblett, he is expected to get a title-unification bout against lightweight champion Ilia Topuria. However, with Topuria’s desire to move up to welterweight, things could change for Gaethje – and he’s already planned for it.
“I guess I don’t really have an opinion (on Topuria talking welterweight),” Gaethje said. “I mean, if he went up, I would just be the champion, which I’m not going to complain about. But I think what that leaves open is the chance for me to get a rematch against Max Holloway or Charles Oliveira, get my belt and get the BMF belt.
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“And ultimately, that was the script I’ve been speaking into existence since the (Rafael) Fiziev fight. I thought I was going to fight Ilia in January, and then I was going to fight Max or whoever had the BMF belt on the White House card, and then have both of those belts.”
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Justin Gaethje doesn’t want Arman Tsarukyan’s help for Paddy Pimblett
