Jon Anik issues verdict on Justin Gaethje potentially getting title shot against Islam Makhachev after UFC 313 win

Jon Anik has put forth his verdict on Justin Gaethje possibly receiving a title shot against reigning UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev after his win at UFC 313. Anik alluded to the current title landscape at 155 pounds and explained why Gaethje fighting for the belt may be feasible.

Gaethje's most recent fight saw him outpoint Rafael Fiziev in a rematch at UFC 313 last week. He'd previously outpointed the Azerbaijani fighter in 2023. Some fans have since lobbied for Gaethje to be accorded a shot at the undisputed UFC lightweight title, which is currently held by Makhachev. Gaethje himself has expressed interest in fighting for the gold next.

Speaking to Bloody Elbow, UFC play-by-play commentator Jon Anik supported the idea of Gaethje potentially getting a title shot. Anik implied that Gaethje's unanimous decision victory in his grueling rematch against Fiziev was even more impressive than if he'd have scored a stoppage win:

"He absolutely should fight Islam Makhachev for the lightweight title ... I don't know that he could've done more with this showcase and sometimes, decision wins are better than finishes."

Also, Anik indicated that a fight between Justin Gaethje and Islam Makhachev would be a fresh matchup, as the two fighters haven't clashed before. He underscored:

"The nature of this win for Gaethje and the fact that we haven't seen that fight, to me promotionally, I would go in that direction."

Jon Anik speculated about whether Makhachev would have a say in whom he fights.

Anik questioned whether soon-to-be former UFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria could receive a lightweight title shot right away, or if there's truly no clear-cut number-one contender.

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Dana White on potential UFC lightweight title shot for Justin Gaethje after UFC 313

Presently, fighters like Arman Tsarukyan, the undefeated Ilia Topuria, and Justin Gaethje are all campaigning for a shot at Islam Makhachev's undisputed UFC lightweight title.

Gaethje, who's an ex-interim UFC lightweight champion, has previously competed for the undisputed lightweight belt twice and come up short on both occasions. Incidentally, Islam Makhachev recently signaled that facing Gaethje would be a sensible matchup for him.

Furthermore, during the UFC 313 post-fight press conference, UFC CEO Dana White was asked about whether the veteran Gaethje was still in title contention at this stage of his career.

He replied by making an allusion to 'The Highlight' still being a high-ranking UFC lightweight. White said:

"I mean, what's he [Justin Gaethje] ranked right now? Fourth or something, right? Third? There you go. He's still the number-three-ranked guy in the world. So the odds of him getting a title shot are pretty good."

Watch White's assessment below (1:50):