Jorge Masvidal believes Justin Gaethje faces a difficult style matchup against Ilia Topuria.
Masvidal was asked about the possible lightweight fight during a YouTube appearance and first made it clear he respects Gaethje. He said he spent time with Gaethje during an FBI seminar, met his father, and still views Ilia Topuria vs. Justin Gaethje as a difficult matchup for “The Highlight.”
Watch the full segment below:
“I’ll tell you the truth, man. I got to kick it with Gaethje for the FBI seminar. You know, we spent a lot of days together. I was with Gaethje, his dad. You know, I definitely like the dude, man. You know, though he said some things about me in the past and stuff, I like the dude. I like him as a person, as a fighter. Obviously, who doesn’t like this dude?”
Masvidal then broke down why he favors Topuria.
“Stylistically, statistically, I think his chances are really slim with Ilia. Just a bad style for him. You know, Ilia is a, you know, Gaethje has won a lot of tough fights that he’s been getting cracked and then he manages to come back. With Ilia, not only does he have the power, but he ain’t no coming back.”
Masvidal Says Topuria’s Defense Changes The Whole Fight
Masvidal focused on Topuria’s defense and positioning, arguing that those traits would make it harder for Gaethje to recover after taking clean shots.
“But not just that, he has very good defense. So, it’s not like he opens himself up for things. You know, Ilia is very, very disciplined. The way he throws his punches, the way he brings his head back, the way his head’s always moving off center line. Like, I don’t see many chances for Gaethje. I think this is just a very bad fight for Gaethje.”
Masvidal also acknowledged the size of a potential Gaethje upset.
“But if Gaethje wins this fight, holy smokes, right? Like, who the f*ck saw that coming? You know, he pulls that sh*t off, that’s gonna be crazy. But I don’t see it, though. I don’t see it happening.”
The betting market reflected a similar gap. During the segment, Topuria was cited as a heavy -520 favorite, while Gaethje was listed at +350. Masvidal had asked for the number moments earlier, saying, “What are the odds for that? Dom, if you could check that. I’m interested to see.”
Masvidal competed professionally in MMA from 2003 until 2023, fought in the UFC, Bellator, Strikeforce, Shark Fights, and World Victory Road, won the symbolic UFC BMF title, and still owns the fastest knockout in UFC history at five seconds. His last MMA fight was a unanimous decision loss to Gilbert Burns at UFC 287 on April 8, 2023.
Gaethje’s résumé still gives him a clear case in any lightweight fight. He is the current and two-time interim UFC lightweight champion, the first fighter in UFC history to win the interim title twice, a former UFC BMF titleholder, and the former WSOF lightweight champion. His most recent listed fight was a unanimous decision win over Paddy Pimblett at UFC 324 on January 24, 2026.
Topuria brings championship history in two divisions. He is the current UFC lightweight champion, a former UFC featherweight champion, and the first Georgian and Spanish fighter to win a UFC title. His most recent listed fight was a first-round knockout win over Charles Oliveira at UFC 317 on June 28, 2025.
Gaethje remains dangerous against anyone, and Dustin Poirier has already said he does not love this pairing for him. Masvidal’s view is that Topuria’s cleaner punching, tighter defense, and current betting position make him the stronger pick.
