Justin Gaethje has aligned himself for another opportunity at the undisputed UFC lightweight title as he will likely fight Ilia Topuria in a title unification bout. After securing a definitive victory over Paddy Pimblett at UFC 324, it might be the last opportunity for the 37-year-old. And, this time, he would look to capitalize on it and capture the UFC gold. However, UFC veteran and former interim welterweight champion Colby Covington believes otherwise.

‘The Highlight’ defeated Paddy Pimblett at UFC 324 last weekend to become a two-time interim lightweight champion. While Gaethje dictated the pace of the fight to get the unanimous decision victory, Covington saw a few holes in his game. And keeping that in mind, ‘The Chaos’ believes Topuria could exploit those areas easily against Gaethje.

Colby Covington predicts Ilia Topuria vs. Justin Gaethje fight

“I see Ilia [Topuria] knocking him out within a minute. I don’t think [Justin Gaethje] will last longer than a minute. The way he ducks his head, Ilia’s going to land an uppercut on him, and he’s going to send him to the moon,” said Colby Covington in an interview with talkSPORT.

Topuria has built a formidable stature for himself. Many consider him one of the elite strikers in the UFC lightweight division, given that he has knocked out former champions, including Alexander Volkanovski, Max Holloway, and Charles Oliveira. And for him to target the weak areas of Gaethje’s fighting style won’t be very difficult. As such, the bout can even end under a minute. At least, that’s what Covington believes.

Similarly, former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker also believes there is a big difference in both Topuria and Gaethje’s striking game. “Ilia’s striking is leagues above everybody in the UFC. The wrestling and jiu-jitsu are there as well. His timing, his instinct to fire off, his counterattacks – he’ll make you pay for every step you take. It’s a hard fight. Things have got to change in Gaethje’s camp to make the fight competitive. The Gaethje that fought Paddy won’t beat Ilia right now,” said Whittaker on MMArcade Podcast.

As it seems, the majority of the UFC community is considering Topuria as the favorite against Gaethje. But amid that, a former rival of both fighters shared an interesting take.

Charles Oliveira believes both Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje can knock each other out

Charles Oliveira has fought both Justin Gaethje and Ilia Topuria. While Oliveira beat ‘The Highlight’ at UFC 274, he fell short against ‘El Matador’ at UFC 317. And interestingly, in both fights, the Brazilian got a good assessment of both Gaethje and Topuria’s power. Due to this very reason, Oliveira believes both of them can knock each other out in their potential clash.

“It’s a very similar fight. They’re both fighters who look for the fight and want the knockout. Justin doesn’t have a plan B. His plan is to move forward and land shots. He’s a brawler. And on the other side, Topuria is also a brawler, hits hard, and has heavy hands. It would be a fight you can’t blink in, because either one could land and get the knockout,” Oliveira said to CasinoBeats.

Now, the predictions against Gaethje can be said to have come after watching his fight against Paddy Pimblett. ‘The Highlight’ had a particular strategy in that fight. And, for that reason, his ability to knock people out should not be overlooked.

But before all of this, the UFC is yet to make the official announcement for Gaethje’s title unification bout against Topuria. The stakes are high for both men as they look to cement their legacy in the promotion. On that note, let us know your predictions in the comments below!