With Dana White announcing the plans for UFC 320 and UFC 321, which will both take place in October, there is no update yet on the PPV taking place in November, which is UFC 322. Reports claim that the event will take place at Madison Square Garden, and rumor has it that Islam Makhachev could be facing Jack Della Maddalena in the headliner. But it seems like that might not be the case because Ilia Topuria’s team had something to say about the PPV.

Both Islam Makhachev and Jack Della Maddalena are looking to get their fights to happen at the historic Madison Square Garden arena. Well, the UFC lightweight champion also has his eyes on UFC 322, and his manager recently revealed who the next challenger to Ilia Topuria may be. And it’s not someone that you may have been expecting.

Since he won the belt, Ilia Topuria has been linked to a potential fight against Paddy Pimblett. The bad blood is there, and the fans seemed to love it when they faced off post-UFC 317 main event. But on the other hand, there’s the real No. 1 contender waiting for his chance since pulling out of UFC 311, Arman Tsarukyan. But none of their names popped up when Topuria’s manager, Lukasz Orzel, accidentally revealed who the Georgian-Spaniard may be fighting next. And the person whose name Orzel revealed is Justin Gaethje.

‘The Highlight’ has given an ultimatum to the UFC that it’s either a title fight next or maybe a big-money fight. Moreover, his team also mentioned that he could hang up the gloves, too, if his demands aren’t met. Well, the good news is that the champion is interested in fighting him and giving him a shot, as Ilia Topuria is looking to make his return at UFC 322. “Say good night, Gaethje…#AndStill #UFC322,” his manager wrote in an Instagram story. This soon resurfaced on Reddit with the caption, “Ilia Topuria’s manager may have just leaked his next opponent on his Instagram story.”

Getting to see one of the biggest stars in the UFC compete against one of the most violent fighters on the roster may not be a bad idea after all. However, fans on the UFC subreddit, after the post went viral, seem to have a different opinion on this potential fight between Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje.

Fans don’t care about Ilia Topuria vs Justin Gaethje as his manager’s words backfire

Justin Gaethje is a fan-favorite in the UFC, as he never fails to show up and show out whenever he fights inside the Octagon. But fans are apprehensive of him fighting Ilia Topuria. As a couple of fans commented, “Zero interest in this matchup,” and “I do not want to see this,” on Reddit, another fan chimed in to insinuate that ‘El Matador’ is on a mission to put an end to the older contenders in the lightweight division. “Illia is just clearing up the lw division of the old guard,” the fan noted.

There were a lot of fans who weren’t mincing their words about a potential fight between Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje. They not only believe that fight is a bad one for ‘The Highlight’, but also that it’s a “bulls–t fight.” Similarly, the concern for Gaethje was very high, with another fan adding, “Not entirely mad at this, but it shouldn’t be Gaethje,” although he does seem to have a bit of an interest in the matchup.

Some fans, meanwhile, contended that having missed out on the title the past couple of times, the third time is not likely to be a charm for Justin Gaethje. Claiming that the former BMF champion will just be fodder for Ilia Topuria, a Reddit user commented, “This would be Justin’s 3rd title shot. Everyone knows he will lose. Probably the easiest fight for ilia.” In fact, they see Gaethje joining the likes of Colby Covington and Dustin Poirier if he loses to ‘El Matador’, prompting a fan to add, “Justin is gonna join Colby and Dustin for going 0-3 in undisputed title fights.”

When it comes to Dana White, he’s got a lot on his plate already. With the Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford boxing match coming, we’re likely getting all the answers about UFC 322 in the coming weeks. Regardless, let us know what you think in the comments down below.