Justin Gaethje: Retirement ultimatum before UFC 324 'was more my manager'

Justin Gaethje surprised many when he said it was title fight or bust for him last year.

It was Gaethje's manager, Ali Abdelaziz, who claimed that "The Highlight" would consider retirement if he didn't get the next shot at UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria. Gaethje followed those comments up by saying he's done doing anything for the UFC without appropriate pay or appreciation.

While it wasn't against Topuria, Gaethje (26-5 MMA, 9-5 UFC) did get his wish when he was booked against 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+).

But was it exactly his wish?

"I was thrilled, honestly," Gaethje told TNT Sports. "It was everything I was asking for. I wanted to fight for a championship. An interim championship is not the same, but on paper it is the same. I get paid as a champion, so ultimately this is my job, so this is what I was fighting for."

Gaethje admits he was having those thoughts, but his manager just vocalized them.

"Well, I definitely got what I asked for, (but) it was more my manager putting me in that position," Gaethje said. "I probably said it, but we're emotional beings, you know, and we're petty. You don't get to where I'm at or where these fighters are at without being petty. I take things personal, and I thought I'd earned something, and so I was trying to stand up."

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC 324: Justin Gaethje reveals where retirement ultimatum came from