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Gaethje's Mom Says He's Done, Paddy Wants All The Smoke

Justin Gaethje's mom says he's done fighting, while Paddy Pimblett is eager for a rematch. Plus, Adesanya's injury reveal and more.

Gaethje's Mom Says He's Done, Paddy Wants All The Smoke

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It’s been a wild week in the MMA world, with some surprising news dropping about Justin Gaethje’s future and Paddy Pimblett’s ambitions. We’ve also got an interesting tidbit from Israel Adesanya about a past fight.

Gaethje’s Mom Says He’s Done

In a surprising turn of events, Justin Gaethje’s mother reportedly told JD Vance that her son is ‘done fighting.’ This revelation came during a leaked Oval Office conversation. While Gaethje himself hasn’t made an official announcement, this statement from his mother certainly raises questions about the future of the UFC champion. It’s a big claim, and fans are definitely going to be watching for any further developments from Gaethje or his camp.

Pimblett Wants The Rematch

Despite the news about Gaethje’s potential retirement, Paddy Pimblett is still very much interested in a rematch. He’s been vocal about wanting another shot at Gaethje, especially after Gaethje’s submission win at UFC 329. Pimblett believes he’s ‘destined’ for a rematch, seeing himself as the next big star following Conor McGregor’s decline. However, Gaethje has repeatedly shut down the idea, stating he’s not interested in fighting Pimblett again.

Adesanya’s Injury Confession

Israel Adesanya recently confessed that he fought injured during his only victory over Alex Pereira. This adds another layer to their storied rivalry, suggesting that Adesanya wasn’t at 100 percent for that particular bout. It makes you wonder how much of an impact that injury had on his performance and what a fully healthy Adesanya could have done. This kind of insight from a top fighter always gives fans something to chew on.

Other Quick Hits

In other news, Alex Pereira has placed blame on referee Herb Dean for Michel Pereira’s exit from a recent fight. We’re also hearing that an LFA champion is set to make their Octagon debut at UFC 330, which is always exciting for new talent. Plus, Tabatha Ricci found a short camp to be ‘perfect’ for her UFC OKC fight, and Austin Bashi spoke about Diego Lopes’ influence on his career. It’s clear there’s always something happening in the world of MMA, from big names to rising stars.

From the community

Over on r/MMA, fans are talking about this: Alexander Volkanovski on potential champ vs champ fight with Justin Gaethje at lightweight: “Of course I’d do it. I’m not gonna call for it. That’s the type of champion I am. I think you need to earn it. But if the UFC wants to offer it? Of course I would. 100%”.

Sources

Every source behind today's roundup (14)

We summarize the day’s news in our own words. Full credit to the outlets below for the original reporting, click through to read their work:

Open Scoring MMA is a daily AI-produced MMA and UFC news podcast. Listen to today’s episode, read the full Feed, or get every episode by email.

Episode transcript

Read the full episode transcript

Welcome to Open Scoring MMA. This is episode 27 for July 16, 2026, your daily look at what’s happening now and next across the world of MMA and UFC.

Justin Gaethje, the undisputed lightweight champion, is currently riding high after unifying the belts. But there’s a cloud of uncertainty hanging over his future, and it’s coming straight from the Oval Office. We’re hearing that during a recent visit to the White House, Senator JD Vance asked Gaethje if he was done fighting. Gaethje apparently hesitated, but then his mother, who was with him, jumped in and said, quote, “Yes,” end quote. Now, this is a huge development, especially coming from his mom. You know how much a fighter’s family wants them to be safe. Joe Rogan, for his part, weighed in on this, saying, quote, “If they offer him some life-changing money for one more fight after that performance, I have a feeling he’ll take it,” end quote. It’s a classic dilemma for a fighter at the top: go out on your own terms, or chase that one last massive payday. Gaethje reportedly defeated Ilia Topuria in a stunning performance where he forced a corner stoppage. Word is he also defeated Paddy Pimblett in an interim title fight earlier this year. So, he’s been in some wars. The question now is, what’s next for the champ, or is there even a next for the champ? This is a story we’re gonna be watching very, very closely.

And speaking of Paddy Pimblett, he’s not shy about who he wants to fight next, and he’s got his sights set on some big names. After his impressive submission win over Benoit Saint Denis, which reportedly put him back on track after that loss to Gaethje, Paddy the Baddy is feeling confident. He told Yahoo Sports MMA, quote, “I’ll beat Ilia up, I’ll fing rematch Justin, I’ll fight Conor or Max next,” end quote. He then doubled down, saying, quote, “I don’t give a f. Give me anyone and I’ll punch their head in,” end quote. That’s the kind of energy we love from Paddy. He’s not just talking the talk, he’s walking the walk, and he’s making it clear he wants the biggest challenges out there. It’s a stark contrast to the uncertainty surrounding Gaethje, and it really highlights the changing of the guard in the lightweight division. An opinion piece even went so far as to say that after Conor McGregor’s fall, Paddy Pimblett’s UFC rise officially begins, calling him the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s big ticket. He’s definitely got that star power, and he’s not afraid to use it.

However, Justin Gaethje is not exactly jumping at the chance for a rematch with Paddy. He’s made it clear he’s not interested in running it back with Pimblett right now. This comes after Paddy’s impressive submission win at UFC 329, which reemerged him as a top contender. Gaethje is still weighing his options for his next fight, but a rematch with Paddy isn’t high on his list. It seems like Gaethje is looking for a fresh challenge, or maybe, as his mom suggested, he’s just looking to hang up the gloves. Either way, it’s a bit of a snub for Paddy, who’s clearly gunning for that rematch to avenge his interim title loss.

In other news, Alex Pereira is still fuming about referee Herb Dean’s role in Michel Pereira’s UFC exit. Alex’s criticism of Dean hasn’t let up, and it shows how deeply these moments can affect fighters and their camps. It’s a reminder that a referee’s decision can have long-lasting consequences, not just for the fighter in the cage, but for their entire team and family. These are high-stakes fights, and every call is scrutinized.

Israel Adesanya has dropped a bombshell, confessing that he fought injured in his only victory over Alex Poatan. This adds another layer to their already legendary rivalry. The historic clash at UFC 287 in Miami was a huge moment, and to hear that Adesanya was battling more than just Poatan in the cage makes that win even more impressive. It also makes you wonder what kind of performance he could have put on if he was one hundred percent. It just goes to show the mental and physical toughness of these athletes, fighting through injuries that most of us couldn’t even imagine.

We’ve got some new blood coming into the light heavyweight division. An LFA champion is reportedly booked for his Octagon debut at UFC 330. This is always exciting, seeing regional talent get their shot on the big stage. The LFA is a great proving ground, and it’ll be interesting to see how this new fighter stacks up against the UFC’s light heavyweights. The division is always looking for fresh faces, and this could be a big opportunity for someone to make a name for themselves.

Tabatha Ricci is looking to get back into the title picture. She told Cageside Press that the short camp was, quote, “perfect,” end quote, because she was already in shape from her hard camp with Virna. She said, quote, “I had a really hard camp with Virna. It wasn’t that long ago, the fight,” end quote. She’s eager to get back in the Octagon and wants to get a finish in her next fight to get back to being next for a title shot. Quote, “I really want to get the finish against her and get my way back to being next for the title shot,” end quote. That’s the kind of drive you need to make it to the top. She also mentioned that she expects her opponent to try and keep the distance and probably expects her to grapple, but she believes whoever does their thing best will win the fight. Quote, “She probably wants to try to keep the distance. I mean if she watches other fights too and then she’s probably expecting me to grapple her. I think who does their thing best is going to win the fight,” end quote. It sounds like she’s got a clear game plan and a strong mindset.

Conor McGregor, meanwhile, is reportedly making some outlandish demands for his UFC return. Word is he suffered an injury against Max Holloway in his first fight in five years, going down in just sixty-nine seconds. This is a tough spot for McGregor, and it’s clear he’s trying to leverage his star power to get the best possible deal for his comeback. The question is, what kind of demands are we talking about, and will the UFC meet them? His last fight was a quick one, and he’s been out for a while, so he’s got to make a statement if he wants to stay at the top of the pay-per-view game.

DUKE: Nora, we’ve got to talk about this Gaethje situation. His mom saying he’s done? That’s a game-changer. What’s your read on it? Is this the end of the road for the Highlight?

NORA: It’s certainly a significant data point, Duke. A fighter’s family often has a strong influence, and a mother’s concern is rarely unfounded. However, Joe Rogan’s point about life-changing money is also valid. The financial incentives in this sport can be immense, and that often outweighs other considerations for a fighter at the peak of their career.

DUKE: But he just unified the belts! He’s at the absolute top. What more is there to prove? I mean, if his mom is saying it, that’s a pretty strong indicator that the family wants him out safe.

NORA: From a purely statistical standpoint, the risk of long-term injury increases with each fight, especially at the elite level. Retiring at the top, after unifying the belts, would be a strategically sound decision for his health and legacy. However, the emotional drive to compete, and the allure of a massive payday, are variables that our models can’t fully quantify.

DUKE: So, you’re saying the numbers can’t tell us if he’s gonna fight again? That’s a cop-out, Nora! My gut says he’s got one more big one in him, especially if it’s a money fight. The man’s a warrior.

NORA: My models can’t predict human emotion or the specific terms of a potential contract, Duke. They can only assess probabilities based on historical data and current performance metrics. While your gut feeling is a valid qualitative assessment, it lacks the empirical backing of a predictive algorithm. But I concede, the human element is a powerful, unpredictable factor here.

DUKE: Alright, alright, I’ll give you that one. For now. But if he fights again, I’m gonna rub it in your face. Just kidding. Mostly.

NORA: Noted. And I will be ready with the updated probabilities.

Before we wrap up, let’s get to our OSM Pick of the day. Our system has been crunching the numbers, and for the fight between Lewis McGrillen and Rafael do Nascimento, we’re picking Lewis McGrillen to win. Our model gives McGrillen approximately a seventy-eight percent chance of victory, which is significantly higher than the betting line’s implied seventy-one percent. This is a strong confidence pick for us, and it’s a value pick because we like it more than the market does. The top reasons for this pick are that the physical attributes strongly favor McGrillen, and his recent form has been exceptional. We’ve actually shifted our confidence on this one; we’re more confident now than we were earlier in the week. So, Lewis McGrillen is our system’s call.

And finally, the MMA community on Reddit is having a field day with Alexander Volkanovski’s comments about a potential champ versus champ fight with Justin Gaethje at lightweight. It’s always fun to see the fan reaction to these hypothetical super fights, and Volkanovski’s measured but confident response has definitely sparked some interesting discussions.

That’s all for today’s Open Scoring MMA. We’ll be back tomorrow with more news and analysis.

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