justin_gaethje on Instagram

UFC lightweight champion Justin Gaethje has provided a new update on his future retirement from mixed martial arts.

Following on from his championship triumph at UFC Freedom 250, there were plenty of questions regarding what exactly would be next for Justin Gaethje. Now, it seems that the path forward includes a possible rematch against Ilia Topuria, or maybe a showdown with the winner of the upcoming Arman Tsarukyan vs Mauricio Ruffy fight.

RELATED: Justin Gaethje surprisingly supports Arman Tsarukyan's long wait for UFC title shot

Alongside that, some have suggested that Justin Gaethje should ride off into the sunset and retire, given that he has now finally achieved his ultimate goal. Up to this point, there hasn't been a concrete answer one way or the other from the champ.

In a recent interview, Justin Gaethje had the following to say on the subject.

Justin Gaethje discusses retirement

“I've fought twice this year, I have deep bone bruise in my knee, I can't punch with my hand still so I really need to recover and I know for a fact I won't fight again this year,†he said on the MightyCast YouTube channel.

“I do know I've just performed better than I've ever performed and statistically that shouldn't have happened… I have a family, I've always trusted and told my parents, my brothers, my sister, my coaches, that I need them to have a conversation with me whenever the time needs to come.

“I really rely on them and lean on them to help me through this choice, I think it's a big choice. But I do think I'm a business and I need to approach this like a business… I need to have different conversations and see what life looks like. I haven't made a decision, I don't know (whether I will return),†he continued.

Quotes via Bloody Elbow

Do you want to see Gaethje retire from mixed martial arts? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below, BJPENN Nation!

This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM

Zuffa LLC

UFC feathereweight Lerone Murphy has given his thoughts on a possible rule change in judging following his defeat to Movsar Evloev.

Earlier this year, Lerone Murphy lost his undefeated record in mixed martial arts when he suffered a majority decision defeat to Movsar Evloev in London. Now, Evloev will challenge Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 333 for the UFC featherweight championship.

RELATED: Aaron Pico thinks he'd ‘dominate' Lerone Murphy in UFC rematch: “When that time comes, I'll be readyâ€

Lerone Murphy hasn't been back in the cage since then, but he has certainly made his voice heard, particularly regarding the judging of the fight, which included a point deduction for Evloev.

In a recent interview, Lerone Murphy spoke about that in more detail.

Lerone Murphy on judging after Evloev loss

“It's a weird fight because nothing much happens in the first round,†Murphy told FightersAdvice. “The first round is a toss-up, nothing happens and I think, I'm sorry go away from the subject, but I think that the judging shouldn't need to always be 10-9 because if nothing happens in a round, you can't just give it to one guy because you favor him. If nothing happens in a round, it's 10-10 or 9-9 or whatever. I think that should be brought in.â€

Quotes via Bloody Elbow

Regardless of whether or not there will be changes to judging, it will be interesting to see how Lerone attempts to bounce back from this as he continues his pursuit of UFC gold.

As for Evloev, he knows that he faces the biggest test of his career when he goes up against Volkanovski for the belt – but given his ability to edge past tough opponents, it wouldn't be at all surprising to see him get the job done.

Do you agree with Murphy's idea of scoring a round as a draw? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below, BJPENN Nation!

This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM

soldicmma on Instagram

New UFC star Roberto Soldic has discussed his decision to sign with the promotion after years of fans waiting to see it happen.

For the longest time, Roberto Soldic has been viewed as a fighter that needs to sign with the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He proved himself time and time again in KSW, and after a stint in ONE Championship, it seemed like he was destined for the UFC.

RELATED: Roberto Soldic revisits lessons learned from early setbacks in ONE Championship

Now, he has finally arrived. At UFC 332, Roberto Soldic will square off against Khaos Williams as he attempts to climb up through the ranks and show that he has what it takes to compete at the elite level.

In a recent interview, Roberto Soldic spoke about his journey to the UFC.

Roberto Soldic talks about UFC signing

“Everything was on the right time,†Soldic told MMA Junkie. “I had really good fights in ONE Championship and KSW and Cage Warriors. UFC is the biggest stage, so I have to compete with the best guys, no easy fights. It doesn't matter where you fight. No easy fights, and that's it. This level, small details decide if you win or lose, and you have to really quick, sharp and don't underestimate nobody. With my career, I do the same. I came at a good time to the UFC, so I feel I am ready. I feel I am ready now to compete in the UFC after all my fights.â€

“(My rise in the division) depends on the fights. I'll give my best, and we'll see. It can be quick or it can be not quick. Everything can happen in this life. It can be quick, but I have in front of me a really dangerous guy who is 10 times more experienced in the UFC than me. First Khaos, then we will see how I handle this.â€

Quotes via MMA Junkie

Are you excited for Soldic's UFC debut? Let us know in the comments below, BJPENN Nation!

This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM