Justin Gaethje is taking aim at the lightweight champion Islam Makhachev and hopes he can “prove that” he’s the better fighter.
It’s fight week for UFC 291 and Justin Gaethje is making headlines by claiming that the champion Islam Makhachev is not on the level of the former champion Khabib Nurmagomedov.
#3 ranked Justin “The Highlight” Gaethje takes on #2 ranked Dustin Poirier for the BMF title this weekend in Salt Lake City. While the fight is not for the lightweight belt the winner is hotly tipped to be the next challenger after Mackhachev fights Oliveria for a second time in October.
Justin Gaethje Knows He Can Challenge Makhachev
Speaking to Shak MMA Gaethje talked about the division: “If we’re going off of what we know, then it’s going to be Volkanovski because he already fought him and it was a really close fight. I’ve never fought him. Poirier’s never fought him,”
Gaethje continued with how he see his chances against Islam “I guess if you want to someone it would be (the guy that knocked him out). I think Volkanovski is the obvious answer for now. But, I can’t wait to get in there. I know for a fact he’s not Khabib, and I want to go in there and prove that.”
Justin fought Khabib Nurmagomedov in the later retirement fight at UFC 254 in October 2020. While Justin lost the fight by submission in round 2, Khabib had this to say on Mike Tysons Hotboxin podcast about Justin:
“This guy [Justin Gaethje] hit like a truck, you know. Nobody hit me harder than Justin Gaethje. His kick, his punch, his left hook, right hook, right uppercut.”
There’s no doubt that Justin Gaethje has the skills and the power to be a champion, could the path to lightweight gold begin this weekend with a BMF title victory over Dustin Poirier? Let’s see.
Quotes via bjpenn.com
