Justin Gaethje Eyes Khabib Nurmagomedov-Tony Ferguson Winner Next
After Justin Gaethje TKO’d Donald Cerrone in the main event of UFC Vancouver, the win set him up for something big. He could be next in line for the winner of Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Tony Ferguson, assuming that gets done, or he could fight Conor McGregor.
Yet, in his post-fight speech, he called for the title shot, but backstage, admits he would be open to a McGregor bout.
“As far as I know he’s retired. He is in the rankings so he either fights or he gets out. That’s how I see it,” Gaethje said backstage (h/t MMA Fighting). “I absolutely would love to fight him.”
Although he would ‘love’ to fight the Irishman, his goal is to fight for the belt. So he wants that fight to happen.
“I want the winner of Tony and Khabib,” Gaethje said. “I want to fight for the world title, I want to prove I’m the best in the world. So that’s what’s next.”
If he does get a fight against the undefeated Russian, he knows he would be the underdog. But he believes he is a tough matchup for Nurmagomedov. He says his power and leg kicks would be a factor and wants that fight to test himself.
“He probably beats me if you put it on paper but I hit so hard, I kick so hard and I’m so athletic,” Gaethje said about a potential matchup with Nurmagomedov. “The way you stop a takedown in wrestling is to meet force with force.
“You don’t try to go away. I won’t touch the cage. If he’s going to take me down, it’s going to be in the middle and he’s going to get his leg kicked a few times before he even gets a shot off.”
What do you think should be next for Justin Gaethje following UFC Vancouver?
