Marc Raimondi, ESPN Body of workers Scribbler
Justin Gaethje believes the one unfinished trade he has presently at light-weight is a name shot.
The previous UFC meantime light-weight champion and BMF champion informed ESPN on Wednesday that he’ll wait for so long as he has to if he does no longer get the nearest prospect at titleholder Islam Makhachev.
“Who do I fight?” Gaethje stated. “There’s no one. I did what I had to do. … I don’t know what else I need to do.”
Charles Oliveira, the previous UFC light-weight champion, used to be scheduled to problem Makhachev at UFC 294 latter weekend. However Oliveira sustained a scale down 12 days earlier than the bout and needed to take out. Alexander Volkanovski crammed in on decrease realize, and Makhachev knocked him out with a head kick in the first round.
On the postfight information convention, UFC CEO Dana White stated Oliveira remains to be more likely to be nearest in order for Makhachev. That struggle would most probably must occur earlier than Makhachev starts looking at Ramadan, which starts March 10, 2024. If Makhachev wins that struggle and doesn’t compete once more till the autumn, which is his ordinary timeline, Gaethje stated he’d be keen to stay up for the name shot and no longer compete.
“If they want to put Oliveira in there, then I fight him in September [or next October],” Gaethje stated. … “I have no issues waiting. Again, as I get older I get to understand from now until the time I’m gonna fight him I’m gonna be building strength, I’m gonna be working on my cardio, I’m gonna be refining my skills. So, I’ll take as much time as they give me and I’ll be that much more ready.”
ESPN has Makhachev ranked Negative. 1 on the earth at light-weight, with Oliveira at Negative. 2 and Gaethje at Negative. 3.
Gaethje (25-4) has received two immediately, maximum just lately knocking out Dustin Poirier with a head kick to win the BMF belt at UFC 291 in July. The Arizona local, who trains out of Colorado, has simply two losses since 2018: Oliveira and Makhachev’s longtime coaching spouse Khabib Nurmagomedov. Each have been in name fights. Gaethje, 34, has essentially the most fight-night bonuses in step with struggle in UFC historical past (12 in 12 fights).
Gaethje stated he used to be inspired with Makhachev’s knockout over Volkanovski, the UFC featherweight champion, particularly for the reason that Makhachev is understood for his wrestling and grappling.
“I think he’s out here copying my moves,” Gaethje stated. “He’s obviously watching me, so, yeah. It’s good, man. I’m excited to fight him. Before the [Volkanovski] fight, I said he wasn’t Khabib, but I guess I’m just gonna have to f— around and find out, because I’m not sure.”
