Justin Gaethje vs Conor McGregor to fight? Gaethje eyes showdown with Conor and wants to “shut him up” | International Sports News
Justin Gaethje has already gone through some of the biggest names in the UFC, but there’s apparently one more fight that could make sense for the final stretch of his career. After becoming UFC lightweight champion in June, Gaethje has now pointed toward Conor McGregor as the opponent he would most want to face again. That choice is a little different from where Gaethje’s head was earlier this year. He had previously been thinking about getting another shot at Max Holloway or Charles Oliveira, two fighters he had lost to. But with Ilia Topuria defeating both of them, Gaethje feels he can put those revenge ideas aside. McGregor, instead, has become the fight he wants.
Justin Gaethje said he isn’t chasing revenge anymore
The 37-year-old has spent the last nine years in the UFC building a reputation around his wild, high-pressure style. Victories over Tony Ferguson, Dustin Poirier and Topuria have added plenty to his résumé, but his willingness to embrace chaos is a huge part of why he has become such a popular figure.Now, though, his career is moving toward its final stage. Gaethje admitted that his time away from competition has been enjoyable, especially after making sacrifices earlier in the year.“Lots of traveling and lots of good food,” he said in an interview with UFC on YouTube, explaining that he had sacrificed family holidays while fighting in January and June. He joked that he now has “three Arizona trips coming up” to make up for that time.Being champion has also changed the way he looks at the division. Instead of chasing one particular fighter, Gaethje knows the best contenders are now chasing him.“There’s always been a champion. I always had somebody to chase,” he said. Now, he simply has to defend what he has while waiting for upcoming fights to determine his next opponent.
Why Conor McGregor is suddenly the pick
That leaves the interesting part. When asked who from his career he would choose to fight again, Gaethje initially had Holloway and Oliveira in mind.“Damn, there’s really no one,” he said before explaining that Oliveira or Holloway would have been his choices previously. But Topuria’s wins over both gave him a way to move on from those old losses.“So, I guess McGregor,” Gaethje said. And his reason was brutally simple. “Yeah. It’d be fun to shut him up.”That line gives the potential matchup a very different feel from the revenge fights Gaethje had considered earlier. He isn’t saying he has a specific opponent lined up. In fact, he made it clear that he isn’t currently focused on one name because the division’s upcoming fights will help determine who gets the next opportunity.For now, Gaethje is enjoying his new position at the top. He has the lightweight title, contenders are coming after him, and his own preferred legacy fight is clear: Conor McGregor.Whether that matchup actually happens isn’t established in the reference material. What is clear is that if Gaethje gets to choose one familiar name for another fight before his career ends, McGregor has moved to the front of his list.
