Justin Gaethje, the #2 ranked lightweight, is setting his sights on a title shot in the UFC. Despite being ranked below Charles Oliveira, Gaethje believes he has the strongest case for the next crack at the 155 lb. belt. While there have been no official discussions with the UFC yet, Gaethje revealed that he is preparing to fight Islam Makhachev in early 2024.
Key Takeaway
Justin Gaethje is expecting to face Islam Makhachev in February or March of next year. He believes that the fight will be a better matchup for him compared to his previous bout against Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Following his impressive knockout victory over Dustin Poirier at UFC 291 in July 2023, Gaethje has climbed to the #2 spot in the lightweight rankings. Meanwhile, Charles Oliveira holds the top spot, and Islam Makhachev is the current champion.
Initially, Oliveira was set to face Makhachev in the main event at UFC 294, but unfortunately, Oliveira had to withdraw from the fight due to an injury just two weeks before the scheduled bout. This turn of events has led Gaethje to believe that Oliveira has missed his chance at a title shot, at least for the immediate future.
Gaethje expressed his confidence in his potential matchup against Makhachev, stating that he feels it will be a better fight for him than his previous encounter with Khabib Nurmagomedov. Gaethje believes that he will be able to effectively utilize his striking to create opportunities and maximize the damage he inflicts.
While Gaethje is focused on his fight with Makhachev, he also touched on other topics during the interview. He shared his thoughts on Conor McGregor and discussed his friend and training partner, Kamaru Usman’s short-notice fight against Khamzat Chimaev.
