Getty Conor McGregor reacts before taking on Donald Cerrone in their welterweight bout during UFC 246 at T-Mobile Arena on January 18, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Mixed martial arts and UFC analysts and fans around the globe have been speculating about who Conor “Notorious” McGregor’s next opponent will be, and that includes his potential matchup, Justin “The Highlight” Gaethje. The Highlight was interviewed by MMA Junkie and the media during the Dominance MMA media day and he broke down what he believes are Notorious’ fight plans.
Gaethje said, “I think the April 18 fight is a big factor. If Khabib wins, when Khabib wins, Conor knows that he’s not going to get that match unless he does something to earn it. So he’s going to fight me if Khabib wins, and if Tony wins, [McGregor] will fight Tony because that’s how it works.”
UFC 249 takes place on April 18, and the main event features UFC Lightweight Champion Khabib Nurmagomedov defending his belt against the No. 1 contender, Tony Ferguson.
In a recent ESPN interview with Ali Abdelaziz, Khabib and Gaethje’s manager, he said that for McGregor to earn a shot at Khabib again, he needs to fight Justin Gaethje first.
Currently, Notorious is ranked No. 3 in the lightweight division, and The Highlight is ranked No. 4.
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Gaethje Agrees That Conor McGregor Is Good for the Sport of MMA
After Notorious lost to Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 229 in October of 2018, the Irishman took more than a year hiatus from the UFC. He returned to the Octagon in January of 2020, in the main event of UFC 246.
He fought and defeated Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone in a match that Notorious dominated. He only needed 40 seconds to get his hand raised as he finished Cowboy by TKO.
The Highlight told media members that he thinks McGregor is good for the sport of mixed martial arts. He said, “We need Conor McGregor. The sport needs Conor McGregor. He needed to go in there, he needed to win.”
The Highlight Is Eyeing a Match With Notorious
Gaethje has actively campaigned for a match against McGregor for months, but he believes he knows why McGregor doesn’t want to fight him.
During an interview with TSN’s Aaron Bronsteter, he said, “If he loses how you lose to me, he can never be Conor McGregor again. He can never say the things Conor McGregor says. You can get tapped out. He can get submitted two more times in there and still talk like Conor McGregor.”
Gaethje is known for his fierce striking and his relentless pace. He has a professional MMA record of 21-2, and 18 of his victories have come via KO or TKO.
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