Justin Gaethje sounds off on McGregor vs. Cerrone: “It’s a freak show”
#4 ranked lightweight contender Justin Gaethje was one of the potential matchups for Conor McGregor‘s return, but “The Notorious” was instead linked with Donald Cerrone for a January 18 showdown in the 170 pound division.
But even though he wouldn’t have minded sharing the cage with McGregor, Gaethje has his eyes set on lightweight gold and he feels the recently-announced bout between McGregor and Cerrone takes the Irishman out of title co”…he has to get another win in the lightweight division” ntention at 155 pounds:
“I mean, it’s a freak show man. I don’t know what to make of it,” Justin Gaethje said when asked about McGregor vs. Cerrone. “For me, I think it’s good, it takes [McGregor] out of the picture. It kind of clears the path to what needs to happen.
Fighting at 170… I don’t know how in his mind he can say ‘I’ll fight in 170 and then fight for the world title next.’ I’d like to think it is because he doesn’t want to fight me, but I don’t think I’m that scary. I don’t understand it.”
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? “For me, I think it’s good, it takes him out of the picture.” – @Justin_Gaethje on Conor McGregor’s choice to fight Donald Cerrone at 170lbs #TLTS@lthomasnews
⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️ pic.twitter.com/sPR08KITAD— MMA on SiriusXM (@MMAonSiriusXM) December 3, 2019
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Justin Gaethje thinks McGregor needs another lightweight win
Gaethje entered the UFC in 2017 with an undefeated record of 17 straight wins and the WSOF lightweight title around his waist. He was matched up against Michael Johnson at The Ultimate Fighter: Redemption finale and put on one of the most exciting UFC debuts in recent memory.
He was later defeated twice by former UFC champions Eddie Alvarez and Dustin Poirier, before turning a corner in August 2018, scoring a first-round knockout against James Vick.
He is now on a three-bout winning streak after also finishing Edson Barboza and Cerrone in the first round, and is now gunning for the lightweight title.
Ahead of him in the rankings are McGregor, Poirier, and Tony Ferguson. Ferguson will fight for the title in April 2020, Poirier just lost against Khabib and McGregor is set for a 170 pound fight.
Gaethje feels that if McGregor wants that next shot at gold, he needs to go back and fight at the 155 pound division again:
“If he wants to fight for a world title, he has to get another win in the lightweight division,” Gaethje said about McGregor.
“I’m sure he knows that he’s gonna put pressure on Dana [White] and the UFC to give him a title fight after… IF he beats Cowboy at 170. Or maybe he’ll fight someone else at 170, I’m not sure what he’s doing.”
