If Charles Oliveira is indeed next for reigning lightweight champion Islam Makhachev, Justin Gaethje is willing to sit on the sidelines.
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Gaethje’s 2023 campaign has included victories over Rafael Fiziev and Dustin Poirier, so he believes he has done the necessary work to receive his third UFC lightweight title shot."Who do I fight?" Gaethje told ESPN. "There's no one. I did what I had to do. ... I don't know what else I need to do.”
Oliveira was supposed to face Makhachev at UFC 294 before a cut forced him out of the fight. Instead, the Dagestani lightweight retained his belt with a first-round knockout of Alexander Volkanovski in the short-notice main event. Afterward, UFC CEO Dana White indicated that Oliveira would get his promised rematch against Makhachev next.
If that means Gaethje won’t fight until late 2024, that’s fine by him.
"If they want to put Oliveira in there, then I fight him in September [or next October]," Gaet…