Justin
Gaethje believes the
UFC owes him a title shot next.
Advertisement
Gaethje is 3-1 in his last four, which includes two decision wins
over Rafael
Fiziev and a knockout win over Dustin
Poirier. His only recent loss came in an iconic BMF title fight
against Max
Holloway at UFC 300 last year. Gaethje claims the UFC came
“begging” to him to fight “Blessed.” Gaethje also argues that the
loss shouldn’t have any bearing on the title picture, as it was
essentially an exhibition fight.
Gaethje further notes that Poirier, whom he beat, already got a
title shot in the meantime. “The Highlight” also believes the UFC
could have easily given him a title shot, as Islam
Makhachev had repeatedly expressed interest in the matchup.
With Makhachev having moved to welterweight, Charles
Oliveira and former featherweight champ Ilia
Topuria will compete for the vacant lightweight title at
UFC
317 on June 28 in Las Vegas.
“They owe me a championship fight,” Gaethje said on “The Makeshift Podcast.” “I’m 3-1, last four.
They came begging to my house to fight Max
Holloway at UFC 300. I consider it an exhibition fight. I don’t
mean that the loss is not on my record. I mean it had nothing to do
with the rankings… And in the time that I did that, Dustin
Poirier, who I just beat, got a good win over [Benoit] St.Denis
and then fought for the belt. And since I won, the champion’s been
saying he wants to fight me. So they could have easily set that up.
But they didn’t. And then he vacates. And then Oliveira is 2-2 in
his last four, already has a loss to Makhachev. And they bring a
brand new guy [Topuria] in.”
Gaethje’s manager, Ali Abdelaziz, recently said that his fighter is
considering retirement if not given a title shot next. However,
Gaethje has another solution. Gaethje is willing to take a risky
fight for a massive payday that will guarantee a title shot if he
wins or at least set him up financially if he loses.
“I’m not gonna fight any of these motherf—ers for fun unless they
pay me so much more money. I’m gonna take a risky fight and if I
lose, I’m gonna be set up, and if I win, I’m fighting for the
belt.”