Morning Report: Justin Gaethje Aims to Prove Islam Makhachev is Not the Next Khabib after UFC 291 Victory
Justin Gaethje remains determined to claim the undisputed UFC lightweight championship.
In May 2020, Gaethje secured the interim title with a dominant performance against Tony Ferguson in an empty-arena fight. His exceptional striking skills led to a fifth-round TKO, earning him the temporary belt and setting up a clash with the undefeated divisional king, Khabib Nurmagomedov, in October of the same year.
Now, three years later at UFC 291, Gaethje is in a different title fight. The event is scheduled for this Saturday night in Salt Lake City, Utah, where Gaethje will have a rematch with Dustin Poirier for the revived Baddest Motherf***** (BMF) belt. The winner of this bout will become a potential challenger for the victor of the upcoming undisputed championship fight between the current champion Islam Makhachev and top contender Charles Oliveira. Hence, the question arises: Who stands the best chance of dethroning the near-perfect 24-1 Nurmagomedov protege, Makhachev?
Gaethje stated, “If we’re going off of what we know, then it’s gonna be [Alexander] Volkanovski because he already fought him, and it was a really close fight. I’ve never fought him, Poirier’s never fought him. I guess if you want to say someone, it could be the 125-pound champion (Alexandre Pantoja). Who knocked him out? I was gonna make fun of [Brendan Schaub]… I’ve made fun of him so much.”
“I think Volkanovski is the answer for now, but I can’t wait to get in there. I know for a fact he’s not Khabib, and I want to go in there and prove that.”
Makhachev’s only career defeat came in his second UFC appearance in 2015 against Adriano Martins (not Pantoja as previously believed). Since then, Makhachev has displayed sheer dominance, culminating in a champion vs. champion classic with featherweight titleholder Volkanovski in February. Makhachev successfully defended his title via unanimous decision.
Last week, the promotion officially announced Makhachev vs. Oliveira 2 as the headliner for UFC 294 in October. This leaves the winner of Poirier vs. Gaethje 2 with a waiting period after their victory. Gaethje, however, expresses doubts about being able to turn around and fight again quickly, considering the physical and mental toll each fight takes.
“The UFC isn’t going to protect you,” Gaethje asserted. “You’ve got to take time between these fights. Not just the fights but the training camp we just went through. I’ve just been through 12 weeks of training, extremely hard, six days a week, and your body gets broken down. It’s something that you really got to focus on, understanding you gotta go through a healing process every single time you step in there.”
“The physical aspect, but I would say even the mental aspect, is a traumatic life experience every time you step in there. And you really gotta take some time to heal every time you do that.”
In conclusion, Gaethje looks forward to an action-packed and highly anticipated fight weekend.
(Source: MMAFighting)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about fokus keyword: Justin Gaethje UFC 291
Q: What title did Justin Gaethje win after defeating Tony Ferguson?
A: Justin Gaethje won the interim UFC lightweight title after his impressive victory over Tony Ferguson in May 2020.
Q: Who is Justin Gaethje fighting in UFC 291?
A: Justin Gaethje is set to have a rematch with Dustin Poirier at UFC 291 for the revived Baddest Motherf***** (BMF) belt.
Q: What is the significance of the winner of Poirier vs. Gaethje 2 at UFC 291?
A: The winner of Poirier vs. Gaethje 2 will become a potential challenger for the winner of the upcoming undisputed championship fight between Islam Makhachev and Charles Oliveira.
Q: Who does Justin Gaethje believe has the best chance to defeat Islam Makhachev?
A: Justin Gaethje believes that Alexander Volkanovski might have the best chance to defeat Islam Makhachev based on their close fight in the past.
Q: When is the headliner fight between Islam Makhachev and Charles Oliveira scheduled?
A: The headliner fight between Islam Makhachev and Charles Oliveira is set to take place at UFC 294 in October.
Q: How does Justin Gaethje view the challenges of returning to fight quickly after a bout?
A: Justin Gaethje acknowledges the physical and mental toll each fight takes and emphasizes the importance of taking time to heal and recover between fights.
Q: What is the focus keyword for this text?
A: The focus keyword for this text is “Justin Gaethje UFC 291.”
Q: What are the main tags for this text?
A: The main tags for this text are “Justin Gaethje, UFC 291, Islam Makhachev, Khabib Nurmagomedov, lightweight championship, title fight, Dustin Poirier, BMF belt, Alexander Volkanovski, Charles Oliveira, MMA, UFC news, fight predictions, sports, mixed martial arts, combat sports.”
More about fokus keyword: Justin Gaethje UFC 291
- MMAFighting
- UFC 291 Event Details
- UFC Official Website
- Islam Makhachev’s UFC Profile
- Charles Oliveira’s UFC Profile
- Dustin Poirier’s UFC Profile
- Alexander Volkanovski’s UFC Profile
- Tony Ferguson’s UFC Profile
- Khabib Nurmagomedov’s UFC Profile
- Baddest Motherf***** (BMF) Belt
- UFC 294 Event Details
3 comments
yo, this fight is gonna be fire! gaethje vs poirier 2 is gonna be insane, both fighters are so skilled. and then the winner gets a shot at makhachev or oliveira? sign me up! ufc 294 gonna be lit!
justin gaethje is a beast in the octagon! i cant wait for ufc 291 and his fight with dustin poirier. i think he has a good shot at winning the bmF belt again. volkanovski might be a tough challenge for makhachev, we’ll see!
i remember when gaethje fought khabib, man that was intense. now he wants to prove makhachev aint no khabib. makhachev’s been on a tear tho, his fight with volkanovski was nuts. this sport is wild, cant wait for all these epic fights!