Justin Gaethje and Jason High are on a collision course. If they weren’t before, they are now.
Granted, there’s business in front of them first, happening at World Series of Fighting 33. But if they can each get past their respective opponents Saturday, the biggest fight in WSOF history is probably waiting.
Gaethje acknowledged Wednesday that High would be a massive fight, both for him and the promotion employing him. If on Saturday he can defeat a tough opponent in Ozzy Dugulubgov—Gaethje is the main event, while High, facing Joao Zeferino in High’s hometown of Kansas City, Missouri, is the co-main event—that matchup is almost certain, and it’s one Gaethje appears to welcome.
“I wish I was fighting Jason High in his hometown. I would put him to sleep in front of all his fans,” Gaethje said in an exclusive interview with Bleacher Report. “He’s mainly a wrestler, but I’m an All-American wrestler. So I’m really not worried about Jason High.”
These two have been circling each other for quite some time now.
Gaethje, the reigning WSOF lightweight champ, is 16-0 at the age of 27 and might be the best lightweight outside the UFC. He won his title in 2014 and has since defended it four times (it would be five if Melvin Guillard had made weight, but that’s another story). Thirteen of those 16 wins came by way of the knockout, which he can deliver with his fists, feet or just about anything else. Maybe just for giggles, he mixed it up in his last fight and TKO’d Brian Foster with leg kicks.
On the other hand, High (20-5) has the kind of pedigree missing from Gaethje’s record. The Kansas City native competed four times under the UFC banner (Gaethje has never fought there) and is 2-0 since joining WSOF in 2015. Thirteen of the 34-year-old’s 20 victories to date came via stoppage.
A High win over Zeferino, a tough submission artist, is no gimme. High acknowledged as much in an interview Tuesday, but when given an opportunity to discuss Gaethje, he didn’t skip a beat.
“Justin Gaethje needs me more than I need him at this point,” High said in that interview. “He’s the one looking for legitimacy. I’m proven. He doesn’t have the kind of record I have. He hasn’t fought the kind of opposition I have. I think he wants to fight out his contract and get to the UFC. That road goes through me.”
When Gaethje heard that quote the next day, the notion of being unproven may have hit a nerve, as much as Gaethje might deny the claim. Gaethje had some choice words for High and his track record.
“I think he has five losses, so he has definitely proven he can lose,” Gaethje said. “I guess in that way, I’m unproven. … He was getting his a– kicked by Mike Ricci before he got lucky.”
Like High, Gaethje took pains to emphasize he’s focused on his latest opponent. Dugulubgov (8-2) is a bright young fighter in his own right, with three straight wins in WSOF.
“This guy’s got some power,” Gaethje said of Dugulubgov. “He’s got a great spinning back kick. He throws it from his hips and throws it really hard. But that requires space, and I don’t give space.”
WSOF announced recently it would hold its WSOF 36 event on New Year’s Eve in Madison Square Garden. Gaethje expressed certainty he would appear on that card—and if he and High both win, that, to Gaethje, is the obvious headliner.
“Oh yeah, without a doubt,” Gaethje said. “If he wins and I win, we’ll be fighting December 31. He knows he’ll have to actually fight me, so none of this talk means anything.”
Scott Harris writes about MMA for Bleacher Report. For more, follow Scott on Twitter.
Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com