Despite initially shutting down the prospect of a future fight with former two-division champion, Conor McGregor off the back of his BMF title win over the course of the weekend at UFC 291, Justin Gaethje now appears more than interested in a grudge match in the future.
Gaethje, the newly-minted number two ranked lightweight contender, headlined UFC 291 over the course of the weekend in Salt Lake City, Utah – landing a second round high-kick knockout win over common-foe and two-time opponent, Dustin Poirier to clinch the symbolic BMF title.
And in the immediate aftermath of his victory over former interim gold holder, Poirier in ‘The Beehive State’, Gaethje became the target of Dublin striker, McGregor, who played up a long-awaited pairing between himself and the Arizona native – appearing to also veto a planned welterweight comeback against Michael Chandler.
However, as far as Gaethje was concerned, he would not share the Octagon with McGregor – accusing him of performance-enhancing drug use during his two-year hiatus from active competition.
Justin Gaethje now welcomes future clash with Conor McGregor
Predicting a knockout win over Gaethje within the first clean exchange, Gaethje has now since urged the 35-year-old counter striker to agree to a bout.
“Sign the contract big bog,” Justin Gaethje posted on his official X account, aimed at Conor McGregor.”
Sign the contract big boy. https://t.co/LZIv3x0su9
— Justin Gaethje
(@Justin_Gaethje) August 1, 2023
(@Justin_Gaethje)
Replying to Gaethje, McGregor posted a picture of a signed photograph taken after his 2015 featherweight title unification win over Jose Aldo – with the caption, “signed”.
In the midst of a two-fight losing skid, McGregor headlined UFC 264 back in July 2021, suffering a first round doctor’s stoppage TKO loss to the aforenoted, Poirier, after fracturing his left tibia and fibula.
Prior to that loss, McGregor suffered his first knockout defeat in professional mixed martial arts, in the form of a second round knockout loss to Poirier in Abu Dhabi, UAE in January of that year.