According to his manager, Ali Abdelaziz, former interim lightweight champion, Justin Gaethje will challenge for undisputed divisional gold should his fellow client, Islam Makhachev prevail at UFC 294 next weekend in a title rematch with Charles Oliveira – claiming the promotion are chomping at the bit to pit Gaethje and Makhachev together.
Gaethje, the current number two ranked lightweight contender, is riding a two-fight winning run, most recently stopping fellow former interim champion, Dustin Poirier with a second round high-kick KO win at UFC 291 back in July in the pair’s symbolic BMF championship rematch.
And earlier this year, Gaethje stopped the surge of lightweight striking talent, Rafael Fiziev, bringing a halt to his seven fight winning streak with a close, majority decision win back in March at UFC 295 in a London co-headliner.
Justin Gaethje expected to fight Islam Makhachev after UFC 294
According to the above-mentioned Dominance MMA staple, Abdelaziz, however, should Makhachev defend his crown against Oliveira in their Abu Dhabi re-run – Gaethje would then challenge the Russian for undisputed gold.
“If Islam (Makhachev) wins, he will fight Justin Gaethje next,” Ali Abdelaziz told The Schmo during a recent interview. “This is what we want, this is what the UFC wants. Justin Gaethje earned it, too. You don’t go out there and knock out Dustin Poirier like that and don’t get a title shot. I think Justin made a statement and he earned his spot.”
Attempting to knock back the surge of Oliveira as soon as next weekend in the Middle East, Makhachev managed to scoop the vacant lightweight crown against the Brazilian back in October of last year with a second round arm-triangle submission win.
And back in February atop a UFC 284 card, Makhachev defended his championship in a close decision win over pound-for-pound best and featherweight champion counterpart, Alexander Volkanovski in Perth, Australia.