11 September 2023 , 13:25
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Conor McGregor's long-time rival Justin Gaethje has admitted that he has dreams of putting an end to his fighting career if the pair ever meet.
The pair have been rivals for years, with multiple potential fight dates being mooted throughout their time atop the lightweight division. But the bout, which has been called for by fans on both sides, has yet to materialise - even after constant back-and-forth trash talk between them while preparing for other fights.
Gaethje is currently the 'BMF' title holder and a former interim lightweight champion; in 2020 he defeated Tony Ferguson on short notice for the belt in the UFC's first pay-per-view after the coronavirus pandemic before losing his undisputed fights with Khabib Nurmagomedov and Charles Oliveira. Meanwhile, McGregor is a former undisputed featherweight and lightweight champion.
“Yeah, I mean, it sounds fun,” Justin Gaethje told the media during a Q&A event ahead of UFC 293 last week when asked about a fight with McGregor. “I’d be lying if I didn’t say I’ve dreamt of ending his career and making sure he’s never able to step back in there. [Michael] Chandler will now be the second guy that I’ve beat, that he’s chose to fight. And, you know, I think that speaks for itself.
“He won’t fight me, plain and simple - like I said, a chance to take him out for good, would be on the top of my list. I like money too, I fight for money, so that’s always good. No, but the chance to take him out for good – for one, shut all of his fans up for the rest of my life, at least. That’s better for me than the money.”
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Who would you rather see Conor McGregor fight; Justin Gaethje or Michael Chandler? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!
McGregor is currently training for a fight with Michael Chandler that would signal the culmination of The Ultimate Fighter, where each man took a victory in the finals. However, that event appears not to be happening in December as initially planned, and after watching Gaethje defeat Dustin Poirier for the BMF belt in July, McGregor attempted to change up opponent.
McGregor sent two tweets to Gaethje immediately after his win, the first of which read: "Justin, I’ll slap you around." His second message was more detailed, adding: "I’m the real BMF, he can fight for pennies if he wants but I want spirits. I call the shots, I’m in it to launch shots, f*** Chandler, you want it call for it."