MMA fighter Justin Gaethje has prioritized winning the UFC lightweight title, leaving any talk of a “BMF” title or a potential match with Jorge Masvidal on hold for now.
Justin Gaethje has publicly announced that his primary goal is to secure the UFC lightweight title, putting any discussions about the “BMF” title on hold for now. This target priority also puts the hyped encounter with Jorge Masvidal into the realm of future prospects. Masvidal’s open comments about a potential fight with Gaethje have gained considerable attention, especially in the context of his teammate Dustin Poirier‘s loss to Gaethje at UFC 291 for the novelty belt. Despite clarifying there are no personal grudges, the inaugural BMF champion Masvidal seems open to the idea of a fight with Gaethje eventually, should he make a reappearance in the ring after retirement.
At a Q&A held in Sydney, Australia, Gaethje was asked about the speculated bout with Masvidal and he concurred that the timing for such a face-off isn’t suitable yet. His response was, “Sounds fun, but I have one goal, it’s the undisputed championship. I have plenty of time after that to fight those fights.” Gaethje also expressed doubts about Masvidal returning to the ring, considering his significant weight gain during his hiatus. Gaethje added that he competes at 155 pounds, and believes Masvidal would want to fight at a higher weight category, presumably 170 pounds.
Successive victories over Poirier and Rafael Fiziev have cemented Gaethje’s commendable record, alongside sustaining his standing as one of UFC’s most sensational fighters. This impressive standing places him in a strong position to challenge the winner of the UFC 294 main event on Oct. 21, pitting lightweight champion Islam Makhachev in a rematch against Charles Oliveira. Gaethje, with his sights firmly set on undisputed status at 155 pounds, is inclined towards a rematch with Oliveira but is equally prepared to take on Makhachev if he comes out on top.
“I guess I prefer Oliveira, but I really do think Makhachev’s going to win and I’m very excited about the new challenge,” Gaethje shared. His ‘BMF’ title might also be up for grabs in the future, with a number of contenders potentially lined up including popular fighter Conor McGregor. Even Gaethje himself admits to being intrigued by the notion of clinching a decisive victory over McGregor, going as far as expressing a desire to “end his career”. Justin confidently declared, “[Michael] Chandler will now be the second guy that I’ve beaten that he chose to fight and I think that speaks for itself. He won’t fight me, plain and simple” regarding McGregor’s apprehensions on facing him in the ring.