Another fighter is looking to take on the former UFC Lightweight champion Conor McGregor, and that’s due to the fact that the Ireland native is currently ranked at the number #3 spot in the 145-pound division.
Justin Gaethje is coming off a nice knockout win over Edson Barboza on March 30
th. Currently ranked at #5, The Arizona native is looking for fights against opponents who are ranked higher than him; however, Donald Cerrone and Tony Ferguson will be busy fighting one another and Khabib is expected to face interim champion Dustin Poirer in September.
That leaves Conor McGregor for Gaethje and the lightweight wants the former lightweight champion to either get inside the octagon or get him off the rankings system due to his inactivity:
“I’m ranked No. 5 right now,” Gaethje told
ESPN.
“There are four guys and the champion in front of me. I’m looking for one of those guys, and I’m looking for a big fight this summer. I don’t want to fight guys ranked behind me. I’ve got two knockouts in a row. James Vick was ranked behind me. I feel I deserve someone in front of me.
“Looking at the landscape, Conor McGregor is No. 3 right now. If it’s not him, there’s not an open fight right now. So, that’s the fight I want. He’s No. 3. If he’s not going to fight, take him out of the rankings. I’d be cool with that, too, and we can move on from there.”
McGregor’s status in the octagon remains a mystery at the moment. The former lightweight champion announced his retirement back in July, but ‘Notorious’ has hinted at returning sometime this year. McGregor has made it known that he wants a rematch with Khabib, but that fight possibly won’t happen anytime soon:
“I don’t know [if he will accept the fight with me]. As far as I’m concerned, he’s in the rankings so he should be available,” Gaethje said.
“I’m just sitting in my house in Colorado. I have no idea what the hell is going on with him. But he’s No. 3. He’s the only guy ranked ahead of me that doesn’t have a fight. He needs a fight to get back to the title shot.
“I don’t know what else to say about it. Unless he just does not want to fight me, if he wants to be that picky about it. I can’t control that. I’ll worry about things I can control. But I would definitely love to f*ck him up. Every time I get a chance to f*ck someone up who talks a lot of sh*t, it makes it more fun for me.”
“The UFC needs to handle their business and put him in the cage, so I can f*ck him up.”