Remember how Justin Gaethje defeated Tony Ferguson in 2020 to become the interim lightweight champion? In October of that year, he clashed against champion Khabib Nurmagomedov in a title unification bout but lost via submission in round 2. Then, in 2022, he got yet another shot at the title; This time against Charles Oliveira, but things ended the same way. He lost via submission round 1. Is history about to repeat once again?

About a week ago, ‘The Highlight’ stated, “I mean, I’m always shooting for Makhachev. Right now, he’s the champion.” Clearly, the lightweight is eyeing another title shot, but his past history shows how UFC glory slipped past him because of wrestlers. So will a high-level grappler like Islam Makhachev want to fight against Gaethje, who has a wrestling background, but doesn’t adequately use it in MMA?

Well, here is what the Dagestani said in January. “I like this idea because I haven’t fought Justin yet… I’ve already fought [Oliveira and Arman], and preparing for the same opponent is not such a big motivation. But if Gaethje shows himself well in the next fight, we can meet.”

The coast is clear on both sides, and Mahachev versus Justin Gaethje could be a reality in the future. But what was the ‘next fight’ condition the champion had? It refers to the American fighter’s UFC 313 bout against Rafael Fiziev. So, if ‘The Highlight’ defeats Fiziev on March 8, does that mean he automatically secures a title shot against the reigning lightweight champion? Not necessarily!

While the former BMF title holder is a high-profile contender, there are at least a few fighters ahead of him in line for a shot at the Dagestani juggernaut. Names like Charles Oliveira, Arman Tsarukyan, and Ilia Topuria come to mind—each with a stronger claim to the next title opportunity. That’s precisely why Gaethje is determined to make a statement at UFC 313. The former D1 wrestler knows that simply winning isn’t enough—he needs to deliver a spectacular finish to make himself undeniable in the title conversation.

No wonder in a new interview with ‘TMZ Sports’, the UFC fighter stated: “I mean that’d [a big finish] be ideal. I really want to, you know, have a great performance and really put some pressure on the UFC to allow me to fight Makhachev next. And I think, you know, an outstanding performance and a finish is something that puts me in that position. They obviously know that, you know, we’re only in this position because Dan Hooker broke his hand.

“So I’m going to go out there and do what I can do, you know, with the opportunity that I have. I think this guy is very dangerous, I think he’s going to be very hungry and I think I’m in for a hell of a fight,” Gaethje added with a smile. Dana White better pay attention!

And while Gaethje is touching distance from a title shot against Islam Makhachev, does he believe he can defeat the champ?

Top Comment by Mash

Yes Arman n Gaethje are the real contenders for the belt. Arman missed the chance hence it should be Gaethje…

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When Justin Gaethje talked about Makhachev being a better opponent than Khabib!

On Feb. 17, the fighter took to his YouTube channel to answer some questions from fans. One question was: Who is your dream opponent The former interim lightweight champion answered, “I want to fight Makhachev. He is the champ and I do believe that he is a better matchup for me than Khabib.”

Here’s the thing though: Because Makhachev is Khabib Nurmagomedov’s protégé, their skills have been compared for years. And many believe that the former has surpassed his predecessor. For instance, ‘The Eagle’ was known for his wrestling, but never for his striking. On the other hand, the younger Dagestani has shown better striking, even in the early stages of his career.

Many analysts also believe Islam Makhachev’s wrestling to be more dominant. He completed 13 of his 27 victories by submission. That’s a 48% submission rate which is very good. In fact, he also attempted more submissions per 15 minutes than Nurmagomedov did in the UFC, at 1.1. So, a portion of UFC fans may look at Gaethje’s claims with skepticism.

Regardless, Makhachev versus Gaethje could be huge. However, the latter will have to make sure to score a spectacular win at UFC 313. What do you think?