JUSTIN GAETHJE insists that his showdown against Michael Chandler will produce fireworks. He also claims that one of them will be knocked to the ground.
The lightweight barnburner between the pair will be held on November 6, at Madison Square Garden's UFC 268 card.
Justin Gaethje and Michael Chandler will be fighting at UFC 268 New York
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MMA fans are salivating over the match-up that will see two pressure-based fighters clash in The World's Most Famous Arena.
Gaethje, a former interim champ at 155lb, believes that the two styles will produce a devastating knockout. Chandler must not look to use his wrestling.
The Schmo heard from him that he loves fighting as much as I do. Styles create matchups, and this is a stylistic matchup.
"Someone's going to get knocked out. Unless he becomes a b***h, and attempts to make this into a wrestling match.
He's talking about timid people taking a step backwards. Because he doesn’t like power, he will be timid. This is what I believe."
Gaethje will face the three-time Bellator lightweight champion. This is his first fight since he lost his UFC 254 unification bout against Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Free Bets: Get more than PS2,000 in NEW CUSTOMER DEALSThe division quickly moved on with Charles Oliveira winning the belt by TKO over Chandler in the second round at UFC 262 (May).
Gaethje, 32 years old, feels he should have fought for the vacant belt. He said: "I was most recent interim titleholder. It's possible to see both sides of it.
"From the outside, I wasn't happy. If I were on the inside, I would probably like to make people forget about me if I was running a $4-billion company or $5-6 billion company.
"So yes, they did what was best for them, and that's all they had to do.
"I was upset but it doesn’t matter. Gotta go on, gotta keep working.
"I lost. Although I do not believe you should be awarded a title based on a loss, I do think the circumstances were exceptional.
"Similar circumstances to those that gave Cory Sandhagen a title bout.
"He was just coming off a loss, so he got in there for a title fight and the guy didn’t retire.
"There have been others, other examples of people making a profit off of losses.
"So yeah, that was a b st way to say I shouldn't get the thing, just because I lost.
"Circumstances were unique and that's exactly what it was."
A convincing win over Chandler will place Gaethje in pole position for the final match against Dustin Poirier, Oliveira's maiden champion title defense on December 11.
The Highlight stated: "I go out and get the dub November 6, and I will fight the winner of Oliveira and Poirier."
"That's the plan. No 1 defeated No 5, No 3 beat No 4, and if No 2 was there, you get f d. It just so happened that my name was right next to the No 2 spot.
"So it is, it is. There is a chance for me to get the things I want, but I have to capitalize.
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