Justin Gaethje will fight Khabib Nurmagamedov on October 24th. Khabib is the UFC lightweight champion while Gaethje holds the interim title. It’s one of the most interesting and exciting match-ups of the year. As we get closer to the event the odds are closing.
Gaethje knows that this is the biggest challenge of his career. He entered the UFC with a record of 18-0 but lost to both Dustin Poirier and Eddie Alvarez during his UFC run. However, he has developed his game substantially and brawls less than before.
Speaking to Michael Bisping on the Believe You Me podcast, Gaethje explained that he will do everything to beat the Russian. Check out his comments below.
Zone of Death
Gaethje outlined that this will be carnage. He told Bisping that he needs to create a ‘zone of death’ so that Khabib will be in danger every time he approaches. With Gaethje’s knockout power this is always a possibility. There is no doubt that this will be a tremendously exciting fight. Can Gaethje do what 28 other men couldn’t? He said:
“There’s going to be a zone in front of me. It’s not very big. It’s going to be a zone of death, and if I have to represent death every time he enters the zone, that’s what I’m the best – creating carnage, creating car crashes.
So my only goal when I step in there is to create as many car crashes as possible, whether it be our bodies hitting, our heads hitting, our f**king shoulders hitting, our fists hitting, my fist hitting his head, his fist hitting my head, it doesn’t matter. I need to create car crashes, because that’s the only way to beat this guy.”
Tough
Meanwhile, Khabib’s teammate at American Kickboxing Academy Daniel Cormier says that Gaethje is the Russian’s toughest opponent. Cormier also has a title fight approaching. But he took the time to speak about his friend’s chances. He says that it will be a difficult fight but that Khabib will be more focused and driven than ever.
“I think he’s going to fight his toughest opponent,” Cormier told Yahoo Sports. “I think the vast majority of the world feels that this is the toughest guy for him at 155 so I think he’ll be OK. His ability to train and prepare for this and continue to work toward the goal that him and his father had together will allow him to maybe come to terms with everything that’s happening around him.
“Sometimes you need distractions and you need motivations in different forms. I think Khabib will use [his father’s death] as motivation. He’s a professional. He’s a pro’s pro and he’s going to prepare himself to the best of his ability.”
Fascinating
This will be a fascinating clash. Khabib can do what he always does. He is definitely the favorite before the fight but Gaethje offers a unique threat. None of Khabib’s former opponents possess the same level of wrestling acumen that Gaethje has. If ‘The Highlight’ cancels out that game, then he has the advantage on the feet.
However, nobody has been able to stop Khabib so far. The Dagestani is relentless. To sum up, we can’t wait.
