"It's happening LFG" - Islam Makhachev's ominous warning to Justin Gaethje has fans dreaming over the matchup

Islam Makhachev and Justin Gaethje's recent social media spat may be setting the stage for a potential fight between the two in the near future.

Makhachev had a strong year as the UFC lightweight champion as he successfully defended his title with back-to-back victories against UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski.

First, he won by unanimous decision at UFC 284 in February, and then via first-round head kick KO at UFC 294 in October.

Initially, a rematch between Volkanovski and Makhachev wasn't on the agenda. The 32-year-old Dagestani fighter was originally scheduled for a rematch against Charles Oliveira, whom he had defeated to capture the title at UFC 280 in October 2022. However, 'Do Bronx' sustained an injury and had to withdraw from the title fight.

Meanwhile, Gaethje's impressive head kick victory in a rematch against Dustin Poirier at UFC 291 in July changed the division's landscape. Gaethje's triumph re-established his winning streak and positioned him for another shot at the title.

The 'BMF' titleholder recently took to X to challenge the 155-pound champion and disregarded Oliveira as the next potential title contender. He tweeted:

"Waiting on the call. Ready when you are @ufc @danawhite Let’s see who can kick the others head off first @MAKHACHEVMMA Do Bronx had his shot and didn’t show up for the rematch. It is what it is."

Makhachev acknowledged Gaethje's callout and replied, outlining potential consequences should they engage in a fight. He wrote:

"I can do more than kicking, be careful 😉😴💤"

Check out the exchange between Islam Makhachev and Justin Gaethje below:

The back and forth on social media between Makhachev and Gaethje has sparked optimism among fans anticipating a potential showdown between the two.

One fan wrote:

"You’ll smoke him like you smoked Volk."

Another wrote:

"It's happening LFG 🔥🔥"

Check out some more reactions below:

"Islam about to add another name to his resume"

"This would be a dope fight"

"If you can KO a knockout artist of Justin's caliber with your hands, you'll definitely be considered one of the most well-rounded elite fighters of all time."

"I like Gaethje but he won’t be able to match the skill set of Islam. Islam is unbelievably strong and different."

"I always thought Gaethje was going to be champ till I found out about you back in 2020. Please make this fight happen"

Credits: @Justin_Gaethje and @MAKHACHEVMMA on X