UFC News: Justin Gaethje aims to slay Conor McGregor en-route to lightweight glory

Justin Gaethje is next in line for a title shot after Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson finally settle their long-standing rivalry in April next year. 'The Highlight' is on a three fight winning streak, having beaten the likes of James Vick, Edson Barboza and most recently Donald 'Cowboy' Cerrone who is slated to face Conor McGregor in the headliner of UFC 246 on 18th January. (H/T MMA Fighting)

While all the fighters in the lightweight division apart from Ferguson and Nurmagomedov are vying for a big-money fight against the Irishman, for Gaethje, McGregor is just another stepping stone to the summit of the lightweight division.

In an appearance on Michael Bisping’s Believe You Me podcast, Gaethje expressed his desire to fight the undefeated Dagestani, Khabib, before the latter retires from the sport of MMA, and he wants to go through anyone standing between him and Nurmagomedov, including McGregor.

“I’m trying to get to Khabib. He has publicly stated he does not have very many fights left, so I have to fight him before he goes away. I can’t let him go undefeated without at least being able to test him myself. I consider myself one of the most dangerous lightweights in the world.

"I bring different things that Khabib hasn’t had to deal with necessarily. I have crazy power in my legs and my arms and my hands and I’m really good at wrestling. Super athletic, I’ve been wrestling as long as he has. Nobody has wrestled as long as he has except for me."

Speaking about McGregor, Gaethje said that he wants to lay a beatdown on the Irishman.

“That’s more just kind of like the cherry on top for me. The sundae is the belt. Ultimately, you want to get the belt and then fight Conor, that’s where I cash in. I’m here to cash in, I fight for money, so that’s ultimately what I’m trying to do. It doesn’t take even a very decent person to hate somebody that goes around carrying himself the way he does, walking with his chest in the air, acting like the world owes him something.

"We’ve all been there maybe once or twice in our lives, but he’s doing it at the highest level and he’s doing it with ill regard for others. Punching an old man in the face, that speaks for itself.”