Justin Gaethje knows “for a fact” Islam Makhachev is not as good as Khabib Nurmagomedov and hopes he can “prove that”

Justin Gaethje wants the chance to prove Islam Makhachev is not as good as Khabib Nurmagomedov.

Gaethje fought Nurmagomedov back at UFC 254 in October 2020 and it was Nurmagomedov winning by second-round submission. After the win, Nurmagomedov announced his retirement from MMA which did catch many by surprise.

Now, years after Khabib Nurmagomedov’s retirement, his pupil Islam Makhachev is the reigning lightweight champion but Justin Gaethje doesn’t think Makhachev is as good as Nurmagomedov, and he wants to prove that, especially after what Alexander Volkanovski did to him.

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Gaethje wants a shot at Makhachev

“If we’re going off of what we know, then it’s going to be Volkanovski because he already fought him and it was a really close fight. I’ve never fought him. Poirier’s never fought him,” Justin Gaethje said to Shak MMA.

“I guess if you want to someone it would be (the guy that knocked him out),” Gaethje continued. “I think Volkanovski is the obvious answer for now. But, I can’t wait to get in there. I know for a fact he’s not Khabib, and I want to go in there and prove that.”

As Justin Gaethje says he hasn’t had the chance to fight Islam Makhachev but should ‘The Highlight’ win at UFC 291 he will likely earn a title shot against Makhachev if he can beat Charles Oliveira in the rematch.

Although Makhachev has looked very impressive and super dominant as of late, Justin Gaethje still has confidence he has all the tools to beat the lightweight champ and prove Khabib Nurmagomedov was better.

Gaethje is set to return to the Octagon at UFC 291 against Dustin Poirier for the BMF title. He enters the fight coming off a decision win over Rafael Fiziev to return to the win column after losing to Charles Oliveira for the lightweight title. Gaethje is the former interim champ and holds notable wins over Tony Ferguson, Donald Cerrone, and Michael Chandler among others.