"I'll play with him like a little kitten" - Kazakh prospect Damir Ismagulov promises domination in potential future clash against Justin Gaethje

UFC lightweight prospect Damir Ismagulov has put forth his take regarding a potential fight between himself and divisional mainstay Justin Gaethje. Currently heralded among the top fighters representing Kazakhstan in the sport of MMA, Ismagulov has suggested that he'd dominantly defeat Gaethje if they were to clash inside the octagon.

The 32-year-old Kazakh spoke to the media ahead of his upcoming fight at the UFC Fight Night: Strickland vs. Magomedov event. During the media scrum, a journalist highlighted that Ismagulov had spoken about cleaning out the lightweight division and wanting to face stand-up fighters.

On that note, Damir Ismagulov was asked who he would like to fight next if he wins his upcoming matchup. Indicating he would like to face fellow striking savant Justin Gaethje, Ismagulov stated the following via a translator:

"Yeah, I'd love to fight [Justin] Gaethje."

Additionally, when asked what interests him the most about Gaethje, Ismagulov said the following via a translator:

"Gaethje is considered to be one of the best strikers in the lightweight division. He thinks that he's one of the best. But if I get to fight against him, I'll play with him like a little kitten. I'll show him what a Kazakh school of boxing is like. It's the easy fight for me."

Watch Ismagulov discuss the topic in the video below:

"I'll play with him like a little kitten": Damir Ismagulov sees Justin Gaethje as an "easy" target 🐱

Full video: tinyurl.com/ESPN47Media https://t.co/lPLTbL40Hs

What's next for Damir Ismagulov and Justin Gaethje?

Damir Ismagulov's most recent fight witnessed him suffer a unanimous decision defeat against Arman Tsarukyan in December 2022. The loss snapped his incredible 19-fight MMA win streak. Ismagulov had retired after the defeat but ended his retirement in the ensuing days.

The No. 12-ranked UFC lightweight Ismagulov is scheduled to face the No. 15-ranked Grant Dawson in his upcoming octagon appearance. Their matchup will transpire at the UFC Fight Night: Strickland vs. Magomedov event on Saturday, July 1st, 2023.

Damir Ismagulov will fight Grant Dawson at #UFCVegas76 on July 1st. (first rep. @mma_kings 👑) #UFC #MMA #UFCESPN #UFC2023 https://t.co/j50PpFKNwW

Meanwhile, the No. 3-ranked UFC lightweight Justin Gaethje is booked to face the No. 2-ranked Dustin Poirier for the vacant BMF title in the headlining matchup at UFC 291 on July 29th, 2023. 'The Highlight' previously lost to Poirier via fourth-round TKO in April 2018. Gaethje has vowed to avenge that defeat and capture the BMF title.

Moreover, it's believed that the Gaethje-Poirier winner could go on to fight for the undisputed UFC lightweight title. Considering the disparity in their respective rankings, a possible clash between Damir Ismagulov and Justin Gaethje appears unlikely to materialize in the immediate future.

Dustin Poirier will face Justin Gaethje for the vacant BMF title on July 29 at UFC 291 in Salt Lake City, UFC announced Tuesday. https://t.co/wuwPS9iavR