"He's a weird dude" - Al Iaquinta details his beef with Justin Gaethje, explains why he thinks Michael Chandler will beat him at UFC 268

Al Iaquinta (left) talks about Justin Gaethje (bottom right) vs. Michael Chandler (top right) [Left image courtesy: @aliaquinta on Instagram]

Al Iaquinta and Justin Gaethje recently traded barbs on social media ahead of their respective bouts at UFC 268.

Under a tweet by MMA journalist Shakiel Mahjouri, the two rekindled their old rivalry that stems from three years ago. Justin Gaethje was supposed to fight Al Iaquinta but fought James Vick instead.

@Shak_Fu @ALIAQUINTA @mmamania @BloodyElbow @aaronsayswhat1 Ask him if he has a better manager yet please.

@Justin_Gaethje @Shak_Fu @mmamania @BloodyElbow @aaronsayswhat1 Worry about Chandler bubba, same manager 🥇

@ALIAQUINTA @Shak_Fu @mmamania @BloodyElbow @aaronsayswhat1 Damn, really? We talked about this almost 3 years ago when you dropped in my dm’s like a little bitch. Fight someone, that may help.

@Justin_Gaethje @Shak_Fu @mmamania @BloodyElbow @aaronsayswhat1 And you chose to fight James Vick instead of me 🙏🏼

'Raging' Al was asked to comment on their beef by Andrew Whitelaw in an interview for Sportskeeda MMA, where the veteran lightweight explained the feud between them.

"They wanted me to fight [Justin] Gaethje for very, very little money. So I messaged Gaethje. I said, 'Dude, I'm asking for more money. Don't accept the fight with anybody else.' And he accepted a fight with James Vick... I don't know what Gaethje is so sore about. He went out there, he had a good fight. He's a weird dude, not the smartest guy. Great fighter, incredible fighter. But yeah, he's kind of a rock," Al Iaquinta said.

Iaquinta added that what Justin Gaethje said in the tweet about him getting a new manager did not make much sense to him. 'Raging' Al chose to ignore the comments instead of making any statements about Gaethje's manager Ali Abdelaziz.

"I'm sure I could have said something bad about his manager. But I actually like his manager. I'm sure his manager was happy when Khabib [Nurmagomedov] beat him, and he is managed by the same guy. He's a weird dude, he's an interesting guy. I don't make much of what he says, but he can definitely fight, that's for sure, which is why I was not fighting for peanuts against the guy."

When he was replaced by James Vick to fight Justin Gaethje at UFC Lincoln in August 2018, Al Iaquinta told MMA Fighting that he had "given up on the UFC getting behind" him. He also mentioned how he could make just as much money as the promotion was offering him by selling real estate instead.

Al Iaquinta predicts Justin Gaethje vs. Michael Chandler: "I don't see him doing too well"

Al Iaquinta believes Khabib Nurmagomedov 'exposed' the chinks in Justin Gaethje's armor during their battle at UFC 254. That should make it comparatively easier for Michael Chandler to hand 'The Highlight' a defeat in their upcoming bout at UFC 268, according to Iaquinta.

"I don't see him doing too well against Chandler. I think Khabib [Nurmagomedov] exposed him a lot in that fight. I think there's definitely a solid avenue to get a quick win against Justin Gaethje. I don't know if [Michael] Chandler is going to go that route. But I think no matter how Chandler attacks this fight, he's gonna get the win."

Al Iaquinta is fighting in the prelims of the UFC 268 card against Bobby Green. Both fighters are coming off two-fight skids at the moment.

Watch Al Iaquinta's full interview with Sportskeeda MMA below: