"Someone's gonna get knocked out" - Justin Gaethje previews his upcoming fight with Michael Chandler
Justin Gaethje thinks his fight against Michael Chandler at UFC 268 will not go the distance. He believes it will definitely have a finish, considering the profile of the two rivals.
Speaking with Dave Schmulenson a.k.a The Schmo on YouTube, 'The Highlight' claimed that unless Chandler turns to a safer strategy, their bout will be fast paced:
"This is a stylistic matchup for the fans. I mean someone's gonna get knocked out, unless he turns into a b***h and tries to turn this into a wrestling match. The whole time he is talking about timid souls taking a step backwards. I mean he is going to be a timid soul when he starts shooting for legs because he does not like the power. That is what I think will happen," said Gaethje.
Watch Justin Gaethje in conversation with The Schmo below:
Both the No.2 UFC lightweight contender Justin Gaethje and the No.4-ranked Michael Chandler fought for the lightweight title in their last UFC fights.
Gaethje lost to former champion Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 254 in October last year. Chandler, meanwhile, was unable to win the belt vacated by Khabib as he was defeated by Charles Oliveira at UFC 262 in May 2021.
The winner of the Justin Gaethje vs. Michael Chandler fight could be challenging for the UFC lightweight championship next
With a victory at UFC 268, either Justin Gaethje or Michael Chandler could seal a future lightweight title shot against Charles Oliveira or Dustin Poirier.
Champion Oliveira and No.1 contender Poirier are set to square off for the championship at UFC 269 on December 11. The venue for the pay-per-view hasn't been announced yet.
Here are the odds for Charles Oliveira vs. Dustin Poirier:
Charles Oliveira +125 (5/4)
Dustin Poirier -145 (20/29)
(odds via @betonline_ag) 🏆 #UFC269 https://t.co/c1ljjTrcz9
Both Justin Gaethje and Michael Chandler have 22 victories each in their MMA careers so far. However, the former has lost only three bouts, while the latter has six defeats to his name.
Gaethje is a former interim UFC lightweight champion, while Chandler has won the Bellator lightweight title three times.