As much as Justin Gaethje would love to fight Conor McGregor, he’s keeping his eye on the ultimate prize in the lightweight division.
Currently riding a three-fight win streak—his best stretch of success since joining the UFC two years ago—Gaethje is in prime position to challenge titleholder Khabib Nurmagomedov. However, the unbeaten lightweight champion is reportedly in talks to fight Tony Ferguson next April, leaving the rest of the 155-pound elite like Gaethje, McGregor, Dustin Poirier, and Donald Cerrone to sort out themselves.
Both Poirier and Gaethje have angled for a fight with McGregor and while a bout with the Irish superstar is appealing from a publicity and financial standpoint, for Gaethje he is simply a means to an end.