Gaethje: I’d Take McGregor To Hell, KO Him

Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

Current Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) interim Lightweight champion, Justin Gaethje, is in line to face division champion, Khabib Nurmagomedov, later this year in a highly-anticipated title unification match.

But a fight against former UFC champ-champ, Conor McGregor, isn’t out of the realm of possibility for Gaethje, who at one time was lobbying hard for a shot the highest-paid fighter in mixed martial arts (MMA) history.

If and when the time comes, “Highlight” is more than confident he has the perfect style and gameplan to get the job done.

“Distance control is the No. 1 factor in any fight,” Gaethje said during an appearance on ESPN’s “Now or Never” via The Score. “It’s established in the first 30 seconds. It’s not visible, but it’s established, and that would be a huge factor in our fight – who can control the distance.

“I think the best thing about me is I can kick the shit out of people. So when they are trying to control distance, or maybe they are winning at that, I can just kick them in the leg and try and reset that.”

While a strong kicking game is great, it’s safe to say the best thing most people appreciate about Gaethje is his knockout power, and that’s just what he believes he’ll use to end Conor inside the Octagon.

“I think I would knock (McGregor) out, to be honest with you,” he continued. “I think he’s got about three rounds, and then it’s hell. And he doesn’t want to go to hell, so I think he’s good for now.”

Justin is currently riding a four fight win streak — all via knockout — bringing his streak to nine knockouts in as many wins. In fact, of his 22 victories, 19 of them have come by way of stoppage via strikes. So when he says he’ll put someone to sleep, he usually delivers.

But can he do it to a man who has yet to be knocked out in his entire MMA career?