Justin Gaethje: Michael Chandler will turn timid when he starts shooting for takedowns

Justin Gaethje doesn’t see his fight with Michael Chandler playing out on the feet for too long.

In a battle between two of the most exciting fighters on the roster, former title challengers Gaethje (22-3 MMA, 5-3 UFC) and Chandler (22-6 MMA, 1-1 UFC) will square off at UFC 268 on Nov. 6.

With their explosive power and decorated wrestling backgrounds, Gaethje vs. Chandler is a match made in heaven for many MMA fans. But Gaethje thinks Chandler will resort to grappling as soon he touches him with a few hard shots.

“The dude comes to fight,” Gaethje told The Schmo. “He loves fighting just as much as me. Styles make matchups, and this is a stylistic matchup for the fans. Someone’s going to get knocked out – unless he turns into a b*tch and tries to turn this into a wrestling match the whole time. He’s talking about timid souls taking a step backwards. He’s going to be a timid soul when he starts shooting for legs because he doesn’t like the power. That’s what I think.”

Gaethje, who was disappointed with the title fight snub after UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov retired and vacated his belt, is looking to re-enter the title picture with a win over Chandler.

Just a month after he fights Chandler, Dustin Poirier challenges newly crowned lightweight champ Charles Oliveira at UFC 269 on Dec. 11 and Gaethje is eyeing the winner.

“Absolutely, I go out there and get the ‘dub’ on Nov. 6, and I will be fighting the winner of Poirier and Oliveira,” Gaethje said. “That’s definitely the plan. No. 1 fought No. 5, No. 3 fought No. 4, and if you were No. 2 you got f*cked. And it just so happened that my name was next to that No. 2 spot. So it is what it is. The opportunity is ahead of me to get what I want, so I’ve got to capitalize.”