Justin Gaethje knows he must utilise his power to stop Tony Ferguson – or suffer the consequences.
‘The Highlight’ has stepped in to replace lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov in the UFC 249 main event against Tony Ferguson when it emerged the Russian would not be able to travel.
Justin Gaethje takes on Tony Ferguson at UFC 249 in what will be an interim lightweight title fight
Gaethje’s last eight wins have come via knockout and he predicts the same outcome on 18 April at the as of yet unnamed location.
“I got the perfect dance partner,” he told TMZ.
“I got the dance partner that I dream about and that’s Tony Ferguson.
“He thrives in dark places, he doesn’t get tired, he’s got cardio for days, and I hit like a Mack truck. So when I hit him, he’ll go to sleep.
“I possess some of the best finishing skills on the UFC roster,” he continued.
“I’m gonna attack his body, I’m gonna attack his legs and whenever he’s worried about those, I’m going to punch him in the head and hopefully he goes to sleep.
“If not, he’s probably going to cut me up with some elbows, probably choke me out late in the fight if I don’t put him to sleep. But I’m content with every single one of those scenarios as long as I get to go in there and I don’t disappoint myself and my family.”
While Gaethje realises it’s hard to replace a banner fight like Khabib versus Ferguson, he knows what a classic he can have with El Cucuy.
Dana White teased the possibility of UFC 249 taking place on a private island
“Tony brings many challenges,” Gaethje said. “I’m looking forward to facing adversity in there. I literally know he thrives in dark places and I consider myself to also thrive in dark places. As disappointing as it is that Khabib and Tony aren’t happening, if you’re a fan of MMA, then you’re an idiot if you’re not excited about this fight.”
Initially due to take place in New York, UFC president Dana White has been busy securing a new location and even suggested it could take place on a private island, which he is yet to name.
Originally, Gaethje’s coach told him to reject the fight. His camp had been biding their time and many believed he may well have fought Conor McGregor next.
“They called me, my coach said no, not no, but my coach said, ‘You don’t take late replacement fights,’” he explained.
“I said, ‘You’re right,’ so I was like, ‘Let’s sleep on it.’ The next morning I woke up [and] I said, ‘If I lose, where are we at?’ and for me it’s in the same exact spot I’m at right now.
“I’m going to go out there and I’m going to get a paycheck, which is nice. But ultimately, I get a chance at glory. Heroes live forever and legends never die and I’m literally here to make a statement.”
White said the winner of the interim title fight is likely to face Khabib in September.
fbq('init', '752905198150451');
fbq('track', "PageView");
Source link
No comments:
Post a Comment