JUSTIN GAETHJE may be put ‘on hold’ by the UFC in order for Conor McGregor to face lightweight champ Charles Oliveira. UFC supremo Dana White recently declared fan favourite Gaethje the No.1 contender for the 155lb strap after Oliveira’s successful title defence against Dustin Poirier last month. But the MMA mogul has yet to shut […]
JUSTIN GAETHJE may be put ‘on hold’ by the UFC in order for Conor McGregor to face lightweight champ Charles Oliveira.
UFC supremo Dana White recently declared fan favourite Gaethje the No.1 contender for the 155lb strap after Oliveira’s successful title defence against Dustin Poirier last month.
But the MMA mogul has yet to shut down the idea of McGregor walking straight into a title fight upon his return.
And former title challenger Chael Sonnen reckons that, coupled with Oliveira’s recent call-out of The Notorious, could spell bad news for Gaethje.
He said on his YouTube channel: “There’s a story going round around, that Conor McGregor is going to return right into a title fight with Charles Oliveira.
“To support that story is a guy who has a say in this called Charles Oliveira. Charles said, ‘Justin Gaethje, you’ve done everything right and it’s no disrespect but step aside, I’m getting my red panty night.’
“Okay, well, we have to listen to the champion of the world. We don’t wanna disrespect Justin Gaethje but put that on hold.
“Oliveira gets to do what’s best for him and he’s made it very clear that he will push the number one contender aside, whoever the hell it is. Happens to be Justin Gaethje.
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“But whoever it is, he will push them aside if it means red panty night against Conor McGregor.”
Sonnen reckons White’s willingness to hear McGregor’s plea for a title shot is telling.
He said: “So Daniel Cormier… He’s having a discussion with Dana White and that topic came up.
“Dana absolutely was not committing to that, ‘Yeah that’s the direction we’re gonna go and we would make that fight.’
“But, Dana did say something on behalf of Conor McGregor which was, ‘Stop right there Daniel and everybody else that thinks Conor should not be able to fight Oliveira.
“Conor, from the beginning of time, has been willing to fight anybody, anytime we’ve needed him too.
“So if Conor’s gonna come in and ask for one, I’m going to listen to him.’ The end.”
McGregor, 33, is currently recovering from the horrific broken leg he suffered in his trilogy fight with Poirier last July and is targeting a summer return.
Gaethje, meanwhile, is still riding the wave of his hard-fought and bloody November victory over Michael Chandler at UFC 268.
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