Justin Gaethje wants to prove "Islam Makhachev is not Khabib" after UFC 291 win

[Leinster Rugby]

You better hope so mate cos khabib wrecked you

 

[cmw43]

Basically, he wants to fight for the title but that's ok.

Makes sense for the winner of the BMF belt.

Charles is up next, Dariush just lost and no one else has made a case.

 

[UWPguy]

Poirier and Gaethje both have a significantly better chance at beating Islam than they did against Khabib.
For the Terminator that Khabib was they each landed cleanly on him (so did Johnson) and eventually everyone's chin breaks. Khabib got out of the game before that happened.

 

[Myrddin Wild]

I'd rather hear him say that he evolved & could now beat Khabib... but I'll take this too.

 

[Arm Barbarian]

@Arm Barbarian, updated the OP with his quotes.

Thanks brother

 

[HuskySamoan]

Islam would hang on the outside even though we know if you pressure Gaethje he gasses and breaks?

I think if Islam can effectively counter, it'll force Gaethje to get more aggressive. The fact that Islam has a lesser chin and isn't as aggressive makes this matchup more interesting but I think Islam's team will find a way to exploit some of Gaethje's glaring holes.

 

[Willie]

Gaethje probably thinks that Islam doesnt have Khabib's chin or suffocating pressure, thinks he's an easier fight. Islam is not khabib, yes but it doesnt make him a less dangerous fighter.

 

[mister piscadinha]

hope he's training bjj

 

[Adamant__]

What interests me though is gaethje saying he knows "for a fact" that islam isn't khabib. I wish he elaborated on that.

Probably the aura of invincibility with Khabib. Him and Islam are not the same for this reason. Even tho Khabib didn't face a fighter like Volk or Oliveira, people look at Volk vs Islam and see Volk breaking Islam in the 5th round and they get excited. They see he isn’t invincible and quite vulnerable in some aspects. Of course, that’s Volk’s greatness but fighters need to motivate themselves.

Islam's chin also isn't the best. If Gaethje lands on him, it's gonna be ugly. He landed a lot of nasty shots on Khabib but thanks to his granite chin, Khabib was able to walk through him. Khabib’s legs were also very damaged. Gaethje definitely has a better chance than Poirier.

 

[Noraaq]

Gaethje sleeps Islam in the first round.

 

[Wonderfight]

Islam will defeat him even faster, as much as it pains me to say it. Far too technical and smart to be defeated by Justin who is atrocious where Islam is immaculate. Islam is better at takedowns than Khabib ever was and one is more than enough.

 

[sandokan83]

Makes sense for the winner of the BMF belt.

Charles is up next, Dariush just lost and no one else has made a case.

Yeah, not saying the contrary. I just liked that for once someone said:" I want money, the title means money, Islam is the champion, so I want to fight Islam"

 

[fortheo]

Probably the aura of invincibility with Khabib. Him and Islam are not the same for this reason. Even tho Khabib didn't face a fighter like Volk or Oliveira, people look at Volk vs Islam and see Volk breaking Islam in the 5th round and they get excited. They see he isn’t invincible and quite vulnerable in some aspects. Of course, that’s Volk’s greatness but fighters need to motivate themselves.

Islam's chin also isn't the best. If Gaethje lands on him, it's gonna be ugly. He landed a lot of nasty shots on Khabib but thanks to his granite chin, Khabib was able to walk through him. Khabib’s legs were also very damaged. Gaethje definitely has a better chance than Poirier.

I didnt know if there was an inside scoop because they're under the same management and I've seen them at many of the same events together, and they know a lot of the same people. Your explanation is probably what he was suggesting, though.

 

[Hima Hamrash]

Translation: "I want to prove to people I can become champion"
Well good for JG

 

[markg171]

I think if Islam can effectively counter, it'll force Gaethje to get more aggressive. The fact that Islam has a lesser chin and isn't as aggressive makes this matchup more interesting but I think Islam's team will find a way to exploit some of Gaethje's glaring holes.

Justin's glaring hole is that if you pressure him THAT's when he panics and doesn't set things up well, and slows down. All of his losses and hardest fights are his opponents doing that to him. It's been there ever since Johnson exposed it that you need to come at him if you want to find success. Didn't work out for him, but it was true that Johnson all of the sudden made the undefeated Justin look beatable by meeting him fire with fire which led to him hurting Justin so many times and nearly winning. You've got to go out there and put Justin on his back foot.

Guys who instead sat back on the outside trying to wait for Justin to make errors coming to them that they could counter/out technique him are where all the Patient Gaethje nonsense came from. Has nothing at all to do with Justin evolving or anything, but rather how his opponents are approaching fighting him themselves. Go ask Barboza how smart it was to just try and circle away from Justin, it was exactly what he was waiting for. Justin wants guys to do this as it lets him control the pace and exchanges. He actually is high level skillwise and this is when you get to see it because he's not worried about them coming at him and needing to switch things up mid exchange or the pace. Justin gets to focus on the fight when it's slowed down.

I mean, just go watch the most recent Fiziev fight. Fiziev started hard and was beating Justin fairly handedly. Justin didn't have a solution for Fiziev's pressure and power shots. Then Fiziev himself gassed and so stopped pressuring Justin to try and just fight him from the outside. All the sudden Justin took over the fight and turned it completely around.

You've got to come at Justin. You've got to be willing to risk it might be hell, but I promise it'll be worse if you instead let Justin dictate the fight.

 

[Fatback96]

Last time I checked they were 2 different people.

Also last time I checked Gaethje has had 2 failed title shots and got submitted both times.

 

[HaulParris]

Hopefully Charles takes the belt off Makhachev and we see Volk vs Charles instead. Really not interested in another Gaethje/Poirier title fight.

I agree. The trio of Chandler/Garthje/Poirier have congested the title picture for too long.

 

[Laheys'Liquorland]

Double Champ Volk already proved he no Khabob.

 

[UFConFOX]

Islam is actually better than Khabib in some aspects.

Don't be fooled by the Volk fight. Volk is a great fighter.

I believe the aspect Gathje was addressing was Islam as an MMA fighter.

May be wrong.

 

[Redando]

He said the same thing about Khabib.
He told everyone that Khabib will panick if he will make him bleed.