Justin Gaethje, the two-time former UFC title contender, is eager to square off against Dustin Poirier once again in the latter half of 2023. The Trevor Whittman trainee had already squared off against the Diamond in a previous matchup with Dustin securing a near last-round hard fought victory.
Gaethje (24-4), secured a victory against Rafael Fiziev at UFC 286 on March 18th. He is aiming to reestablish himself as a top contender in the division and seems to be strategizing his next octagon appearance with Poirier in his sights.
“I haven’t started conversations. They’re so busy after these fights. You know, onto the next week, onto the next week. The show always goes on, but I think the obvious fight is [Dustin] Poirier,” Gaethje told ESPN’s Brett Okamoto.
“I’m not sure when, but yeah, I think that’s the obvious fight with [Charles] Oliveira fighting [Beneil] Dariush coming up. The winner fighting [Islam] Makhachev towards the end of the year. I think I’m either gonna fight Poirier or the loser of Oliviera and Dariush. I think those are the only two fights that are out there for me.”
Five years ago, in Glendale, Arizona, Gaethje was defeated by Poirier via fourth-round TKO. Following that loss, he went on to secure a four-fight winning streak, culminating in his victory and interim lightweight championship in May 2020.
Both fighters have only suffered two losses since their 2018 encounter coincidentally to the same opponents: former champions Charles Oliveira and Khabib Nurmagomedov.
How does Justin Gaethje look going into his third title run?
Currently holding the No. 3 ranking in the lightweight division. Justin has yet to claim an undisputed title victory, losing both of his prior opportunities. However, with a few additional triumphs under his belt, he could potentially earn a third opportunity to compete for the UFC gold.
“If it happens anytime August, September, October. November. December. All those line up with his next opportunity, but ideally before October or in October. I don’t want to go to Abu Dhabi. I do not prefer it, but you know, not gonna miss an opportunity because I don’t want to go to a different time zone.”
The 34-year-old former interim lightweight champion, Poirier, has expressed interest in a rematch with Gaethje. Dustin, who last competed in November at UFC 281 and secured a victory via submission over Michael Chandler, fights in the 155-pound division.
Justin Gaethje reminds the world he’s not going away any time soon. #UFC286 pic.twitter.com/BONMWkDrgH
— Australian Talk (@australiantalk) March 18, 2023
Poirier has an impressive track record of defeating prominent fighters such as Gaethje, McGregor, Holloway, Alvarez, and Pettis. On the other hand, Gaethje has earned a total of 11 bonuses in his UFC career, including seven Fight of the Night awards and four Performance of the Night awards.
A victory over Poirier, a renowned lightweight contender with a record of 29-7, would establish Gaethje as a strong contender for the 155-pound championship title currently held by Islam Makhachev.
