Justin Gaethje Says Conor McGregor is Going to be “Another Ronda Rousey Story”

Justin Gaethje has been driving hard for a fight with Conor McGregor for some time now, and the former WSOF champ isn’t happy about the news Donald Cerrone’s the front-runner to fight the Irish star next. In fact, Gaethje has accused McGregor of ducking him, in an effort to avoid going the same route as Ronda Rousey.

Cerrone vs. McGregor talk

For months there’s been endless speculation about when and who McGregor will fight next. The former featherweight and lightweight champ has repeatedly called for a rematch with reigning lightweight champ, Khabib Nurmagomedov, but the latter’s expected to fight Tony Ferguson next. McGregor has expressed an interest in fighting Ferguson, Frankie Edgar and Cerrone. McGregor also claimed that a bout with Gaethje was in the works earlier this year, before he broke his hand.

Well, more recently McGregor announced he’s going to fight January 18th in Las Vegas, but he didn’t say against who. Since then it’s been reported that Cerrone is the front-runner, and Dana White has also confirmed that’s the case.

Gaethje lights up McGregor again

More recently Gaethje spoke with TMZ Sports, and while talking about McGregor, and his apparent inability to land a fight with the controversial star, the rugged fighter said this (quotes via MMA Fighting):

“It’s bullsh*t,” Gaethje said. “I don’t know what’s going on. I’m over here playing in the snow, snowboarding when I can, golfing when I can, trying to keep my mind distracted because I get very frustrated when I think about what’s going on. The fact that if he’s fighting anybody, it should be me, if he want’s to fight for a world title. If he doesn’t then he can fight whoever he wants, I’m cool with that. That’s perfectly fine. I have no complaints about that, but if you want to fight for a world title, I put myself in line and you’re trying to be in line so what is happening right now?”

“I truly believe that he is scared to fight the fight that he has to fight against me,” Gaethje said. “I think he’s looking for a sure win. At the end of the day, there’s only two ways out with me. You either knock me out – I wouldn’t finish him like Khabib did, I wouldn’t take his neck. I’d make him stand up and then I’d make him take it like a man. That’s one thing I know deep down he’s terrified of and that’s one thing I bring to the table.

“I think he knows that he needs a win but at the end of the day this is gonna be another Ronda Rousey story. He dug himself too deep of a hole and there’s no way he can come out of it. He’s gonna get knocked out and he’s gonna go away.”

Now, even if you’re a big Cerrone and McGregor fan, you have to admit that from a meritocratic stand-point, the fight doesn’t stack up to Gaethje – McGregor. After all, Gaethje took out Cerrone in September and he’s won three straight. “Cowboy” has lost two in a row and is ranked one spot below Gaethje at #5.

If you’re new to MMA: Rousey was one of the biggest names in all of combat sports and was widely considered to be one of the most dominant champions in the game. After suffering a knockout loss to Holly Holm in 2015, she returned one year later and was quickly finished by Amanda Nunes. Rousey left the UFC and began a professional wrestling career with WWE.