Daniel Cormier says Justin Gaethje would be no easy task for Conor McGregor.
McGregor (22-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) mapped out a three-fight plan for his return, which starts with Michael Chandler in December, then Gaethje next, and finally a trilogy with Nate Diaz.
Gaethje (25-4 MMA, 8-4 UFC) has arguably looked in his best form after back-to-back wins over Rafael Fiziev and Dustin Poirier. He knocked Poirier out with a head kick in Round 2 to claim the “BMF” title at UFC 291, and Cormier only sees “The Highlight” growing.
“While this is a fun fight, on the surface I believe this is a much more dangerous fight for Conor McGregor because Justin Gaethje is now the No. 1 contender in waiting,” Cormier said on his YouTube channel. “If there’s one thing that could strengthen his case for a title fight, it’s a win over Conor McGregor. So when you’re Justin Gaethje, he said, ‘I’m not going to fight a guy on steroids,’ which makes sense.
“But if you got that opportunity in front of you, and USADA’s going to test him, why not? He’s a fantastic fighter and his performance over Dustin Poirier showed that this guy is still improving. So, a McGregor vs. Gaethje fight would blow the doors off of any arena, and because Justin Gaethje is one guy that has no fear of anything that McGregor brings to the octagon.”
Cormier initially advised Gaethje to ignore McGregor’s callout and focus on the belt, but appears to have slightly changed his tune now that “The Notorious” has re-mentioned his name.
“But because it’s Conor talking, even though he’s on a losing streak, even though he’s been inactive, Justin Gaethje will pay attention as he should,” Cormier said.
