Justin Gaethje, after defeating Rafael Fiziev at UFC 313, expressed disinterest in a trilogy bout with Dustin Poirier, citing respect for their families and preferring to pursue a title shot against current lightweight champion Islam Makhachev instead.
Justin Gaethje’s back in the win column after UFC 313, setting himself up for a big fight. But there’s one guy he’s not keen to face again: Dustin Poirier.
These two lightweight titans have tangled twice already. Poirier scored a stunning fourth-round KO back in April 2018. Fast forward five years, and Gaethje evened the score with a jaw-dropping head kick at UFC 291. Fans and media can’t stop buzzing about a third showdown, especially with both fighters nearing the end of their careers.
After his victory over Rafael Fiziev, Gaethje laid out why he’s not itching for a trilogy with Poirier.
“No,” Gaethje said during the post-fight presser. “I’ve said it before; our families don’t need that. We’re 1-1. I’m cool with leaving it there. If he’s cool, then no trilogy.”
“We can be contenders by beating others. Beating each other doesn’t make us contenders,” he added.
When asked who Poirier should fight as his career winds down, Gaethje had a suggestion: another shot at the current champ.
“I don’t know, good question,” Gaethje mused. “Makhachev.”
Despite losing their second bout, Poirier jumped ahead in the title chase after beating Benoit Saint Denis at UFC 299. This set him up to challenge Islam Makhachev at UFC 302, where he succumbed to a fifth-round submission.
Gaethje’s had two cracks at the undisputed title himself but missed a third when Max Holloway knocked him out at UFC 300‘s last second. With his latest win and another Fight of the Night bonus, Gaethje’s mission is unchanged: grab that UFC lightweight belt.
“I want that belt,” Gaethje declared. “It’s a whole different beast from my last fight. They tried to hand me an easy win. I took it but now it’s time to hustle if I’m gonna face Makhachev.”