Justin Gaethje Would Consider Not Fighting in UFC Again if Conor McGregor Gets Title Shot

Justin Gaethje finds it ridiculous that Conor McGregor and his team are pushing for a trilogy title bout with Dustin Poirier just after UFC 257.

McGregor did well enough in the opening stanza, but Poirier’s leg kicks took a toll before “The Diamond” won via second-round knockout. McGregor remains a massive draw, but Gaethje doesn’t belive the promotion should cater to the Irish star after they did enough of that leading up to UFC 257.

"For them to come out and say he wants a title shot next, rematch with Poirier, they're f---ing idiots," Gaethje told ESPN. "He's been treated special over and over and he didn't capitalize on this opportunity. That event was for him, it was for him to win. He wants to be ‘Mr. Humble’ now, but you know he would have been an asshole had he won that fight.”

Gaethje himself challenged for lightweight gold at UFC 254 against Khabib Nurmagomedov, losing by second-round triangle choke in the second round in Abu Dhabi on Oct. 24. The former Series of Fighting champion appears to be in the mix for another shot at the belt with Nurmagomedov seemingly comfortable in retirement.

Gaethje lists McGregor among the opponents he would be interested in facing, along with Poirier, Michael Chandler, Charles Oliveira and Nate Diaz. He doesn’t see a McGregor fight coming to fruition, and if the former two-division champ fights for a title, Gaethje might take some drastic measures.

"He's not fighting for a title. I will think about never fighting in the UFC again if he fights for a title. That would be preposterous,” Gaethje said. “He’s sitting at No. 6, he's won one fight in his entire life in the lightweight division. He picks and chooses who he fights. I would love to fight him but I don't think it should be next. But he ain't gonna fight me.”