If Michael Chandler wants to take Justin Gaethje down, Gaethje thinks that may be to his detriment at UFC 268.
Gaethje and Chandler are set to square off on the main card of UFC 268, in a three-round fight with a lot at stake in the lightweight division. The winner of the bout could get the next title shot against either Charles Oliveira or Dustin Poirier.
The matchup figures to be one of the most exciting fights of the year, but Gaethje is prepared for Chandler to attempt to take the easy way out during their bout. Both Gaethje and Chandler are vicious strikers, but also possess solid wrestling, which Gaethje is expecting Chandler to lean on early and often.
Justin Gaethje Expects A Wrestling Approach From Michael Chandler
During a recent sit down on UFC Unfiltered, Gaethje spoke about Chandler’s earlier comments about who may take the first step back in the Octagon.
“You know, he says the first one to take a step back is a timid soul,” Gaethje said. “There’s not one thing he can say that’s gonna affect the way that I approach this fight. I will take a step backward; he can shove it up his a**.
“Where you’re gonna see a timid soul is when I start kicking him and then he’s gonna start shooting for legs and trying to wrestle. And that’ll be his definition of a bitch, 100%. And that’s what we’ll see, I believe. I think that’s what we’ll see midway through the first round.”
Gaethje and Chandler are both looking for another shot at UFC gold after each lost title bouts in their previous outings. Gaethje fell to Khabib Nurmagomedov for the unified lightweight title at UFC 254, while Chandler lost to Oliveira for the vacant title earlier this year at UFC 262.
After rising lightweight contender Islam Makhachev earned another dominant win at UFC 267 over Dan Hooker, the pressure is now on Gaethje and Chandler to put on an equally eye-opening performance. UFC fans may expect major fireworks and a main event type of atmosphere for this matchup.
What is your prediction for Justin Gaethje vs. Michael Chandler at UFC 268?
