Justin Gaethje: 'I'm going to throw missiles' at Ilia Topuria
· Yahoo Sports
Justin Gaethje has fought for the interim lightweight title twice and the undisputed lightweight championship two times. He won both interim title bouts but lost in his two opportunities at undisputed status.
On June 14, Gaethje will fight for the undisputed title a third time in the UFC Freedom 250 main event at the White House. "The Highlight" will attempt to unify the belts against champion Ilia Topuria.
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Gaethje earned the shot at Topuria by defeating Paddy Pimblett for the interim belt at UFC 324 in January. Styles make fights and game plans usually win them. It won't be the same Gaethje on the White House Lawn as it was against Pimblett in Las Vegas.
"I really trust my coach to instill a game plan, non-verbally, through action, through constant work. You've seen me fight so many times. You've seen me fight ten different fights. I can be ten different fighters. And this sport is about matchups," Gaethje told UFC on Paramount+.
"Obviously, I'm not going to fight the same fight that I fought against [Rafael] Fiziev against Paddy Pimblett, but I do possess the skills to fight ten different fights. This is a very specific, very particular fight. More boxing heavy, very different than my other two championship fights where I was fighting, you know, grappler heavy fighters.
"My mistake in those fights was I made adjustments based off of the opponent I was fighting. I'm going to be my best and perfect self, and if he can beat me on that night then props to him."
With a trusted game plan intact, Gaethje plans to shock the world with the White House in the background.
"You can't watch him put [Alexander] Volkanovski, [Max] Holloway and [Charles] Oliveira to sleep back-to-back-to-back and not think something special is happening. All those guys were compromised by position," Gaethje said.
"He's very good at putting you into bad positions. And so obviously that is what I'm focused on right now and staying in good position, being reactive. Never retracting but always reacting. I'm going to fight the perfect fight and I'm going to throw missiles."