Justin Gaethje ranks Ilia Topuria as second-toughest matchup of career

Gaethje (27-5) will try to unify the title against the champion
Topuria (17-0) at
UFC White House on June 14. Topuria is currently on murderous
streak with knockouts over Alexander
Volkanovski, Max
Holloway and Charles
Oliveira. However, Gaethje has made a career out of fighting
lightweight legends. Gaethje believes he has faced a tougher
opponent than Topuria in Khabib
Nurmagomedov. However, Gaethje gives Topuria his flowers for
his knockout streak.

“I think he is my second toughest test ever, next to Khabib,”
Gaethje said at the UFC White House press conference. “But yeah,
those three knockouts: Volkanovski, Holloway, Oliveira — legendary.
So it’s just gonna make this win that much more
spectacular.” 

Putting It All on the Line

Gaethje was also the interim champion when he made his first title
bid against Nurmagomedov in 2020, suffering a second-round
submission loss. “The Highlight” made his second failed title bid
against Charles
Oliveira in 2022, suffering a first-round submission loss.
Considering this will be Gaethje’s last title shot, the 37-year-old
is ready to go out all guns blazing, regardless of the
outcome. 

“I’m so ready to put it on the line,” he said. “I don’t give a f—k
if he beats me, doesn’t beat me, it doesn’t matter. I’m coming in
there and I’m gonna try to knock this motherf—-r. I’ll be throwing
missiles on the White House lawn on June 14.”