Justin Gaethje believes a win over Dustin Poirier at UFC 291 earns him a lightweight title shot

Justin Gaethje expects to fight for UFC gold again should he gets past Dustin Poirier in the main event of UFC 291.

Gaethje and Poirier are set to rematch for the vacant BMF belt in a pivotal scrap for the lightweight division. Currently, Islam Makhachev doesn’t have his next fight booked – although should Beneil Darisuh beat Charles Oliveira at UFC 289 next Saturday, he seems likely to get that fight.

Yet, should Oliveira win, Gaethje thinks the winner of him and Poirier will fight Makhachev in October in Abu Dhabi for the lightweight title.

RELATED: Justin Gaethje says UFC 291 fight against Dustin Poirier will be 25 minutes of hell.

“These rankings are for a reason, they might not be as legit as we think they are, but he’s number two, and I’m number three. Number one is fighting number four and the champion needs someone to fight,” Gaethje said on DC & RC. “I think if Dariush wins, he’s going to fight in October and the winner of that fight will fight the winner of this fight. If Oliveira wins, then yeah, one of us is going to be right back into camp.”

If Charles Oliveira does beat Beneil Dariush in the co-main event of UFC 289, it’s uncertain if the UFC would already want to see Oliveira-Makhachev 2 just a year later after the first fight, especially with how one-sided it is. With that, Gaethje knows his scrap against Poirier is pivotal for both of them to get back into the title picture.

Justin Gaethje (24-4) is coming off a majority decision win over Rafael Fiziev to return to the win column after losing by submission to Charles Oliveira for the lightweight belt. The former UFC interim lightweight champ holds notable wins over Michael Chandler, Tony Ferguson, Donald Cerrone, Edson Barboza, and Michael Johnson among others.