Justin Gaethje: Conor McGregor vs. Donald Cerrone fight is a ‘freak show’

Justin Gaethje was one of several fighters hoping to welcome former two-division UFC champion Conor McGregor back to the Octagon. Unfortunately for him, that lucrative and high-profile opportunity went to Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone — a man Gaethje defeated in August.

Unsurprisingly, Gaethje is not particularly pleased with the way things have shaken out. Currently without an opponent, but eager to stake his claim to a title shot, he sounded off on this McGregor vs. Cerrone matchup during an appearance on MMA on SiriusXM.

🔊 “For me, I think it’s good, it takes him out of the picture.” – @Justin_Gaethje on Conor McGregor’s choice to fight Donald Cerrone at 170lbs #TLTS@lthomasnews
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— MMA on SiriusXM (@MMAonSiriusXM) December 3, 2019

“I mean, it’s a freak show man. I don’t know what to make of it,” Justin Gaethje said of this McGregor vs. Cerrone matchup, which will occur in the welterweight division (via MMANytt). “For me, I think it’s good, it takes [McGregor] out of the picture. It kind of clears the path to what needs to happen.

“Fighting at 170… I don’t know how in his mind he can say ‘I’ll fight in 170 and then fight for the world title next.’ I’d like to think it is because he doesn’t want to fight me, but I don’t think I’m that scary. I don’t understand it.”

Gaethje continued, sharing his belief that a  welterweight win over Cerrone will do nothing to improve McGregor’s station at lightweight.

“If he wants to fight for a world title, he has to get another win in the lightweight division,” Gaethje said.

“I’m sure he knows that he’s gonna put pressure on Dana [White] and the UFC to give him a title fight after… If he beats Cowboy at 170. Or maybe he’ll fight someone else at 170, I’m not sure what he’s doing.”

McGregor and Cerrone will collide in the main event of UFC 246 on January 18 in Las Vegas.

What do you think of these comments from Justin Gaethje?

This article first appeared on BJPENN.com on 12/4/2019.