Photo | Justin Gaethje suffers nasty gash from headbutt in training

Justin Gaethje has been practicing his wrestling ahead of his fight with Khabib Nurmagomedov and has suffered a nasty cut in the process.

Gaethje, who is expected to battle Nurmagomedov in September in a unification of the lightweight title, took to social media to show off his nasty cut. He said he will need a few stitches after catching an accidental headbutt in training.

DAMN! (via @Justin_Gaethje) pic.twitter.com/x59tx0g0zw

— Chamatkar Sandhu (@SandhuMMA) June 16, 2020

“Going to need a few stitches today. Caught an accidental headbutt during wrestling today,” Gaethje wrote in the picture.

As you can see, it is a nasty cut “The Highlight” suffered. But, given his bout with Nurmagomedov is still three months away it should be expected the gash is fully healed and won’t play a factor in the bout at all.

Justin Gaethje claimed interim gold back at UFC 249 where he scored a fifth-round TKO win over Tony Ferguson. It was his fourth straight knockout win, but the other three came by first-round KO. There, he beat Donald Cerrone, Edson Barboza, and James Vick.

Khabib Nurmagomedov, meanwhile, is 28-0 and last time out, submitted Dustin Poirier at UFC 242 to defend his belt. Before that, he beat Conor McGregor by submission in his first title defense after winning the vacant belt over Al Iaquinta.

Justin Gaethje vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov is one of the best fights the UFC could put on 2020. The Highlight has phenomenal wrestling and takedown defense, which he rarely uses. But, it will no doubt be put to the test against the undefeated Dagestani champion.

For Gaethje, he says the key to beating Nurmagomedov is footwork and staying away from the cage. He believes if he does just that he will hear “And New” at the end of the night.

“You gotta self-defense. Without the footwork, you can’t stay out of the fence,” Gaethje said recently on the Joe Rogan Experience. “If he is taking a shot in the open then he will drive you down to the fence. He’s not gonna attempt takedowns in the open. You watch all of his fights. You’ll maybe see five takedowns that he attempted in the middle of the cage. He’ll start in the middle but he is too pushy towards the cage.”

For now, Justin Gaethje will have to heal up his cut before he can get back to work in his preparations to fight Nurmagomedov.

What do you make of the cut Justin Gaethje sustained?