Ultra-confident Justin Gaethje says he is ready for the “biggest fight of my life” when he takes on the undefeated Khabib Nurmagomedov this month in their lightweight unification bout at UFC 254 in Abu Dhabi.
Interim champion Gaethje, 31, faces the greatest test of almost a decade in mixed martial arts, in the headline encounter at Flash Forum on October 24.
Nurmagomedov holds the main lightweight belt and remains undefeated in all 28 bouts, and is 12-0 in the UFC alone. Gaethje, meanwhile, set up his shot at the title when he dominated Tony Ferguson at UFC 249 in May – as a late replacement for Nurmagomedov.
The American stopped his opponent late in the fifth round in Jacksonville, Florida, snapping Ferguson’s eight-year, 12-fight winning streak. With the win, he took his own pro record to 22-2.
And, speaking on Thursday night during a conference call with media, Gaethje was in little doubt as to what October 24 represents.
“It’s the biggest fight of my life – absolutely. There’s no doubt about it,” Gaethje said. “I’m not going to let outside influences influence the way I need to think or act or prepare.
"It’s really just staying true to my belief, which is be better than yesterday, make better choices than yesterday. I’ve been doing that for eight weeks, and I’ve got three and a half more. I’ll be ready as I possibly can be.
“I’m going to try and beat him into submission. I want him to quit. I want him to know I’m a superior athlete, a superior man. That’s the goal of this game.”
Despite Nurmagomedov’s domination of the division, Gaethje is one of the sport’s most explosive fighters. In seven UFC outings - his record stands at 5-2 - he has claimed nine performance bonuses, while his nickname is "The Highlight".
Little wonder, then, that he has the conviction to match the combat skills.
“My confidence is probably my biggest factor right now,’ Gaethje said. “Paired with the power that I possess, paired with the coach that I have. That’s a dangerous combination.
"I don’t care if I win or lose. At the end of the day, as long as I make my family happy, as long as I’m proud of my performance, then it doesn’t matter. That’s what makes me most dangerous. I don’t know if he’s ever fought someone like that – he probably has.
“And another factor is a lot of hard work, a lot of skill and a little bit of luck in this game. Anybody can go to sleep. He’s a fool if he doesn’t think he can go to sleep.”
A talented wrestling in his college days, Gaethje recognises Nurmagomedov’s almost impenetrable ground game, but says he will not adopt any massively different approach for the clash. Controlling the distance and footwork would be key, he said.
“Just be my best," Gaethje said. "I’m explosive, I’m athletic. I’m going to rely on the skills that I possess, that I’ve been honing since I was four. So I’m going to go keep relying on hard work and smart choices.
"I have to fight an incredible fight. At this level you have to be perfect, you cannot make mistakes. If he wants to go in there and throw caution to the wind then it’s not a smart plan. If I want to do the same it’s absolutely stupid.
"And I possess some serious power and I’ve got to touch him and put him to sleep."
____________________
Khabib watches UAE Warriors 12 in Dubai
____________________
Nurmagomedov, who has not fought since September last year, has been in Duabi for the past couple of weeks training for the match-up.
Asked on Thursday if that would be an advantage come fight night, Gaethje said: “I think if I allow it to become a factor then it can be. But it’s fight or flight. When my life’s on the line, when I’m in danger I’m going to fight. I was born for this. So we can fight whenever.”
UFC 254 brings down the curtain on “Return to Fight Island”, the fifth and final event of the UFC’s second residency in Abu Dhabi.
__________________
Gaethje beats Ferguson at UFC 249
Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
- Option 2: 50% across three years
- Option 3: 30% across five years
ALL THE RESULTS
Bantamweight
Siyovush Gulmomdov (TJK) bt Rey Nacionales (PHI) by decision.
Lightweight
Alexandru Chitoran (ROU) bt Hussein Fakhir Abed (SYR) by submission.
Catch 74kg
Omar Hussein (JOR) bt Tohir Zhuraev (TJK) by decision.
Strawweight (Female)
Seo Ye-dam (KOR) bt Weronika Zygmunt (POL) by decision.
Featherweight
Kaan Ofli (TUR) bt Walid Laidi (ALG) by TKO.
Lightweight
Abdulla Al Bousheiri (KUW) bt Leandro Martins (BRA) by TKO.
Welterweight
Ahmad Labban (LEB) bt Sofiane Benchohra (ALG) by TKO.
Bantamweight
Jaures Dea (CAM) v Nawras Abzakh (JOR) no contest.
Lightweight
Mohammed Yahya (UAE) bt Glen Ranillo (PHI) by TKO round 1.
Lightweight
Alan Omer (GER) bt Aidan Aguilera (AUS) by TKO round 1.
Welterweight
Mounir Lazzez (TUN) bt Sasha Palatkinov (HKG) by TKO round 1.
Featherweight title bout
Romando Dy (PHI) v Lee Do-gyeom (KOR) by KO round 1.
PSA DUBAI WORLD SERIES FINALS LINE-UP
Men’s:
Mohamed El Shorbagy (EGY)
Ali Farag (EGY)
Simon Rosner (GER)
Tarek Momen (EGY)
Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL)
Gregory Gaultier (FRA)
Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY)
Nick Matthew (ENG)
Women's:
Nour El Sherbini (EGY)
Raneem El Welily (EGY)
Nour El Tayeb (EGY)
Laura Massaro (ENG)
Joelle King (NZE)
Camille Serme (FRA)
Nouran Gohar (EGY)
Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
FIXTURES
Thu Mar 15 – West Indies v Afghanistan, UAE v Scotland
Fri Mar 16 – Ireland v Zimbabwe
Sun Mar 18 – Ireland v Scotland
Mon Mar 19 – West Indies v Zimbabwe
Tue Mar 20 – UAE v Afghanistan
Wed Mar 21 – West Indies v Scotland
Thu Mar 22 – UAE v Zimbabwe
Fri Mar 23 – Ireland v Afghanistan
The top two teams qualify for the World Cup
Classification matches
The top-placed side out of Papua New Guinea, Hong Kong or Nepal will be granted one-day international status. UAE and Scotland have already won ODI status, having qualified for the Super Six.
Thu Mar 15 – Netherlands v Hong Kong, PNG v Nepal
Sat Mar 17 – 7th-8th place playoff, 9th-10th place play-off
Sustainable Development Goals
1. End poverty in all its forms everywhere
2. End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
5. Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
6. Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
7. Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
8. Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
9. Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation
10. Reduce inequality within and among countries
11. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
12. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
13. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its effects
14. Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
15. Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
16. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development
Ammar 808:
Maghreb United
Sofyann Ben Youssef
Glitterbeat
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
LAST-16 FIXTURES
Sunday, January 20
3pm: Jordan v Vietnam at Al Maktoum Stadium, Dubai
6pm: Thailand v China at Hazza bin Zayed Stadium, Al Ain
9pm: Iran v Oman at Mohamed bin Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Monday, January 21
3pm: Japan v Saudi Arabia at Sharjah Stadium
6pm: Australia v Uzbekistan at Khalifa bin Zayed Stadium, Al Ain
9pm: UAE v Kyrgyzstan at Zayed Sports City Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Tuesday, January 22
5pm: South Korea v Bahrain at Rashid Stadium, Dubai
8pm: Qatar v Iraq at Al Nahyan Stadium, Abu Dhabi
TICKETS
Tickets start at Dh100 for adults, while children can enter free on the opening day. For more information, visit www.mubadalawtc.com.
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
Match info
Premier League
Manchester United 2 (Martial 30', Lingard 69')
Arsenal 2 (Mustafi 26', Rojo 68' OG)
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Breaking News: The Remaking of Journalism and Why It Matters Now
Alan Rushbridger, Canongate
The Comeback: Elvis And The Story Of The 68 Special
Simon Goddard
Omnibus Press
Name: Brendalle Belaza
From: Crossing Rubber, Philippines
Arrived in the UAE: 2007
Favourite place in Abu Dhabi: NYUAD campus
Favourite photography style: Street photography
Favourite book: Harry Potter
