Justin Gaethje feels he’s the toughest challenge for Khabib Nurmagomedov, but Javier Mendez isn’t sold.
Gaethje is coming off a first-round knockout victory over Edson Barboza this past Saturday night (March 30). It was Gaethje’s second straight knockout victory. He’s now 3-2 under the UFC banner and has earned a bonus in each of his outings inside the Octagon.
Javier Mendez Disagrees With Justin Gaethje
Nurmagomedov’s coach at American Kickboxing Academy, Javier Mendez, was a guest on today’s (April 1) edition of MMAFighting.com‘s “The MMA Hour.” During his appearance, Mendez explained why he doesn’t believe Gaethje would be much of a threat to Nurmagomedov:
“Not much, not much, because he ain’t going to be able to stop the takedown. None of those guys can. [Nurmagomedov will] take them all down, and if they don’t have much of a ground game, they’re done. The only way it becomes interesting is if Khabib decides to do things. Look back on all his fights, it’s only when he decides to stand with people that it becomes a little bit trickier. I mean, he stood with Conor (McGregor) so he gave Conor a chance, and I’m begging for him, ‘Go back to father’s plan. Go back to father’s plan.’ He screws with me all the time. He did the same with Michael Johnson. I’m telling him, ‘What are you doing? Go back to father’s plan.’ Father’s plan, that’s what I call ‘just wrestle the guy, take him down and wrestle him.’ And he does that all the damn time.”
How do you think a bout between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Justin Gaethje would go down?
