Justin Gaethje says his concern doesn’t lie with things out of his hands.
Gaethje is set to take on former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) lightweight title holder Eddie Alvarez. “The Highlight” is looking to make lightening strike twice. In his UFC debut, Gaethje finished Michael Johnson.
The date for Gaethje’s bout with Alvarez is Dec. 2. It’ll be held inside Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. The lightweight tilt is set to be featured on the main card of UFC 218.
During a recent appearance on MMA Junkie Radio, Gaethje said he’s in no rush to be a breakout star:
“I’ve taken it one at a time. I got to fight Michael Johnson. I’m the only one who’s ever finished Michael Johnson. Two days later, they called me and asked me if I wanted to be a coach on The Ultimate Fighter. Probably a year before that, I was contemplating if I was ever going to have to go and try out for ‘The Ultimate Fighter.’”
He then said that he won’t be begging for a title shot if he finishes Alvarez.
“I always look at it one at a time. I look at this fight one at a time. If I go out there and finish Eddie in 10 seconds, I can’t control whether they give me a big fight next. I can’t control who I fight next.”
