Gaethje: I’ll be known as the most violent mother f@$%er in the UFC
Justin Gaethje: “When I’m done, I’m going to be known as the most violent motherf***er in this sport. The most entertaining. With that, comes money, for sure.”
Undefeated Justin Gaethje appeared recently on MMAjunkie radio, ahead of his fight with fellow TUF 26 coach Eddie Alvarez on the main card of UFC 218 on December 2, 2017, at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan.
I’m trying to get my hands on the [belt] in the company I fight for right now, said Gaethje, as transcribed by Fernanda Prates for MMAjunkie. But it’s one fight at a time. It’s all about how you finish nowadays. There are plenty of guys who have a claim at the title. But it’s about who’s going to finish – if I go out there and finish Eddie violently?
The reason Conor McGregor is Conor McGregor is because he talks the way he does; he’s a genius. But he f***ing knocked Jose Aldo out in 13 seconds. That helped a lot. Finishing everybody that he’s finished helped a lot. Go in there, you’ve got to finish people.
I go in there, I finish Eddie Alvarez like I know I can – like I should. Then whatever, it should be a No. 1 contender spot. That’s what I’m fighting for. I vacated a belt, so I will expect nothing less than an opportunity at the belt.
I remember being on this [radio] show probably three years ago and you guys were like, ‘Dude, you’ve got to talk more s***. I was like, ‘I don’t think I do. I think if I keep fighting and finishing people the way that I do, I think I’m going to get paid what I want to get paid. I think I’m going to get the fights that I want.’ And that’s what’s happening right now.
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.’
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.
When I’m done, I’m going to be known as the most violent motherf***er in this sport. The most entertaining. With that, comes money, for sure. Especially with the UFC, they appreciate effort. I give max effort every time I step in there. The belt? I’m working toward that.