Vick: Human heavybag Gaethje won’t last two rounds
James Vick: “I like watching him fight. He has world-class heart. He’ll dig down deep, and he’ll fight. But he doesn’t have world-class skills. He doesn’t have world-class talent, and he’s a B-level fighter.”
Everyone likes watching Justin Gaethje fight, even James Vick, his opponent at UFC Fight Night 135 on August 25, in Lincoln, Nebraska. However, ‘The Texecutioner’ appeared recently on MMAjunkie radio and said he didn’t think much of Gaethje’s skills.
He’s a frickin’ human punching bag who’s padded his record against B-level competition outside of this organization, and then he comes into the UFC and gets his ass whooped, said Vick, as transcribed by Steven Marrocco for MMAjunkie. He’s not a No. 7-ranked fighter.
I’ll give him credit. He’s a warrior. I understand why he’s a fan favorite. He puts on a show for the fans. He’s an exciting fighter. I like watching him fight. He has world-class heart. He’ll dig down deep, and he’ll fight. But he doesn’t have world-class skills. He doesn’t have world-class talent, and he’s a B-level fighter. The dude shouldn’t even be in the top 10.
This fight ain’t going 25 minutes, guys. He’s just going to come in and take his beating. This fight probably isn’t going to last two rounds.
Vick concedes he will get punched and kicked, but says his skills will overcome Gaethje’s heart.
I have all that, too. I just don’t have to be a punching bag, he said. You’re going to see who’s going to break in this fight, and it’s going to be him.
Gaethje was a perfect 17-0 entering the UFC, and won his debut vs. Michael Johnson. However, he was stopped with strikes in his last two, vs. Eddie Alvarez and Dustin Poirier. But, and it’s a big but, all three of his last fights were the Fight of the Night. Whoever wins on August 25, it is going to be tremendous.