Anyone expecting Justin Gaethje to shift his focus from a title shot to a bout with former two-division champion Conor McGregor might be surprised when they hear how like the one-time interim champion thinks it is.

Justin Gaethje vs Conor McGregor is not looking likely

“In my mind, the ultimate goal was to beat [Khabib Nurmagomedov], and then Conor and that was worth the risk,” Gaethje told “>ESPN. “So that was what I chose. But if he could have been a possibility then maybe, but I’d say the chances are zero percent [now]. Because I don’t think he’ll fight, if once or twice, and it won’t be guys like me. It’ll be guys like Nate Diaz, Jorge Masvidal, you know, favorable matchups.”

Gaethje was ‘pissed’ UFC 262 title fight wasn’t offered to him

Khabib Nurmagomedov retired after forcing Gaethje to tap out and Gaethje has been biding his time to get another shot.

Gaethje (22-3) returns to the Octagon for a star-studded UFC 268 card on Nov. 6. He meets Michael Chandler in a bid to jump to the front of the contender line, but watching the recent rankings shift in the division has rankled Gaethje. Chandler was granted the opportunity to fight Charles Oliveira at UFC 262 for the vacant division title. A bout Gaethje felt he should’ve been offered.

“I was probably more bitter at the opportunity that [Chandler] got in favor of me,” Gaethje said. “I was pissed off at the time. I thought this was the most coveted title in the UFC when Khabib was around, and it was turned into almost the laughing stock of the UFC overnight.”

Oliveira beat Chandler by knockout in the night’s main event.

“When you had Charles Oliveira and Michael Chandler fighting each other for the title to be the best when those two weren’t the best guys fighting for the belt. It was me and [Dustin Poirier], is who should have been fighting for the belt. No. 1, No. 2. That’s what should’ve happened.”

Is Gaethje right about the wrong men were chosen for the UFC 262 vacant title fight?

–Field Level Media