Justin Gaethje says he will put Nurmagomedov in 'zone of death' in unification bout

UFC interim lightweight champion Justin Gaethje promises to leave no stone unturned when he takes on UFC lightweight world champion Khabib Nurmagomedov on October 24.

The highly-anticipated unification bout between the top two lightweights in the world is scheduled to take place in the main event of UFC 254 in a yet to be determined location.

“There’s going to be a zone in front of me. It’s not very big. It’s going to be a zone of death, and if I have to represent death every time he enters the zone, that’s what I’m the best at, creating carnage, creating car crashes,” said Gaethje in an interview with Michael Bisping’s podcast.

“So my only goal when I step in there is to create as many car crashes as possible, whether it be our bodies hitting, our heads hitting, our fu— shoulders hitting, our fists hitting, my fist hitting his head, his fist hitting my head, it doesn’t matter,” he added.

“I need to create car crashes because that’s the only way to beat this guy.”

The unbeaten Nurmagomedov (28-0), who is most renowned for his wrestling, previously stated that he plans to take Gaethje to deep waters and drown him.

The Russian fighter’s game plan has been identical throughout his career- utilize his takedowns then unleash punishment on the ground and go for a submission when the opportunity presents itself.

But Gaethje warns that he can wrestle too as he reminded the reigning world champion that they will be competing in mixed martial arts inside the octagon.

“I was a Division-I All-American. I’ve wrestled some of the toughest guys in their prime,” he stressed.

“Division-I college wrestling in America is the highest level other than going to the Olympics and wrestling on the international level. But we’re not wrestling anymore.” — LA, GMA News