Gaethje, 33, was the UFC interim lightweight champion . He has a professional record of 23-3 and a UFC record of 6-3, including five victories in his previous six fights.
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The headline event of UFC 274 at Footprint Center on Saturday night lost a little sparkle at official weigh-ins on Friday. The primary card, however, will remain unchanged. Lightweight champion Charles Oliveira of Brazil was a half pound over the 155-pound limit for his main event clash versus Safford native Justin Gaethje. As a consequence, the fight will go on as planned, but only Gaethje will be fighting for the championship. According to a statement from the UFC, Oliveira will lose a share of his pay and renounce his championship at the start of Saturday’s main event. If Oliveira wins, he will be the leading contender for the lightweight title he is vacating and will face the next challenger for the undisputed title belt at a later date and location.
READ MORE: Charles Oliveira vs Justin Gaethje – Oliveira stripped of his UFC title
The stakes are still high for Gaethje, and he’ll be surrounded by supporters from his hometown. Gaethje spent the holidays in Safford, Arizona, three hours east of Phoenix.
Justin Gaethje said, “I’m going to have thousands and thousands of people that are watching me. So, definitely the hometown guy… fighting in Arizona. A t the end of the day, it’s just another fight. And you know, at the end of the day I will appreciate that it was in Arizona. But for right now, that cage, you know, doesn’t matter where it is.
“This would mean everything. To be this close to it is pretty special. My parents dedicated their time and money, my brothers and sisters their time and energy, thousands of people that are there on this ride with me, time and energy. Yeah, it all means a lot to me. That’s why I will go in there and perform the way I do.”
Gaethje didn’t much care for Oliveira (32-8) for losing weight, claiming that malfunctioning scales aren’t an excuse on social media. He does admit, though, that Oliveira will be a formidable foe.
Gaethje said, “I don’t think he does remind me of anyone I’ve ever faced. He’s been around for so long. I mean, he’s super dangerous. He’s got the most submissions in the UFC. His ability to get to those positions is really incredible. But that’s what I’m the best at. I’m the best as stopping people from implementing what they want to do. And from the time the bell rings, until the bell is over, he’s going to want to get it to the ground. And I’m going to keep that from happening and create and apply damage, great pressure and apply damage the entire time.”
Stephen Thompson declines the quick turnaround fight and wants Usman next.
