Justin Gaethje names opponent he was scared to face

Justin Gaethje is known as one of the most fearless fighters in the UFC. However, there was one fighter that Gaethje even feared.

'The Highlight' as he is aptly nicknamed, has put up some of the best performances in the UFC in the last few years. His performances have earned him a record number of performance-of-the-night bonuses. However, Gaethje was scared of one opponent he faced back in 2019, Edson Barboza. He shared his thoughts before the fight on Twitter:

"One of the few times I’ve been scared walking into a fight was against Barboza. Watching him body people was definitely in the back of my mind."

In the very first round, Justin Gaethje began his assault on Barboza's lead leg and very quickly, it had swollen up and the Brazilian was backing up against the cage. Daniel Cormier was quick to spot what had happened, and Gaethje took advantage of the situation and pressured his opponent. Barboza began walking backwards and let his guard down.

As he let his guard down, 'The Highlight' connected with a right hook that knocked Barboza out cold. Gaethje produced a walk-off knockout, then executed his signature backflip off the top of the octagon.

Take a look at the tweet:

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Justin Gaethje claims he would possibly quit if Conor McGregor got a title shot

Justin Gaethje claims he will consider quitting if Conor McGregor is given a title shot. 'The Notorious' is returning to the Octagon this year after a little over two years away from it. In a recent interview, he spoke about how he would react if McGregor won his return fight against Michael Chandler and was immediately given a title shot:

"Would I quit if Conor [McGregor] won and they gave him a title shot? Probably. That's how hurt I would be by the actions of the company I represent. But that's out of my control. I just really hope that doesn't happen. We can imagine a lot of things, but there's a possibility that that's the scenario, which I would be devastated, for sure."

Justin Gaethje is currently ranked #3 in the lightweight division and has fought for the title twice, unsuccessfully. Following his recent run of form, he will look to get another title shot and take on Islam Makhachev. He does not think Conor McGregor deserves a title shot over him.