"It better be a pretty fat a** check" - Justin Gaethje hopes UFC is paying Charles Oliveira enough to fight Islam Makhachev in Abu Dhabi

Justin Gaethje hopes Charles Oliveira is being paid enough to fight Islam Makhachev in Abu Dhabi. Oliviera will face the Dagestani standout in a lightweight title clash at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on October 22.

According to Gaethje, climatic conditions, along with food and water, will provide a sort of home-field advantage for Makhachev. However, having come up short in his title fight against 'do Bronx', 'The Highlight' is confident that the Brazilian won't be dominated by Makhachev. Gaethje told MMA journalist Nick Peet at UFC 278:

"Abu Dhabi. Home field advantage in a way. I mean, time zone, food, water. Things are different in Abu Dhabi. If I was Charles, you know, they could have paid me enough but he better be getting a pretty fat a** check, because, you know, why? Why go over there? But me in that cage with him [Oliveira], I have to believe, no way Makhachev dominates him."

Watch Gaethje's interview with Peet below:

Gaethje has previously faced Makhachev's predecessor Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 254 in Abu Dhabi. 'The Highlight' was outgrappled by the former lightweight champ en route to a second-round submission loss.

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"The cage is the same anywhere in the world" - Charles Oliveira on fighting Islam Makhchev in Abu Dhabi

Charles Oliveira did not shy away from asking for a bout against Conor McGregor over a title fight against Islam Makhachev. Nevertheless, the Brazilian eventually relented, agreeing to fight the Dagestani phenom on neutral ground of New York.

However, the uncrowned UFC champ was not granted his wish and the fight is scheduled to go down in Abu Dhabi. Khabib Nurmagomedov has admitted that Abu Dhabi is a kind of home ground for the Dagestani brigade. Meanwhile, Oliveira's coach Diego Lima highlighted an instance of biased judging while explaining the Brazilian's unwillingness to fight in Abu Dhabi.

However, Oliveira has now seemingly come to terms with the venue of his next title fight. While 'do Bronx' admitted that things didn't play out the way he would have preferred, he also believes that a the location won't make much of a difference. Oliveira recently told Brazilian outlet PVT:

“I didn’t want this fight. Everyone knows it. I wanted the big payment from the other fight. However, everyone knows that I’m a UFC employee. You can’t escape that. So we tried to negotiate from every angle. I tried NY because it was a neutral ground. But the fight was decided there [Abu Dhabi]. But to be honest the cage is the same anywhere in the world.”

Watch Charles Oliveira's interview with PVT below: