Justin Gaethje would entertain Conor McGregor fight but doubts it happens

UFC lightweight champion Justin Gaethje remains open to the idea of a fight with Conor McGregor, despite the lack of any concrete plans. The two fighters have a history of exchanging insults, but no match has materialized so far. Gaethje (28-5 MMA, 11-5 UFC) and McGregor (22-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) have been feuding for years, but McGregor's injury layoff put an end to the speculation.

In July, McGregor returned from a five-year absence with a defeat in a welterweight bout against Max Holloway at UFC 329. He suffered a knee injury in the opening seconds of the fight, resulting in a TKO loss, and is expected to be away from the sport for a year.

Meanwhile, Gaethje (28-5 MMA, 11-5 UFC) recently claimed the lightweight title at UFC Freedom 250, defeating Ilia Topuria. Despite their different career paths, Gaethje would still entertain a fight with McGregor. However, he doubts that such a fight would ever happen, stating, "If it came to my table, I would entertain it, but I would doubt that."

Gaethje expressed that he has moved on from his constant criticism of McGregor, stating, "I don't even want to sh*t on that guy anymore. I've done it, and that doesn't work because I've tried." After his title win, Gaethje announced that he will not compete again in 2026. However, even if his mind changes, it seems unlikely that he would be able to fight due to injuries.

Gaethje currently has a deep bruise in his knee and has been dealing with a hand injury from his recent fights, stating, "I still have a really deep bruise in my knee. I dealt with it through both of these last two fights and never healed."