Former interim UFC lightweight champion, Justin Gaethje has defended his recent comments regarding his plans to break the face of current division kingpin, Charles Oliveira, after the latter took umbrage with his statement. And Gaethje has announced plans to dethrone the Sao Paulo finisher in his native Brazil, amid reports the promotion is set to land in Rio de Janeiro on May 7. for UFC 274.
Gaethje, who rebounded from a title unification loss to former champion, Khabib Nurmagomedov last month, defeated common-foe, Michael Chandler with a unanimous decision win in the consensus Fight of the Year at Madison Square Garden.
In attendance for UFC 269 earlier this month, Gaethje watched on as Oliveira secured the first successful defense of his lightweight crown – stopping another common-foe, Dustin Poirier with a standing rear-naked choke in the third round.
After the headlining bout, Gaethje met with Oliveira backstage, where he embraced him and congratulated him on his victory.
However, speaking following the event moments later, Gaethje, who was now salivating at the prospect of drawing Oliveira next year, maintained that he could not wait to break the face of the Brazilian.
Reacting to those comments recently, Oliveira told MMA Fighting reporter, Guilherme Cruz that the Arizona native chose to respect him to his face before then turning his back and making those types of comments – in a bid, he believes at least, to sell a future fight between them.
“The guy (Justin Gaethje) is talking a bunch of crap the entire time, and when we meet face-to-face he says he has all the respect for me and what I do – and two minutes later he’s saying he’ll break my face and saying a bunch of stuff,” Oliveira said on the Trocacao Franca podcast.
“These guys hype things up and try to sell the fight with something they are not,” Oliveira said. “If you’re a humble guy, if you’re a respectful guy, you have to sell the fight that way. If you’re a guy that talks crap, you have to sell the fight talking crap the entire time – to my face and behind my back.”
In response to Oliveira, Gaethje maintained that he respected the Brazilian, however, he laid out plans to take the title from the champion in his native country to boot.
“@CharlesDoBronx (Charles Oliveira) it’s called respect you fool and we are in the breaking faces business,” Gaethje tweeted. “My respect that night was just as real as my intention to take everything from you in your country. @ufc #uhvaimorrer”
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