Gaethje plans to fight 3 more times, then 'get the f--- out of here'
Justin Gaethje doesn't anticipate his mixed martial arts career extending late into his 30s.
The UFC interim lightweight champion wants three more fights against Khabib Nurmagomedov, Conor McGregor, and a rematch with Dustin Poirier before he retires, he said on the "JRE MMA Show."
"Fight Poirier, and then get the f--- out of here," Gaethje said when asked what he'd do after potential bouts with Nurmagomedov and McGregor. "That's all I need. What do I need after that? That'd be legendary, I'd make plenty of money - which is ultimately what I'm here to do - and I took control of my destiny, which is all I asked for."
After finishing Tony Ferguson to capture the interim belt in the UFC 249 main event earlier in May, Gaethje is expected to meet Nurmagomedov in a title unification bout later this year.
Before stepping up on short notice against "El Cucuy," and before the coronavirus pandemic disrupted the promotion's schedule, Gaethje was reportedly in talks to fight McGregor this summer.
Gaethje, who has won four straight fights, lost to Poirier via fourth-round TKO in April 2018.
The 31-year-old made his Octagon debut three years ago and is 5-2 in the UFC.