Justin Gaethje would be willing to defend his UFC title against Conor McGregor - so that he can end the Irishman's career.
Gaethje takes on lightweight champion Charles Oliveira at UFC 274 this weekend as he attempts to win the belt at the second time of asking. The American was previously choked out by Khabib Nurmagomedov in what proved to be the Russian's farewell fight.
Gaethje and McGregor have long been rivals without clashing in the cage, but that could all change later this year. "The best part, when you're the champion the target's on your back," Gaethje told The Full Send podcast. "I'm not going to be looking back. At the end of the day I will be the champ and whoever's next will be next. I've just got to keep preparing myself, keep eating properly, keep isolating myself, take away all distractions.
"At the end of the day, after I win this fight there's two people that are next in line. There's Beneil Dariush and [Islam] Makhachev, and they need to fight each other. And if Conor McGregor's there I think he's just as rightfully available as the other two because they need to fight.
"So I say either everyone deserves it or nobody deserves it. Someone needs to stand out. And yeah, whoever. I want that opportunity to take him away from the sport forever."
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McGregor has not fought since he was beaten for a second time by Dustin Poirier last summer. The Irishman has been recovering from the broken leg he suffered in the first-round defeat and is not expected to return until August at the earliest.
He has also insisted he will return at welterweight and that his days at 155lb are behind him. McGregor wants to face 170lb champion Kamaru Usman but the Nigerian is due to defend his belt against Birmingham's Leon Edwards this summer.
