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James Vick: Justin Gaethje ‘frickin’ human punching bag,’ won’t last two rounds at UFC Lincoln
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To get one thing out of the way, UFC lightweight James Vick likes watching Justin Gaethje fight, just like everyone else does.
But when he’s the one subject to Gaethje’s bruising attack, he doesn’t think much about his opponent’s skills.
“He’s a frickin’ human punching bag who’s padded his record against B-level competition outside of this organization, and then he comes into the UFC and gets his ass whooped,” said Vick, who meets Gaethje in the FS1-televised headliner of UFC Fight Night 135 on Aug. 25 at Pinnacle Bank Arena. “He’s not a No. 7-ranked fighter.
“I’ll give him credit. He’s a warrior. I understand why he’s a fan favorite. He puts on a show for the fans. He’s an exciting fighter. I like watching him fight. He has world-class heart. He’ll dig down deep, and he’ll fight. But he doesn’t have world-class skills. He doesn’t have world-class talent, and he’s a B-level fighter. The dude shouldn’t even be in the top 10.”
As it stands, Gaethje sits at No. 7 in the promotion’s rankings as well as the USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie MMA lightweight rankings. That’s the result of his time as the long-reigning champ in WSOF, where he decimated the opposition before signing with the UFC last year.
Gaethje (18-2 MMA, 1-2 UFC) has dropped his past two fights, suffering knockout losses against ex-champ Eddie Alvarez and Dustin Poirier. And if Vick (13-1 MMA, 9-1 UFC) has his way, Gaethje will have three losses after they meet.
“This fight ain’t going 25 minutes, guys,” Vick told MMAjunkie Radio. “He’s just going to come in and take his beating. This fight probably isn’t going to last two rounds.”
Although Vick anticipates having to take a few of Gaethje’s punches, and perhaps a dozen or so of the leg kicks that have battered other fighters, he said his skills will overcome Gaethje’s heart.
“I have all that, too. I just don’t have to be a punching bag,” he said. “You’re going to see who’s going to break in this fight, and it’s going to be him.”
For more on the UFC Fight Night 135, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.
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