UFC Interim Lightweight Champion Justin Gaethje predicted Irish fighter Conor McGregor will only return to the Octagon if Khabib Nurmagomedov is not UFC champion.
Gaethje, who won the interim lightweight belt last month, is set to face unbeaten Khabib in a unification bout in September.
It left McGregor - who was beaten by Nurmagomedov in 2018 - furious as he wanted to face the 33-year-old American next, and a third retirement in four years soon followed for The Notorious.
But Gaethje has urged the 31-year-old to face the winner between him and Nurmagomedov - but is not confident the Irishman will want to face Khabib, 31, again.
He told ESPN: "I think he'll fight again, he should wait for the winner of me and Khabib. If I win, I think he definitely comes back; if Khabib wins, I don't know, I'm not sure about that."
