Justin to take out the trash

JUSTIN GAETHJE has aimed a verbal volley of his own at trash-talking opponent James Vick.

The two Americans meet in an eagerly-awaited lightweight contest at UFC Fight Night 135 in Lincoln, Nebraska, early on Sunday morning.

Vick says that seventhranked Gaethje isn’t fit to be in the top 10 and has also claimed that he is a B-level fighter with no world-class skills.

But former WSOF champion Gaethje poured scorn on the comments of the 31-year-old Texan, saying: “He just doesn’t get it.

“After the things he’s been saying, I just can’t wait to put him to sleep. He just doesn’t understand how I’ve earned everything I have achieved.

“I have earned three opponents in the top five and I have earned three main events, so I feel my credentials speak for themselves.

“I have also earned four Fight Night bonuses. Yet he still doesn’t seem to understand and, for some odd reason, he feels entitled.”

Gaethje believes that ‘The Texecutioner’ will regret some of those comments.

He said: “Someone around him should say to him not to down-talk me

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because all the s**t he has been talking will backfire if he loses.

“He’s just been putting more pressure on himself. That’s why I’m excited to put him to sleep when we get in the octagon together.”

Gaethje will be attempting to halt a two-fight losing streak following knockouts at the hands of Eddie Alvarez – the first defeat of his MMA career – and Dustin Poirier.

The 29-year-old says he will be a lot more focused against Vick, adding: “I landed some huge uppercuts against Alvarez and then I got too relaxed.

“The same thing happened with Poirier. I should have learned my lesson but I got in there and I got too comfortable.

“I need to go into a fight and I need to be scared at all times. I need to understand it can happen with one shot, so my focus is to stay vigilant.”

Vick, a replacement for the injured Al Iaquinta, goes into the bout on the back of four straight wins, the most recent over Francisco Trinaldo in February.