Just prior to UFC 249, Conor McGregor told UFC president Dana White that he wanted to get back inside the octagon. Following the event, it appears that MMA’s biggest star has landed on his ideal opponent.

McGregor has targeted Justin Gaethje, calling out the fighter on Twitter Monday afternoon. Gaethje defeated Tony Ferguson for the interim UFC lightweight championship Saturday night in the UFC 249 main event.

Gaethje has another fight on his mind. Instead of going after the UFC’s top draw, the 31-year-old wants to face off with UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov.

Nurmagomedov won the 155-pound title two years ago and has been victorious in all 27 of his professional MMA fights. His first successful title defense came at UFC 229 when Nurmagomedov submitted McGregor in the fourth round.

McGregor returned to the cage at UFC 246, where he knocked out Donald Cerrone in 40 seconds. Gaethje had been hoping to be the fighter that would face off with McGregor that night.

“He had his chance for that, and he picked Cowboy [in January],” Gaethje's manager Ali Abdelaziz told ESPN’s Brett Okamoto, regarding McGregor’s challenge. “He picked the easier fight. The two kings of the division are going to fight in Khabib and Justin. Conor can be the co-main event.”

Gaethje was dominant in Saturday’s victory over Ferguson, improving his career record to 22-2. The interim champ has recorded four straight knockouts since losing to Dustin Poirier on April 14, 2018.

UFC 250 is the next scheduled pay-per-view, set for June 6.

Ireland's Conor McGregor celebrates his first round TKO victory against American Donald Cerrone in a welterweight bout during UFC246 in Las Vegas
Ireland's Conor McGregor celebrates his first round TKO victory against American Donald Cerrone in a welterweight bout during UFC246 in Las Vegas GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Steve Marcus
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