With Justin Gaethje entering his Freedom 250 fight as a major underdog against Ilia Topuria, Team USA hockey icon Mike Eruzione is offering the UFC star advice straight from the 1980 'Miracle on Ice' playbook.
Gaethje, an American fighter, told TMZ Sports he wanted to channel the same underdog spirit that propelled Eruzione's Olympic squad to victory. Now, the gold medalist is returning the favor.
'I know a little bit about Justin. He's a mean man. He's a tough, tough guy,' Eruzione said. 'When I hear that kind of stuff, I just tell people to embrace the challenge. That's what we did. We weren't afraid of it. We were excited about it.'
The 1980 Olympic captain added, 'If you think you're going to lose, you probably will. So despite the fact that nobody thought we could win, let's play the game and let's find out.'
Eruzione's team crushed all odds in Lake Placid, beating the Soviet Union — widely considered the greatest hockey team ever — before taking home the gold. He believes Gaethje can tap into that same mindset.
'My advice to him is go out and fight. See what happens. But embrace the challenge. Embrace the opportunity. Cherish it. Enjoy it. Get pissed off,' Eruzione said.
Gaethje faces Topuria at the Freedom 250 event, set to take place at the White House. The betting lines heavily favor the Spanish fighter, but Eruzione insists an upset is possible.
'We proved that anything can happen.'