‘Who’s your favorite fighter’s favorite fighter?’. The only right answer to that question is Justin Gaethje. Even as he steps into the octagon with only a few fights left in him, the crowd at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas is sure to let ‘The Highlight’ know exactly how they feel about him. This is regardless of a win or lose situation. But what makes him so special?
Former UFC welterweight champion and his long-time teammate, Kamaru Usman, believes it’s because of the high-octane action he brings into the octagon.
Nothing moves a crowd like a gladiator living up to the reputation of the name bestowed upon him. ‘The Highlight’ is an embodiment of that truth. His fighting style is the epitome of controlled chaos.
The relentless forward pressure, complimented by devastating leg kicks and powerful striking, has led to memorable bouts, including his wars with Dustin Poirier and the unforgettable clash with Michael Chandler. Ahead of his fight against Rafael Fiziev next Sunday, Usman believes fans will get exactly the same when Gaethje returns to the octagon, making for must-watch TV.
Also giving Fiziev his flowers for a similar style, Usman said, “I think this is something that especially both of these guys they do so well. They love to create that chaos when they step inside there.”
The former champ, however, notes that Fiziev has yet to face someone as relentless as Gaethje.
“We all know Justin Gaethje is your favorite fighter’s favorite fighter because he brings you into the chaos, takes you into deep waters and drowns you and Fiziev got to experience that.”, he added.
Unfortunately, if this fight goes the same way the last fight did for Gaethje, it might be the last time we see the 36-year-old in the UFC colosseum.
Time is catching up to Gaethje
After more than half a year away from the octagon following his brutal last-second knockout loss to Max Holloway at UFC 300, Gaethje is well aware that another loss like that could spell the end of his run.
That Holloway fight is remembered as an all-time classic, ending with Gaethje losing his BMF title to a last-second KO.
While the fight is going to be remembered for that moment, it should be noted that the former interim 155 lbs champion truly struggled throughout the entire duration of the fight.
Holloway had his number right off the gate. And the opportunity to brawl in the last 10 seconds was only a courtesy in recognition of Gaethje accepting the fight when he didn’t have to.
Gaethje has taken an unparalleled amount of punishment throughout his career, and for the first time ever at UFC 300, he looked worse for the wear. Of course, everyone, including the fighter himself, hopes that it was only a blip on the radar and that Holloway was just too good on the night.
But if it is not, how far does Gaethje want to push fate?
In an interview with Kevin Iole, Gaethje has asserted that he didn’t want to end his career on a sad note, face planted on the canvas, unconscious with buckets of blood spraying out of his nose.
Remember when you were wondering why they weren’t showing Justin knocked out? Here’s what they didn’t show @Justin_Gaethje @BlessedMMA pic.twitter.com/ET51akOISP
— UPFRONT MMA (@upfrontmma) March 1, 2025
However, he also doesn’t want to make the ending of that fight a recurring event.
“If it happens again, I’m sure that will be it,” Gaethje admitted. He also emphasized the importance of rest, saying, “The human body is resilient. The six months I took off were very healthy for me.”
Fortunately for Gaethje, he already holds a win over Fiziev, having edged him out in a war at UFC 286. He knows his pressure-heavy style causes problems for Fiziev, and at UFC 313, he’ll be looking to do it all over again.
