Justin Gaethje Dismisses Max Holloway Loss as ‘Exhibition Fight,’ Urges Dana White for Islam Makhachev Title Fight

Ross Markey | 12/03/2025
Justin Gaethje (red gloves) reacts after fighting Rafael Fiziev (not pictured) during UFC 313 at T-Mobile Arena.

Returning to winning was over the weekend, Justin Gaethje has made a bold claim regarding his infamous knockout loss to Max Holloway last year. Co-headlining UFC 313, Gaethje managed to narrowly edge out Kazakh striker Rafael Fiziev in their second fight, taking home a unanimous decision win.

And with that victory to boot, Arizona veteran Gaethje returned to the winner’s enclosure for the first time since last April. On that occasion, i.e., the main event of UFC 300, Gaethje would be finished in spectacular fashion in his BMF title defense against Holloway.

Dropping a final second, buzzer-beating stoppage win, Holloway would finish the former interim lightweight champion and make a case for challenging for UFC gold himself. Gaethje, on the other hand, would have to take 6 months off the octagon.

However, in his pursuit of a title fight with the lightweight champion, Islam Makhachev, he had made a surprising admission.

According to him, his loss to Holloway should be more or less disregarded when it comes to his title merits. The perennial contender has claimed the pairing should be viewed as an “exhibition” fight more than anything else.

“I won 3 out of my last 4, only losing in an exhibition fight,” Justin Gaethje posted on X. “I have to fight for the belt. @danawhite I am ready.”, he added. 

Interestingly, despite labelling the loss as virtually insignificant, Gaethje obviously considered its sizeable enough to weigh up his future. Prior to his return at UFC 313, the veteran claimed that if he were to be finished brutally again, hanging up his gloves for good would be on the table.
However, as the 3rd-ranked lightweight fighter in the world, a shot at the champion in perhaps the last big hurrah of his career is something he feels he’s warranted.

Gaethje campaigns for lightweight title fight

The Highlight has beaten both Dustin Poirier and Fiziev in the last two years, beyond his loss to Holloway.

Retaining his place amongst the lightweight elite over the weekend, Gaethje has made it abundantly clear who he wants to stand opposite in his next Octagon walk.

Emerging as a fresh contender to the lightweight crown against the dominant Makhachev, Gaethje laid out his chances of actually beating the Russian over the weekend.

“I want to fight for the belt obviously, it’s a much different matchup than I just had,” Gaethje said after UFC 313.

“They tried to give me a donut, I took a bit but I gotta get back to running if I’m going to fight Makhachev,” he joked but with the realization that the task was cut out for him.

“I have to get my Jiu-Jitsu coach out here, really it’s just confidence. He’s a tough matchup for anyone. He’s so good, so strong. Going to have to have a perfect night if I want to beat him,” added Gaethje.

Having previously succumbed to Makhachev’s head coach, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Gaethje knows his work is cut out already.

Unmoved as a lightweight champion, Makhachev would likely close as a sizeable favorite over Gaethje. But the American would very likely be his toughest challenge till date.

Post Edited By: Smrutisnat Jena
Islam Makhachev Justin Gaethje Max Holloway

About the author

Ross Markey

Ross Markey is a combat sports reporter based out of the Republic of Ireland, boasting more than 9 years experience covering a host of sports including football, boxing, and mixed martial arts. Ross has attended numerous live mixed martial arts events in the past during his tenure in the industry and his coverage of the UFC in particular spans a wide array of topics, reports, and editorials.

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