Khabib Nurmagomedov made the most of his wrestling and Sambo skills in the UFC and retired undefeated. He took men to deep waters and discovered themselves. But even though this is a tried and tested method, former BMF champion Justin Gaethje will never follow in the steps of the Dagestani.
Gaethje who also has a strong wrestling background has revealed that while he could do it, adopting Khabib’s style wouldn’t be the best financial decision for his career.
Simply put, Geathje much like his nickname – ‘The Highlight’ – is all for adrenaline-induced slugfests that the layman MMA fan comes to see and so, he fights the way he fights.
“You know, this is my job, I do this for the money and if I was to take a heavy wrestling approach they would never be paying me so, I’ve had huge fights pretty much because of the way that I fight so I’ve no regrets.”
Adopting a grappling-focused style wouldn’t excite the crowd as much as a high-paced fistfight, like the one he gave the fandom at UFC 300. He admits that fighting is his job and he does this for money. So it’s his balls-to-the-wall attitude and striking focused fighting style that gets the fans rallying behind him, ultimately earning him a fat paycheck.
In fact, when he met the then lightweight champion, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Gaethje decided to stand and trade but ultimately succumbed to the Dagestani’s superior grappling game.
Regardless, now that he’s been KOed in a brutal fashion against Holloway at UFC 300, fans have been wanting to know when he could make a comeback and entertain them again.
In response, the American provided them with a timeline for return to the octagon
Justin Gaethje reveals the timeframe for his return
As of right now, Gaethje is taking some time off to recover after the vicious last-round KO. Now, after receiving that much damage, getting his nose battered and his brain scrambled, Gaethje admits is not rushing things and is enjoying his time off golfing in Paris.
But he then revealed the timeline for his return.
“I would say end of the year, early next year, I’m in no rush. Obviously with the fight that I just had I want to take the time, rest my body, rest my head and get fired up again and go back in there and work my hardest.”
You simply cannot give Gaethje enough credit for his work ethic. When fighters enjoy living in opulence, and spending their riches, Gaethje is the type of fighter ready to take on more challenges even after such a devastating loss.
