Five years have passed since Justin Gaethje faced Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 254, a fight that ended with him tapping to a triangle choke. Despite landing heavy shots and making it competitive, Gaethje acknowledges just how tough the challenge was.
During a recent Q&A session on YouTube, Gaethje opened up about his experience against Nurmagomedov, admitting how difficult the fight was for him.
“I think Khabib was probably [was the toughest],” Gaethje admitted. “Even if I performed better I’m not sure I could have beat him on that night. So that night, when I fought Khabib [Nurmagomedov], he was one of the toughest opponents to date.”
Since Nurmagomedov’s retirement, his longtime training partner and protégé, Islam Makhachev, has taken over the UFC lightweight division, successfully defending his title four times. Gaethje now finds himself in a world ruled by Makhachev and sees an opportunity to test himself once again.
Gaethje Wants a Shot at Islam Makhachev
While Gaethje recognizes the challenge that Nurmagomedov posed, he believes that Makhachev could be a more favorable matchup for him.
“I wanna fight Makhachev. I do believe that is a better matchup for me than Khabib,” Gaethje said.
With 13 UFC bonuses to his name, Gaethje has been a constant force in the lightweight division. Since his loss to Nurmagomedov, he’s had ups and downs, including a highlight-reel knockout win over Dustin Poirier at UFC 291. However, he was on the receiving end of a brutal last-second knockout by Max Holloway at UFC 300 in their BMF title fight.
Despite that setback, Gaethje remains focused on climbing back into title contention. But before he can think about Makhachev, he has business to handle at UFC 313.
Gaethje is set to make his return against Dan Hooker at UFC 313 on March 8. Though Hooker may not have the same star power as Gaethje’s previous opponents, he’s been on a resurgence and presents a dangerous test.
For Hooker, a win over Gaethje could propel him into the title picture. Meanwhile, for Gaethje, it’s a must-win scenario. A loss could push him further down the rankings, making his dream of fighting Makhachev even harder to reach.
With his back against the wall, Gaethje knows what’s at stake. If he wants a shot at redemption, he has to get past Hooker first.
