LAS VEGAS — American fan-favorite mixed martial artist Justin Gaethje says he’s ready to embrace the “dangerous” elements of fighting again ahead of UFC 313 on Saturday night, when the former champion will be back on the main card.
Gaethje, who was knocked out in his last fight by Max Holloway, said on Thursday that he wants to embrace the mindset he had when he first started fighting professionally. At UFC 313, brought to you in part by Jeremy’s Razors, the Official Razor Partner of UFC, the seasoned former champ says he won’t be scared to take a punch.
Gaethje says he “fell into” the mindset of, “If I don’t get hit, then I can last longer.” But he now believes that mindset was no way to win a fight.
“You know, you have to be willing to take the risk,” Gaethje said. “This is a very risky game. This is a very dangerous game. That was my favorite part of the whole thing when I first started this thing thirteen years ago, how dangerous it is. I kinda forgot that a little bit.”
UFC 313 promo image
The fighter, an outspoken supporter of President Donald Trump, will face-off against Rafael Fiziev on Saturday night. The pair fought two years ago at UFC 286 in London, with Gaethje winning by decision.
Fiziev, asked about his loss to Gaethje, recalled that he couldn’t escape Gaethje’s jabs. “Last time, I smashed my face on his hand,” said Fiziev, an Azerbaijani fighter.
Despite his win in their last fight, Gaethje is the underdog in the fight, but said he embraces that too.
“I’m 6-3 as an underdog, it’s a special place to be,” Gaethje said. “I’m only up here because I’ve been a petty dude for big parts of my life. I take sh*t personal, and that’s just extra motivation.”
Gaethje’s last fight ended in a brutal knockout, and it’s still fresh on his mind. Less than a week ago, he reshared footage of himself out cold in the Octagon, calling it a “reminder” of what’s at stake.
Great reminder of what’s at stake. Live by the sword die by the sword. It’s all I know. https://t.co/audGNaQjQG
— Justin Gaethje 🇺🇸 (@Justin_Gaethje) March 1, 2025
“Great reminder of what’s at stake,” he wrote. “Live by the sword die by the sword. It’s all I know.”
Gaethje, now 36 years old, was also asked whether he believes he’s close to retirement, referencing a joke he made about running out of room for posters of headline UFC events he’s been on. Gaethje said running out of space just means he needs to buy a bigger house.
When asked whether he believes he’s close to retirement, Gaethje, now 36 years old, referenced a joke he made about running out of room for posters of UFC events he’s headlined. He said running out of space just means he needs to buy a bigger house.
“Shoot, this is probably the tenth poster I’ve made it on,” Gaethje recalled. “It’s pretty spectacular for me.”
Early prelims begin on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. ET, and prelims kick off an hour later. The main event is scheduled to start at 10:00 p.m. ET, and all matches will be streaming live on ESPN+. Tune in. It’ll be a night — and a fight — to remember!
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