“I have no regrets” - Justin Gaethje owns up to viral UFC 300 KO loss against Max Holloway
As the wrong side of the most viral moment of UFC 300, Justin Gaethje is entirely content with the way everything has played out.
To break the silence after his knockout loss to Max Holloway on April 13, Gaethje spoke with the Sports Illustrated affiliate MMA Knockout. The now-former BMF champion said he has "no regrets" and described the experience of fighting Holloway as "fun."
Gaethje said:
"A lot of people in my position would've sat out and not taken that fight but I have no regrets. I had so much fun. It was such a huge, historic card for the UFC. To be a part of that [and] to be the best fight on that card, it's going to live on forever."
Check out Justin Gaethje's comments below:
Immediately following the conclusion of UFC 300, Dana White announced that UFC 302 would be headlined by Islam Makhachev and Dustin Poirier for the lightweight championship. Gaethje entered the fight with Holloway off a knockout win over Poirier at UFC 291.
Giving his thoughts on Poirier receiving the title fight, Gaethje continued:
"It was a huge risk, you know, and I failed. If I would've won that fight, I would've had [a fight with Islam Makhachev]. But that's the name of the game. I'm happy for Dustin [Poirier], good for him. Somebody had to fight [Makhachev]. I think no matter what, win or lose, it would pretty much be impossible to turn around and fight in five to six weeks."
Justin Gaethje insists he will not retire after UFC 300 loss
In the same interview with MMA Knockout, Justin Gaethje addressed retirement rumors and confirmed that he had not even considered leaving the sport and has no plans on changing his fight style.
'The Highlight' said it is 'not possible' to change the way he approaches fights and called his performances 'the best live show on Earth.'
The loss was the fifth of Gaethje's career and third by knockout but marked the first time he had been put unconscious by a single punch. In his previous defeats, Gaethje was finished by TKO by both Dustin Poirier and Eddie Alvarez while getting submitted in his two UFC title opportunities by Khabib Nurmagomedov and Charles Oliveira.