"You always want that one back" - Justin Gaethje wishes for "dream" rematch with Max Holloway above all other fights
Justin Gaethje is longing for a rematch against Max Holloway, ranking it above all other potential bouts.
Last month at UFC 300, Gaethje suffered a brutal knockout in the closing seconds of the BMF title fight against Holloway. Despite being ahead on the scorecards, Holloway gestured toward the canvas, urging 'The Highlight' to meet him in the center of the octagon for a final exchange as the fight neared its conclusion.
The culmination was a knockout, causing Gaethje to collapse onto the canvas with only one second left in the fifth and final round.
Gaethje also endured a broken nose early in the bout and absorbed over 180 significant strikes. However, the 35-year-old Arizona native is already on the path to recovery, finding solace in his second passion: golf.
During a recent episode of Full Send Golf, 'The Highlight' was asked about his "dream UFC matchup." Gaethje remarked that he's faced nearly all the top contenders in his weight class but wouldn't hesitate to entertain a rematch with 'Blessed':
"It's hard to picture myself fighting with someone from a different era. I mean, I already fought most of the people I would have answered, like [Donald] 'Cowboy' Cerrone, [Edson] Barboza, Eddie [Alvarez], Dustin [Poirier], you know, Max."
He added:
"I wouldn't mind getting the Max fight back, but that's probably because of recency bias from my last loss, so you always want that one back. I got Poirier beat me, and I got to get that one back. That was nice. Give it a redemption. Not often do you get that chance in the sport."
Check out Justin Gaethje's comments below (6:32):
Prior to UFC 300, Gaethje secured two consecutive victories, including a triumph over 'The Diamond' in a rematch at UFC 291 last July, where he captured the BMF title.
Justin Gaethje discusses Max Holloway's challenge in the closing seconds of their bout at UFC 300
During a recent appearance on the LeBatardShow, Justin Gaethje said that he couldn't have turned down Max Holloway's bold exchange invitation in the final moments of their UFC 300 bout:
"When that happened, my mind just went off, of course. I did the flip-kick, and he pointed. I jogged to the center. Luckily, we said it many times before that this was going to be the people's main event. I said it's going to be the best live show on Earth; it was just that."
He added:
"Because it was two guys that are absolute competitors, and we have been doing this for so long. I just think there was no other option. Someone points to the ground like that, and there’s no way that I’m not going to accept that challenge."
Check out Justin Gaethje's comments below:
Check out the entire interview below: