Justin Gaethje is on a mission to capture the UFC lightweight championship, and this time, he sees a clearer path to victory—against Islam Makhachev, not Khabib Nurmagomedov.
First, Justin Gaethje Must Get Past Dan Hooker at UFC 313
Before he can get that title shot, Gaethje must first handle business against Dan Hooker at UFC 313 on March 8 in Las Vegas. This five-round co-main event could be his ticket back to the top, but “The Highlight” knows the stakes are higher than ever.
Gaethje has already fought for undisputed gold twice, falling short to Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 254 and Charles Oliveira at UFC 274—both by submission. However, he’s convinced that Makhachev presents a better stylistic matchup for him than Khabib ever did.
Why Gaethje Believes Makhachev is the Better Matchup
I think Khabib was probably the one that I felt even if I performed better, I’m not sure that if I could’ve beaten him that night specifically,” Gaethje admitted. “That night that I fought Khabib, I would say he is my toughest opponent to date.
While Gaethje remains one of the few fighters to take a round off Khabib, he admits that defeating “The Eagle” may have never been in the cards.
The Road to UFC Gold: One More Shot at the Title?
With Hooker standing in his way, Gaethje knows he must deliver a statement win to get another crack at UFC gold. If he does, Islam Makhachev better be ready—because Gaethje believes this time, the belt is his for the taking.
