Justin Gaethje Plans Time Away From Octagon After Brutal Holloway Loss
Justin Gaethje is targeting a return to the UFC octagon, but the former interim lightweight champion isn’t planning on rushing back after a brutal knockout loss to Max Holloway at UFC 300.
Gaethje suffered a last-second defeat to Holloway in the fight for the BMF title earlier this month. The fight left Gaethje with a broken nose and absorbing a significant amount of punishment throughout the fight.
While unable to provide a specific timeline for his return, Gaethje indicated he will likely spend the remainder of 2024 focused on recovery, prioritizing his health over immediate training.
“I could be ready tomorrow, metaphorically,” Gaethje told MMA Hangout. “But physically, I do want to take care of myself. I do think that repeated concussions, with me going to sleep like that, me receiving that shot, it would be foolish for me to jump back into training anytime before 180 days.”
Gaethje plans to stay in shape through alternative training methods, but emphasized the need to limit physical contact in the near future.
“I could do cardio, I can stay in shape, that’s what I want to try and do,” Gaethje said. “[Especially with] the older I get, the harder it is to get back to the best shape of my life, so I want to stay active.
Obviously the physical contact is going to be limited for quite some time, just because I want to preserve myself. … I think six months, at least, before I get back to taking shots. But that doesn’t say that I won’t be training the whole time.”
Prior to the Holloway fight, Gaethje was considered the top contender for the lightweight title currently held by Islam Makhachev. The lightweight division is known for its depth of talent, and Gaethje’s absence from the octagon could make it difficult for him to reclaim his position at the top.
An upcoming fight between Dustin Poirier and Makhachev at UFC 302 could offer an interesting turn of events for Gaethje. A Poirier victory could potentially lead to a third fight between Gaethje and Poirier, who are currently tied after two meetings.
“It’s a crazy game,” Gaethje said. “We’ll see how that Dustin [and] Makhachev fight goes. Crazy game.”
