Insider information on Justin Gaethje’s mindset after KO loss gets revealed ahead of UFC 313

Justin Gaethje is gearing up for his comeback that will take place this Saturday at the co-main event of UFC 313. The former lightweight title contender will take on an old rival, Rafael Fiziev, for three rounds and the hype is huge. Given his last loss, there are multiple assumptions about Gaethje’s game plan going into the fight night.

Gaethje has the reputation of being a violent fighter, who prioritizes fans’ entertainment over his personal win. The American fighter often participates in wild exchanges, and finds himself in bloody wars. In a recent podcast episode, UFC legend Michael Bisping talked about Gaethje’s old mindset, which was not prevalent in his last few fights.

Justin Gaethje comes from a wrestling background, but he rarely uses it offensively. Instead, he relies on his landing power punches to stun his opponents. While effective, it also leaves him open to taking significant damage. The accumulation of these injuries could affect his performance in future fights.

Recently, fans have seen something similar happen to UFC veteran Tony Ferguson who lost eight fights in a row. Gaethje is 36 years old, and has already declared that he only has a few fights in his tank. It would be interesting to see how he performs against Fiziev this Saturday.

Rafael Fiziev is grateful to Justin Gaethje for giving him the rematch

Justin Gaethje was originally scheduled to fight Dan Hooker at UFC 313. However, due to a hand injury, the ‘Hangman’ had to pull out, and the UFC were desperate for a replacement. While few lightweights showed interest, it was Rafael Fiziev who was finally given the opportunity.

Fiziev and Gaethje have already fought each other in the past, when the ‘Highlight’ won via majority decision. It was a brutal war which went on for three rounds and this time it could go to a different level. In a recent interview, the Azerbaijan national shared thoughts on the fight. 

"I want to go and shake the hands of Justin and say… Bro, you give me this chance again, man. I'm not deserving of it and you give me this chance… Wow, thank you so much."

Rafael Fiziev is grateful for this opportunity against Justin Gaethje 🤝 pic.twitter.com/nSsquzn4aS

— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) March 3, 2025

Fiziev has lost two of his last fights. As such, he needs a win, and beating Gaethje would definitely boost his rankings. On the other hand, Gaethje is focused on getting a title shot against Islam Makhachev. According to him, finishing Fiziev can possibly land him a title opportunity as the lightweight drama is at an all-time high. 

Related: 3 reasons Tony Ferguson’s GFL move would help the fighter

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