UFC lightweight Justin Gaethje had a bit of a rollercoaster coming into UFC 313 with his original opponent pulling out, but he gets a rematch instead against Rafael Fiziev on Saturday night.
It doesn’t mean Gaethje didn’t have at least some doubts that he would get to fight at UFC 313 once Dan Hooker withdrew due to injury.
“I think there was a small amount of time that I was a little bit doubtful that we would figure something out,” Gaethje told reporters including Cageside Press on Wednesday.
“In my mind I was still fighting. I had to stay in that mindset that I was still going to war March 8th. I really relied on my coach and my manager to figure it out. I told them take the lead and don’t even involve me in the conversation.”
Gaethje (25-5) comes off an epic war with Max Holloway at UFC 300. A war which he ultimately lost via last-second knockout. Nearly a year later he was scheduled to fight Dan Hooker. Once Hooker pulled out some thought Gaethje would be smart to keep the matchup for later.
Gaethje didn’t think so.
“I think if I started to worry about the risks then I would just retire. This is a very risky sport and I love the intensity that it brings. I’ve been yearning to get back in there and feel that,” he said.
Leading up to fight week Gaethje said in interviews that fans should look for ‘World Series of Fighting’ Gaethje to show up with some tweaks.
“Just think the aggressive mentality. I just watched the Max fight today for the first time. I think I fought really well he was just so great he fought really well that night. Even if I go back to that guy I’m still a much more refined athlete,” he said.
“With that aggressive style and my skills being much more refined and much more accurate that(s) a dangerous combination.”
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Watch the entire media day scrum with Justin Gaethje above. He takes on Rafael Fiziev at UFC 313 on Saturday night.
