Justin Gaethje insists he’s not done fighting yet after losing to Max Holloway at UFC 300.
It wasn’t that long ago that The Highlight revealed he had “one or two” wars left before considering retirement — and in an interview with MMAKnockout’s Matt Riddle, he said: He “definitely acknowledged” the fight with Holloway “is considered a war.
Q: You said a while ago that you only have one or two wars left. Do you think Max Holloway’s fight is a war, can fans expect any more classic Gaethje performances?
“In other words, [it] It was definitely a war,” Gaethje said. “Certainly the definition of war, especially being put to sleep like that. That definitely counted as one. Yes, but it’s not over yet. I’m going to keep fighting–and that’s the only way I’m going to fight.” It’s a method.
“So even if I wanted to change the way I fight, I really can’t. That’s the way I fight. That’s how I’ve fought since I was a kid. So the next time I step out there, I want to be the best.” It’s going to be live.” We’ll see if we have as good dance partners as we had last weekend at the show on Earth. But yeah, my intention is the same. ”
Gaethje claimed he is focused on his recovery and not thinking about who he will fight next.
Justin Gaethje reflects on KOing Max Holloway and breaking his nose at UFC 300
A major turning point in Gaethje’s UFC 300 performance was the broken nose he sustained at the end of round one. The injury appeared to hamper Gaethje’s style, famous for chewing on his gum shield and swinging toward the bleachers.
Max Holloway destroyed Justin Gaethje’s nose with seconds left in the first round.
Mark J. Revillas-USA TODAY Sports
Q: In terms of recovery, I think the broken nose in round 1 was bad, but you fought for another 20 minutes. How much did it negatively affect your performance in the match?
“I don’t know how much it negatively affected my performance,” Gaethje replied. “But I’m in a very competitive mindset. And when something like that happens, you kind of have to let it go. You don’t think about it too much, ’cause Because you’re still fighting, there’s still problems.” There’s more danger at hand.
“I think the human body does something very special when it understands and senses danger. It triggers a fight-or-flight response, and I always choose to fight. [The broken nose doesn’t matter] Because it’s much deeper than an artificial wound, what you’re fighting for.
“Whenever you find yourself in a situation like that, you go to a special place. [it] It’s the worst, but it disappears after processing. It’s especially bad right after the round ends because you have to go back to your corner and sit and think, and you only have 60 seconds to really understand what happened.
“…it definitely got him [Holloway] A certain amount of momentum. He fought a perfect battle that was nearly impossible for me to regain that momentum. ”
Despite Holloway hitting the deck in the fourth round, no knockdown was scored in Gaethje’s favor.
Mark J. Revillas-USA TODAY Sports
Despite holding the record for landing and absorbing significant strikes, Holloway has yet to receive a knockdown or knockout in his professional career. Gaethje appeared to end his winning streak in the fourth round when he sat the Hawaiian and landed a right hook to the temple, but the UFC did not record it as a knockdown.
Q: What do you think about the fourth round with Holloway on his butt? And although the UFC doesn’t record it as a knockdown, do you feel you might have been usurped as the first man to knock down Max Holloway?
“Yeah, I think if this fight goes into the UFC Hall of Fame as one of the best fights of the year, it’ll be known that we both lost,” Gaethje explained. “But he put me to sleep. There’s nothing better than that. So he was definitely the winner. And I’m not going to get mad about the semantics. I think obviously he went down with strikes, but that That’s it. “
In a new collaboration with OFTV, Gaethje will show off the technique behind the punching power that dropped Holloway at UFC 300. “The Highlights” will be featured on an episode of “Rise & Grind,” a show focused on providing insight into the lives of elite athletes.
“Yeah, that’s the main focus of all our videos,” Gaethje said when asked about teaching punching power. “My coach is very different from other coaches that I have worked out with or that I have observed and tried to understand. That’s what we teach, and we’re definitely going to share it.”
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