Justin Gaethje claims that his fighting style has a lot to do with his past success as a fighter.
Arguably one of the biggest fan favorites in the history of the sport, Gaethje is known for donning the shield every time he steps into the Octagon. Despite being a former NCAA Division I wrestler from the University of Northern Colorado, Gaethje is rarely seen displaying his grappling skills. The former BMF champion instead chose to participate in a brutal slugfest that produced some of the best highlights in the promotion’s history.
Gaethje recently explained that despite having the skill set, he doesn’t want to take a wrestling-focused approach. According to The Highlight, most of the money he makes now is due to his fighting style.
“This is my job. I’m doing it for the money. And when I try to take a wrestling approach, they [UFC] They’ll never pay me the amount they’re paying me now,” Gaethje told Title Sports Network. “I have had some big matches because of the way I fought, so I have no regrets.”
Ironically, it was Gaethje’s wrestling that earned him the nickname “The Highlight.”
“The crazy thing is, I got that nickname when I was a pure wrestler,” Gaethje said. “I’ve picked people up and hit them in the head. I’ve had two knockouts from slams early in my career, so that’s definitely the point. [the nickname] I came from “
Gaethje was next in line to win the lightweight title when he decided to put the BMF title on the line against Max Holloway at UFC 300 last month. Gaethje suffered a one-sided beatdown against “Blessed,” but true to his reputation, he slugged it out until he was knocked out called in the final seconds.
