Justin Gaethje’s decision to defend the symbolic ‘BMF’ title against Max Holloway at UFC 300 rather than wait for a lightweight title shot backfired in disastrous fashion when he was soundly beaten over five rounds before being KO’d in the very last second, but ‘The Highlight’ insists he has no regrets.
“[It’s a] crazy game, you know?” Gaethje told MMA Knockout. “I think a lot of people in my position would have set out not taking [the Holloway fight]. I have no regrets. I think it was — I had so much fun I think it was such a huge historic card for the UFC. And to be a part of that, to be the best fight on that card is gonna live on forever.
“And again, it was a huge risk, I failed, and if I would have won that fight, if I’d got a quick knockout, I would have been taking that fight [with Islam Makhachev] but it’s just the name of the game.”
Gaethje’s loss was Dustin Poirier’s gain as he’s since swiftly been announced as the next challenger for lightweight champion Makhachev instead.
That’s got to be somewhat of a bitter pill for Gaethje to swallow given that he KO’d Poirier last year to win the BMF belt, but he’s not letting it get to him.
“I’m happy for Dustin,” Gaethje said. “Good for him. Somebody had to fight. I think no matter what we’re gonna lose. He (Makhachev) was going to be early, it was gonna be pretty much impossible [to make that fight in 5-6 weeks turnaround].
“This is the way that UFC wanted to go. So I guess, you know, I can’t complain about it because I don’t want to sound like — I really have no complaints because it is what it is. I’m not gonna let it eat me up.”
As for what comes next, Gaethje isn’t thinking about his next opponent yet, but he has vowed to continue his all-action striking style despite the brutal nature of his recent loss.
“I mean, [it] was certainly a war,” Gaethje said. “Certainly the definition of a war, especially getting put to sleep like that. That definitely counted as one. Yeah, but I’m not done. I’m gonna fight in the future — and that’s the only way that I fight.
“Even if I wanted to change how I fight, it’s really not possible. That’s how I compete. It’s how I’ve competed since I was a kid. So, the next time I step in there, you know, the best live show on Earth. We’ll see if I have as good a dance partner as I had this last weekend. But yeah, my intentions will be the same.”
