Justin Gaethje has sought to employ a more patient approach in some of his recent fights, but ahead of his rematch with Rafael Fiziev in the co-main event of UFC 313 this weekend in Las Vegas he’s vowed to ditch that in favor of a return to a more aggressive style.
“I don’t think it’s very different,” Gaethje told CBS Sports regarding what will change in the rematch with Fiziev compared to his previous majority decision win over him back in 2023. “I think he’s got some of the best striking skills, and he’s one of the most dynamic strikers in the UFC at this weight class. I think it’s going to be very similar. I think I’ve got to really control his feet and control the pace and trust in my cardio. I’ve been working so hard, and my confidence in my ability to sprint for 15 minutes is going to be a huge factor here.
“I think I fell into a tendency to not move forward as much as I should in this sport, and if you look at the champions, they’re moving forward 70 to 80 percent of the time, and I think that has to be implemented if you want to be successful in the sport. With Chandler and Fiziev, I kind of found success with being safer, and ultimately that’s not the answer.”
The 36-year-old Gaethje went on to suggest he plans to bring back some of the ultra-aggressive approach to fighting that was seen during his rampaging run through the WSOF promotion prior to joining the UFC between 2013-2017.
“If you watched the World Series of Fighting Gaethje, that’s who you’re going to see, but just more refined,” Gaethje said. “I obviously have much better skills than I did in those days, and that’s that’s my mindset.”
