Justin Gaethje heads into UFC 313 next week hoping to make a statement and earn a title shot against Islam Makhachev.
Gaethje (25-5 MMA, 8-5 UFC) was originally scheduled to face Dan Hooker in a 5-round co-main event at T-Mobile Arena next week. However, the New Zealander suffered a hand injury and was forced to withdraw.
Rafael Fiziev (12-3 MMA, 6-3 UFC) has stepped up to save the fight and will take Hooker's place on March 8th. The bout will now be a 3-round contest due to the short-notice opponent switch.
Gaethje and Fiziev have faced each other once before, with Gaethje coming out on top after a brutal encounter at UFC 286 nearly two years ago. "The Highlight" followed up that victory by knocking out Dustin Poirier to claim the BMF title at UFC 291, a win that positioned him as the number 1 contender for lightweight champion Islam Makhachev's belt.
Gaethje's position was put on the line when he agreed to face Max Holloway at UFC 300 last April, a decision that backfired as he was knocked out in the final moments of their epic 25-minute battle.
Now, on the eve of his comeback fight, Gaethje remains confident that a dominant win over Fiziev next week will put him back in title contention at 155 pounds.
“I mean, I’m always shooting for Makhachev. Right now, he’s the champion,” Gaethje said during an appearance on The Jim Rome Show earlier this week. “And we saw with Poirier, I beat him and then he fought for the belt. I think timing is such a huge factor in this sport.
“With Charles (Oliveira) already losing to him twice, him being ahead of me; (Arman) Tsarukyan having his chance and pulling out the day of the fight or the night before, is definitely detrimental to his chances; (Ilia) Topuria coming up (to lightweight) and Makhachev saying he needs to fight somebody else first; there’s really not a lot of guys. And so with the huge win here and certainly a finish, I think they’re going to have to consider me. I’ve never fought him, and that’s what we’re looking for.”
