5 possible opponents for Justin Gaethje at UFC 313

UFC fans were left shaking their heads earlier today when it was announced that Dan Hooker had withdrawn from his bout with Justin Gaethje at UFC 313. The event goes down in just 11 days.

It's highly likely that the matchmakers will want to keep Justin Gaethje on the card at UFC 313, so who could he face?

Despite the inherent danger offered by 'The Highlight', it's likely that there will still be plenty of potential foes out there for him.

Here, then, are five possible opponents for Justin Gaethje at UFC 313.

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#5. Justin Gaethje vs. Renato Moicano

UFC 311, which took place earlier this year, saw Renato Moicano take a last-minute lightweight title fight with Islam Makhachev.

The bout ended with Makhachev winning in one-sided fashion, but it still showed Moicano to be a fighter with plenty of confidence in his abilities.

It should come as no surprise, then, that 'Money Moicano' has already thrown his name into the hat of potential opponents for Justin Gaethje at UFC 313.

The Brazilian took to social media site X earlier today to suggest that two weeks would be more than enough notice for him to fight 'The Highlight'.

Is Moicano qualified? Sure. Prior to his loss to Makhachev, he was riding a four-fight win streak, and had quickly become a very popular fighter with the fans thanks to his affable personality.

Could the Brazilian really beat Justin Gaethje on short notice? That's a different matter entirely, as 'The Highlight' would be a horrible stylistic match for him even with a full training camp.

Still, if he's game and the UFC can't get anyone else, Moicano would absolutely be a solid option.

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#4. Justin Gaethje vs. Rafael Fiziev

Another fighter who's already taken to X to call out Justin Gaethje at UFC 313 is No. 11-ranked Rafael Fiziev.

In this case, the callout makes perfect sense. 'Ataman' was riding a six-fight win streak before facing Gaethje at UFC 286 in March 2023.

The native of Kazakhstan came up short in that bout, losing a majority decision to 'The Highlight', but the clash was well-received by the fans and claimed the event's 'Fight of the Night' bonus.

Given the quality and the close nature of that fight, a rematch could prove to be a good direction to go in.

However, it's unlikely that Dana White and company will call upon Fiziev. Firstly, they may prefer Justin Gaethje to fight a fresh opponent. Secondly, Fiziev has been on the shelf since suffering a fight-ending knee injury against Mateusz Gamrot in September 2023.

With that in mind, the matchmakers may prefer Fiziev to return with a full training camp. Given he has professed his wish for this rematch, though, he's definitely an option.

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#3. Justin Gaethje vs. Beneil Dariush

One opponent who could make some sense for Justin Gaethje at UFC 313 is Beneil Dariush.

The No. 9-ranked lightweight was pegged to fight Renato Moicano at UFC 311 earlier this year but was forced off the card when Moicano stepped up to fight Islam Makhachev on late notice.

Dariush was paid despite not competing at the event, but was still probably left frustrated by what happened. Therefore, there'd definitely be a chance that he'd be willing to fight Gaethje on short notice here.

Given his excellent grappling skills and underrated Muay Thai, Dariush would definitely be an intriguing opponent for 'The Highlight', even if there's a chance he's now past his prime.

Would it be worth the risk for him, though? That's debatable, as he has lost his last two fights via TKO and has not won in the octagon since October 2022. He may prefer to return on longer notice against a lower-ranked opponent.

However, given he missed a potentially bigger payday earlier this year, there's a chance that if he's offered this bout, he may well accept.

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#2. Justin Gaethje vs. Mateusz Gamrot

Another ranked fighter who could be a logical potential foe for Justin Gaethje at UFC 313 is Mateusz Gamrot.

'Gamer' is ranked at No. 8 right now, and his last fight was a war with Dan Hooker, who claimed a razor-close split decision. Prior to that, he'd won seven of his last eight fights, including a victory over Arman Tsarukyan in a five-round bout in June 2022.

Gamrot has not fought since his loss to Hooker, as a reported fight with Rafael Fiziev in early February never came to fruition for unknown reasons.

However, the fact that reports suggested he was ready for a bout this month suggest that he is probably in training right now.

Whether the Polish star would jump at a late-notice chance to face a dangerous foe like Justin Gaethje is definitely questionable, of course.

'The Highlight' would be hugely dangerous for him, but to be fair, 'Gamer' would be equally dangerous to Gaethje. He's one of the most well-rounded fighters in the 155-pound division and he's also got experience against top-ranked foes.

If the UFC could get this fight done, then, it'd definitely be a great replacement bout with Hooker out.

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#1. Justin Gaethje vs. Arman Tsarukyan

If he's ready to take the fight on late notice, the best possible replacement opponent for Justin Gaethje at UFC 313 would be Arman Tsarukyan.

The native of Armenia was lined up to fight Islam Makhachev for the lightweight title at UFC 311 in January. However, he was forced out the day before the event with a back injury, losing the opportunity of a lifetime.

In the aftermath of the withdrawal, Dana White stated that Tsarukyan wouldn't be guaranteed a title shot in the future and would instead need to go back to the drawing board. Surprisingly, it was a sentiment that the Armenian agreed with.

If that's the case - and if his back is now healed - then what better statement to make than to beat a dangerous foe like Justin Gaethje on late notice?

There are, of course, a few caveats here, namely whether Tsarukyan has had enough time to get his back sorted, and whether he'd be able to make the 155-pound lightweight limit on short notice.

However, if he could do it, it'd be the perfect fight for both him and 'The Highlight'. Tsarukyan would have a chance to cement himself as the division's top contender, and Gaethje would be able to prove he's still got what it takes to stay at the peak.

If the UFC could put this fight together, then, it might even be a better bout than the initially planned Gaethje vs. Hooker one.