![Justin Gaethje (left) on accepting Rafael Fiziev (right) fight. [Image courtesy: Getty Images]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/02/9645d-17407206544982-1920.jpg)
![Justin Gaethje (left) on accepting Rafael Fiziev (right) fight. [Image courtesy: Getty Images]](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http%3A//www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20xmlns%3Axlink='http%3A//www.w3.org/1999/xlink'%20viewBox='0%200%2010%206.25'%3E%3Cfilter%20id='b'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20stdDeviation='.5'%3E%3C/feGaussianBlur%3E%3CfeComponentTransfer%3E%3CfeFuncA%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20type='discrete'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20tableValues='1%201'%3E%3C/feFuncA%3E%3C/feComponentTransfer%3E%3C/filter%3E%3Cimage%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20filter='url(%23b)'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Justin Gaethje recently broke down how his short-notice rematch against Rafael Fiziev at UFC 313 came to be and explained why he accepted that fight. 'The Highlight' also shed light on his lightweight title shot aspirations and the outcome he expects after potentially beating Fiziev.
Gaethje was initially booked against Dan Hooker for UFC 313 in March. However, Hooker was forced to pull out of the bout due to a hand injury days before the showdown. The UFC soon confirmed that Fiziev accepted a short-notice rematch against Gaethje and will be replacing Hooker.
In a recent interview with Jim Rome, Gaethje explained how the Fiziev rematch came to be and revealed that he expects a title shot if he defeats 'Ataman' at UFC 313. He stated:
Trending
"My two options were Charles Oliveira and Arman Tsarukyan, that's the No.1 and No.2 contenders. I knew for a fact that if I was to go there and get a win over those guys, without a doubt, I'd be fighting for the belt next. But ultimately, it's not something I want. I don't want to do this, but I'm excited to do this."
Get the latest updates on One Championship Rankings at Sportskeeda and more
He continued:
"It really doesn't matter who it is. Timing's everything in this sport. We saw with Dustin Poirier, I beat him, and he fought for the belt right after that... I go in there and get a finish... I think I'll be one of the guys that they consider to fight Makhachev."
Robert Whittaker on Dan Hooker withdrawing from Justin Gaethje fight at UFC 313
Robert Whittaker recently shared his thoughts on Dan Hooker pulling out of the Justin Gaethje fight at UFC 313 and explained why he didn't want the two to clash in the first place.
In an interview with Submission Radio, the former UFC middleweight champion claimed that Gaethje and Hooker would end each other in the cage and said:
"Honestly though, I'm super disappointed because that was going to be an absolute barnbun, but I'm also not because one of those dudes were going to die. I don't want to see that. I don't want to see that, you know what I mean? No one was going to win that fight out of Gaethje and Hooker, right?"
Catch Robert Whittaker's comments below (18:27):
