WHAT IT WAS LIKE FIGHTING JUSTIN GAETHJE
What It Was Like Fighting Justin Gaethje – Full Breakdown, Stories, and Surprises
Hey guys, what’s up? I’m back, and this time I want to talk about something I’ve never talked about before on my channel: what it was really like fighting Justin Gaethje. Since Gaethje is fighting for the interim world title against Paddy Pimblett this weekend, I figured this is the perfect time to break down my experience—leading up to the fight, what happened in the cage, and what I learned. Spoiler: it didn’t end how I wanted, but there’s a lot to this story that I think you’ll enjoy.
Let’s go deep into what it’s actually like facing one of the most explosive, athletic guys in MMA history. If you’ve ever wondered what it feels like to go toe-to-toe with Justin Gaethje, this breakdown is for you.
Setting the Stage: Life Before the Gaethje Fight
So first, just some background—these days I’ve been busy opening up a new gym with my partner, which is why I haven’t made a video in a while. Life’s been hectic, but exciting, too.
Before I even got the Gaethje fight, I was riding a strong run, sitting at 9–1 in the UFC. That’s one of the better records anyone’s had in their first 10 fights. Standing at six-foot-three in my weight class, I was basically a giant compared to most of the division—and, not surprisingly, there weren’t many people eager to fight me.
Having to Talk Trash to Get Noticed
Because people weren’t lining up to fight me, I had to get a little loud and talk some trash to get big fights. Some people love that; some hate it. But you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do to move up. That’s how fighting is.
“You miss all the shots you don’t take.”
That’s the reality of trying to get big-name fights in the UFC.
The Road to Gaethje: From Felder to "The Highlight"
Originally, I was supposed to fight Paul Felder. I had a full two-month fight camp for him—dialed in, focused, and ready. The Felder fight was scheduled for late June—something like June 24th.
But about three weeks before that event, I got a call about a new opportunity: fighting Justin Gaethje in a main event slot, but six weeks after the planned date. That meant the rest of my camp (which was already long for Felder) just got even longer.
Adjusting the Camp: Burnout and Focus
So here’s what I did:
- Went home for a week (needed a mental reset)
- Came back and jumped right back into camp
All in all, I ended up doing about three and a half months of training camp. That’s a long stretch—even for a pro. Honestly, by the time the Gaethje fight rolled around, I was feeling some burnout, but my mindset was right and I was still ready.
Switching Gears: From Felder’s Kicks to Gaethje’s Pressure
Switching from Paul Felder to Justin Gaethje as an opponent was no joke. Here's how they compare:
- Paul Felder: Orthodox stance, Muay Thai style, heavy use of kicks—lots of teeps (front kicks), roundhouse kicks, and fighting long and at distance.
- Justin Gaethje: Also orthodox, but much more of a hands guy. Gaethje is a pressure fighter who’s always trying to close the distance and throw heavy punches.
Preparing for one style (lots of kicks, long range) and suddenly flipping to another (pressure, heavy hands, relentless pace) isn't easy, but that’s the fight game.
Film Study: What I Saw vs. Reality
The biggest thing that caught me off guard about fighting Justin Gaethje? His athleticism.
Now, I know that might sound stupid in hindsight, but let me explain:
Watching his fights on film, especially his pre-UFC stuff (World Series of Fighting, etc.), he got hit—a lot. On tape, he was willing to go one-for-one, trade shots, and just slug it out. Against guys like Eddie Alvarez and Dustin Poirier, he ended up on the wrong side, getting knocked out in some wild brawls.
From my background—boxer, started training at age 20, with 22 amateur boxing matches under my belt—I always thought: “Super athletic guys don’t get hit that much. If you’re athletic, you have good defense.” But with Gaethje, I thought, “He trades too much. If I can box him, I can hit him.”
Here’s where I was dead wrong.
Underestimating Gaethje’s Athleticism
In the first minute of the fight, after we both walked out to all the adrenaline and the crowd roaring, I found myself thinking:
- “I can land on this dude whenever I want. I’m bigger, I’m longer, and I’m a better boxer.”
And at first, that looked true! I threw about eight or nine strikes and landed around 80% of them. I landed multiple body kicks and felt great. My thinking was, “I’m about to piece this guy up.”
But Gaethje’s first step—the way he explodes in with his legs—was next level. There’s only one guy I’ve ever trained with who was as explosive: Johny Hendricks (yes, that guy who knocked out GSP).
“His first step was like, crazy fast. It was like he had springs in his feet, just super fast twitch.”
A Closer Look: Comparing Gaethje and Johny Hendricks
Let’s talk about athleticism a bit more. Johny Hendricks is, to this day, the most athletic guy I ever worked with in wrestling. If you watch those karate guys like Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson, you know how they blitz in from way out of range? Hendricks could do the same, but with huge power.
Justin Gaethje, though, was on that same level. He could leap from way outside, throwing overhand rights, landing them, and generating massive power.
- That “fast twitch” muscle thing is real with Gaethje.
- He doesn’t care about getting hit—comes forward just like a Mexican-style boxer, leading with his head and taking one to give one, but with speed and explosions most people don’t have.
The Trash Talk, the Hype, and Huge Pressures
Leading up to the fight, the media stuff was fire. I did a ton of trash-talking. Some of it went viral; some of it backfired on me. At the end of the day, though, it sold the fight, and that’s part of the business.
When we made our walkouts, the energy was insane. The crowd was nuts, walking through the lights, music bumping, that feeling you only get from stepping into a UFC main event.
The Opening Minute: Feeling Good... Until I Didn’t
When the fight started, I went right to work. I landed almost every strike I threw—something like eight out of nine. I was sure I was about to take over, knowing I could land at will.
But Gaethje just kept coming forward, absorbing everything, and looking to set something up.
- He led with his head, Mexican style
- He jabbed to the body, setting up an overhand right
- He was explosive as hell, and never let me get comfortable
I caught on to what he wanted with the right hand and made adjustments, circling the correct way to avoid his power. For a moment, I thought: maybe I’d figured him out.
The Beginning of the End: Gaethje’s KO Power
I circled to my right, trying to stay away from that dangerous right hand. Gaethje backed me up to the cage, froze me with a left hook, and then slapped me with a huge overhand right. Lights out.
It was super tough. When I woke up, I barely knew what happened. I had to go back and watch the fight on video, piecing together exactly how it played out.
Lessons From the Loss
Afterwards, I went over everything about the fight and what I could have done better. Looking back, I realized I just underestimated Justin Gaethje’s athleticism. Even if I hadn’t, though, I don’t know if it would have changed things—he just hit too hard and was too fast and explosive. He was more athletic than anyone else I fought.
The only other guy who came close was Jake Matthews, another very athletic fighter. But combined with Gaethje’s power and speed, it was like a whole other level.
The Out-Of-The-Cage Interaction: Respect Where It’s Due
After the fight, we stayed at the same hotel. Gaethje was throwing an after-party there. I went up, talked to him, and apologized for all the trash talk during fight week. He was super chill about it.
“He was like, yeah, I respect you. I understand. No big deal.”
We left it at that. It’s cool to be able to put all the hype behind you and show respect when the gloves are off.
Gaethje’s Career Now: Still Violent, Still Chasing Gold
Now, with Gaethje fighting for the interim world title against Paddy Pimblett, it’s wild seeing how far he’s come. Gaethje is older now, Paddy’s younger. I don’t expect this fight to go to the ground unless there’s a knockdown or slip—almost guaranteed to be a standup war.
If Gaethje becomes the world champ, I’ll be happy for him. He deserves it. Paddy is a tough fight, but it will be cool to see if "The Highlight" can get the gold.
The Realities of the Fight Game: Training Time, Ups and Downs
When I reflect on not just this fight, but my whole MMA career, there’s something that sticks out: I didn’t even start training until I was 20. Most guys in the UFC, including everyone I lost to, had years and years of training on me from their teens and even before that.
Looking back, it’s rough to revisit the losses, but I never lost to a guy who hadn’t been training longer than me. That means something to me.
Breaking Down Gaethje’s Fight Style: What Makes Him Special
Let’s talk specifics—what makes Justin Gaethje such a tough fight for anyone:
1. Pressure Fighting
He never lets you breathe. He’s in your face, always looking to close the distance, make you uncomfortable, and drown you with volume.
2. Explosive First Step
That fast twitch, “spring in his legs” thing is real. He can leap into range or close distance in an instant, generating massive power.
3. Willingness to Trade
Most super-athletic guys play defense, but Gaethje is totally willing to take one to give one, like the great Mexican boxers. That’s rare and dangerous.
4. Setting Traps
He uses the jab to the body just to get your attention or force an opening for his big overhand right—and that’s exactly how he caught me.
The Press Conference: Build-up and Viral Moments
Looking back, the trash talk and press conference moments still make me laugh. It’s all part of selling the fight, and even though it backfired a little, it pushed the bout into the spotlight.
If you want to make a name, you have to be willing to say what you need to say, take risks, step into main events, and fight guys like Gaethje even if they’re scary as hell.
Takeaways: What I’d Do Differently (Or Not)
Would I do anything differently if I could run that fight back? Maybe I’d try to gauge Gaethje’s speed better in sparring, or tweak my gameplan to avoid getting caught against the cage.
But honestly, sometimes you can do everything right and still lose to a freak athlete. That’s the game. No excuses—that’s MMA.
“Gaethje, by far, is the most athletic fighter I’ve ever fought, for sure.”
Advice for Fighters Chasing Big Fights
For anyone coming up in MMA, here’s my advice based on what I’ve learned:
- Be ready to adjust on the fly. Opponents change, and you have to flip your game plan at a moment’s notice.
- Don’t underestimate anyone’s athleticism or power—film can lie, and it’s different in the cage.
- Trash talk is a tool. Use it to get big fights, but be ready to back it up.
- Respect your opponents after the fight. When the lights go off and the gloves come off, it’s all respect.
Gaethje vs. Paddy: Quick Breakdown (For This Weekend)
- Will it go to the ground? Only if Gaethje gets dropped or slips.
- How does Paddy win? Takes Gaethje’s back, gets a rear naked choke (like
- Charles Oliveira did).
Otherwise? Total standup war.
I’m definitely rooting for Gaethje to get the title. Either way, it’s going to be a banger.
Life After Gaethje and What’s Next
I haven’t spoken to Gaethje much since our fight. He’s been busy, I’ve been busy. But looking back, I’m glad I took the fight, win or lose. You miss all the shots you don’t take.
Now, opening a new gym, coaching up-and-comers, and sharing these kinds of war stories is something I never thought I’d be doing. If you want to hear breakdowns about other fighters I’ve faced, or want me to cover a specific topic, drop it in the comments.
Final Thoughts: No Regrets, Just Lessons
I might not have gotten my hand raised against Gaethje, but I’m proud I took the fight. I learned a lot, grew as a fighter, and have stories to share for life. Gaethje is a beast and deserves all the success he’s getting now.
Whether you’re a fighter, a fan, or just curious, I hope you found this breakdown helpful. Stay tuned for more behind-the-scenes insights—and good luck to Gaethje this weekend!