Justin Gaethje, the American MMA fighter, who has a UFC record of 25–5–0 is prepping to return to the ring at UFC 313. He hinted at the next UFC opponent and date after his unforgettable knockout loss to Max Holloway in April at UFC 300 where he was close to winning the BMF title.
Through his YouTube channel, Gaethje revealed his likely opponent in the next matchup with Dan Hooker, although the news is yet to be confirmed.
Gaethje’s Highly Anticipated Return to UFC
Justin Gaethje, a former American BMF champ, revealed his next opponent close to his return to the octagon after being removed for a full year from his knockout loss to Max Holloway at UFC 300.
Dan Hooker is most likely to be fighting against Gaethje at UFC 313, but while things can change, Gaethje is gearing up to fight on that date.
Gaethje, 36, is currently targeting his return to UFC at the T-Mobile arena in UFC 313 in New York. The fighter announced this on his YouTube channel and said “So there’s no official fight signed but I told the UFC maybe two or three months ago that March was the date I was looking for,”
He added, “I know there’s a fight on March 8th in Las Vegas so that’s the one I told them I wanted to be on. I think they’re figuring out fights right now but I’m certainly mentally preparing, physically preparing to fight on that date”
Gaethje has also been mentioned as a potential opponent in the most anticipated retirement fight with Justin Poirier later this year. He knocked out the opponent with a head kick for the then-vacant BMF belt at UFC 291.
The 36-year-old fighter is chomping to enter the octagon, yet again, after taking an adequate amount of time off the bout and getting knocked out against Holloway. He expressed his excitement about getting back to training, embracing his loss, and swinging back to the things he always loved the most.
To know more about who is going up in the ring against Justin Gaethje, follow the UFC trusted betting sites.
The Anticipated Matchup: Gaethje vs. Hooker
Dan Hooker has also been out of action since his fight at UFC 305 against Mateusz Gamrot, where he significantly won in style. Hooker has made his return to the lightweight rankings at UFC, now searching for the title shot in the division. He has not appeared in the cage since his “Fight of the Year” bout against Gamrot but later surged into the lightweight Top 5 rank.
The New Zealand MMA professional and former kickboxer is on a three-win streak after his loss against the English fighter Arnold Allen in March 2022, remaining undefeated in the previous three years and looking fit for his return.
Hooker’s undefeated record and Gaethje’s most anticipated comeback have made them the top contenders in the lightweight champ tournament moving forward with yet another winning streak in this division. The coming weeks will bring some clarity to the anticipated comeback fight of Gaethje and whether Hooker will be his next fighting opponent. Regardless, fans are excited to witness one of the biggest UFC favorites, who is nearing his return to the ring.
There is a strong buzz around the Ultimate Fighting Championship 313, which will create a more clear picture. The event will have other matchups with the lightweight champ, Islam Makhachev, who is all ready to defend against Arman Tsarukyan.
The ring will also have the presence of Khabib Nurmagomedov on the ringside, adding more power to the event as he supports his brother to fight for the title defense.
