UFC BMF champion Justin Gaethje was the slight underdog going into the second UFC title bout of his career against Charles Oliveira in 2022. However, what happened in their much-awaited UFC 274 lightweight title clash surprised almost everyone.

‘The Human Highlight’ had, of course, lost his first title shot to Khabib Nurmagomedov in ‘The Eagle’s last fight ever back in 2020. And he was expected to do much better in his clash against ‘Do Bronx’. However, the New Orleans native went on to lose meekly in the first round, to the surprise of almost everyone in the UFC world.

And Gaethje shed some light on the reasons for his underwhelming performance two years after the bout on the latest episode of the ‘Pound 4 Pound’ podcast hosted by former champions Henry Cejudo and Kamaru Usman.

“I mean, I honestly had, 18 days before [fighting Oliveira], I had got a concussion riding a bike, you know. That’s not something I need to talk about, want to talk about. I said he’s the hardest guy that’s ever punched me but that was a factor, you know… 18 days before I smacked my head off the concrete but I was so ready and so willing, you know,” Gaethje said.

“The fight was at home and I’ve never pulled out of a fight, and you know I didn’t even think about for a second to pull out of the fight. But that’s why those strikes were so effective, I also got caught up in the moment and that was the last lesson I needed to learn I will never let that happen again I might lose again,” he added. While Gaethje may have fallen short on his previous two shots at the lightweight crown, he is on the cusp of another title shot if he can successfully defend his BMF title at UFC 300 this Saturday.

UFC 300 clash crucial for Gaethje’s future

Justin Gaethje will face former featherweight champion and fan favorite Max Holloway for the BMF title on the main card of the UFC 300 anniversary mega-card days from now at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Gaethje is the clear favorite going into the bout. The reasons behind this are that ‘Blessed’ is moving up a weight class, and his last sojourn at lightweight against Dustin Poirier (who lost to the New Orleans native just last year) ended disastrously for the Hawaiian.

However, Holloway is one of the most competitive and dogged fighters in the UFC, and has only gotten better since his UFC 236 interim title bout loss to ‘Diamond’ five years ago. And a loss may prove catastrophic for Gaethje and his prospects of a third title shot.  155-pound champion Islam Makhachev has been calling for a fight with the 35-year-old since last year.

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While Makhachev will probably face Dustin Poirier next, followed by the winner of the Oliveira- Arman Tsarukyan UFC 300 clash next, Gaethje will be at the top of the title ladder after UFC 300. If, that is, he can defeat Holloway. And given the sport that he is in, and the caliber of fighter ‘Blessed’ is, is not a foregone conclusion despite the advantages he may have over the former champion on paper. If he loses to Holloway, he Gaethje will have a lot of work in front of him to get to a third title shot in the stacked lightweight division. What do you think about Gaethje’s comments about losing to Oliveira?

UFC 300: Justin Gaethje’s Biggest Issue Against Max Holloway Exposed