On paper, the debate felt simple. Paddy Pimblett had the grappling edge, while Justin Gaethje had the violence. But when ‘The Baddy’ chose to stand and trade instead of wrestling at UFC 324, it caught many fans off guard, including one of the smartest fighters the sport has ever seen.

That confusion lingered until this week, when a friendly sideline talk turned into an unusually candid breakdown, as Justin Gaethje finally told Demetrious Johnson why the bout went the way it did and how it all involved way more thinking than the cameras and fans could see.

Justin Gaethje explains why grappling Paddy Pimblett was never the plan

After competing in a Celebrity Flag Football Challenge at UC Berkeley Memorial Stadium, Demetrious Johnson approached Justin Gaethje about something he had openly questioned on YouTube: why ‘The Highlight’ never truly wrestled with Paddy Pimblett. “Why don’t you f—— grapple?” Johnson asked bluntly.

Gaethje didn’t dodge it. He owned it. “I did grapple,” he admitted, before explaining why it never progressed any further. He confessed, “Every time I put a hook in, I’m done. I get too high. Even wrestling my whole life, I never put the legs in. I got in trouble every time. I’ll never put a hook in.”

Even with a wrestling experience, Justin Gaethje admits that certain stances feel like traps to him, not advantages. ‘The Highlight’ doubled down that when he’s pressing, landing damage, and forcing reactions, changing levels actually throws away momentum. “I’m in such a good position, I’m landing heavy shots, doing damage, and they’re like, f— this,” he added, hinting that it was the pressure doing the job.

The same reasoning applied to Paddy Pimblett’s offense. Gaethje demonstrated how persistent forward movement prevented clean takedown entry and even nullified leg kicks. “He kicked like a b—-. I was like, I can walk through that,” Gaethje said bluntly. It wasn’t trash talk but an assessment. Keep moving and swinging, and don’t give any space.

Demetrious Johnson, to his credit, didn’t push back. He realized the chaos that Gaethje brings and how aiming at a moving target is easier said than done. ‘The Highlight’ may not fight “by the book,” but that is exactly his goal. Against Pimblett, he avoided grappling because of experience, not ignorance.

And, after becoming a two-time interim champion, it’s hard to argue with a style that consistently defies expectations, even when it confuses the best minds in MMA. But now, he awaits his biggest test as he faces the champion Ilia Topuria next. ‘El Matador’ is a beast who brings the same chaos as Gaethje, and that’s why another UFC legend has some words of caution to share with ‘The Highlight.’

Justin Gaethje gets warned by Daniel Cormier about facing Ilia Topuria

That chaos-first attitude is exactly what has people anxious about what may happen next. If Justin Gaethje thrives in chaos, Ilia Topuria may be the only man who can punish him for it. And that’s when another voice joined the conversation—not to criticize Gaethje’s style, but to warn him about what happens when chaos meets precision.

When asked about the matchup, Daniel Cormier didn’t mince words. Speaking on Nightcap, ‘DC’ made it clear that this wasn’t a fight where Gaethje could rely on instinct and toughness alone. Cormier said, “Justin Gaethje is my friend. I’m gonna tell him, ‘Don’t do that with Ilia Topuria, man. ’”

The concern wasn’t strategy—it was survival. According to Daniel Cormier, reckless trading of blows with ‘El Matador’ always leads to unconsciousness. ‘DC’ pointed to what happens when Ilia Topuria connects cleanly. Fighters don’t simply go down; they are already knocked unconscious.

He added, “He hits so hard. When he and Charles Oliveira were fighting, by the time Charles Oliveira hit the ground, he was already sleeping, man. Ilia hit him two to three times on the way down.” The warning is especially significant given Gaethje’s history of fighting fire with fire, including the brutal exchanges that left him asleep on the canvas at UFC 300.

Against Ilia Topuria, the same courage may become a liability. Gaethje has built a career on moving forward while others hesitate; this is one moment where even legends are urging restraint—because when ‘El Matador’ lands, there may be no second chance to adjust.