Justin Gaethje knows beating Max Holloway at UFC 300 will be easier said than done.
Gaethje is set to defend his BMF title against Holloway in an intriguing matchup where the winner could get the next lightweight title shot. Heading into the fight, Gaethje is the betting favorite, but ‘The Highlight’ says he isn’t paying any attention to that as he knows Holloway is always a tough out.
According to Justin Gaethje, he believes Max Holloway’s cardio and his durability are the problems he will have to overcome.
“When it comes to being ready for Max Holloway, he is a cardio machine. One way that he can beat me is to sustain damage and be able to put more pressure and outperform me in rounds three, four, and five, specifically championship rounds, four and five. Just like any other fight, the legs go first so I’m working on my legs, working on getting those in shape, my feet are special and when I can control someone’s feet it is very hard for them to hit me,” Justin Gaethje said to Kevin Iole.
“Max is one of the best fighters in the UFC, he’s very awkward, and when you fight awkward, he’s not awkward in a bad way, awkwardness can be an ally for you in there, Sean Strickland a lot of guys find success with their awkwardness. The way they move a different way than they are supposed to move. I think he creates angles and he’s really long for being 145lbs, his reach is very long, his ability to counter-strike when you are done punching and be on you with pressure and punches is incredible. His experience is second to none,” Gaethje continued.
With Justin Gaethje knowing Max Holloway has incredible cardio, ‘The Highlight’ says he’s already starting his training camp to make sure his cardio is the best it can be for UFC 300. Gaethje also knows Holloway’s boxing and footwork could pose him some problems, but he’s confident he has all the tools to get the win.
Should Gaethje beat Holloway at UFC 300, he believes he will secure a lightweight title shot against Islam Makhachev.
Gaethje is coming off a KO win over Dustin Poirier in July to win the BMF belt. Before that, he scored a decision win over Rafael Fiziev.
