Former interim UFC lightweight champion Justin Gaethje is back in light training a month and a half on from a devastating defeat in Las Vegas.
While it appeared last year that a memorable victory over Dustin Poirier had netted Gaethje a third shot at undisputed title glory, his subsequent assignment was instead a defense of the symbolic BMF belt.
On the main card of last month's milestone UFC 300 pay-per-view, "The Highlight" put the strap on the line in a highly anticipated clash with Max Holloway. While the featherweight legend's previous venture to 155 pounds left many favoring Gaethje pre-fight, "Blessed" put on a masterclass.
And after moving ahead on the scorecards, Holloway ultimately closed the show in emphatic fashion with a buzzer-beating knockout that left Gaethje face down on the Octagon canvas.
Gaethje Back In Training 6 Weeks On From UFC 300 Defeat
Given the brutal nature of the finish, fans aren't expecting to see Gaethje back inside the cage anytime soon. The ex-interim champ has admitted that it would be ill-advised for him to return to sparring within six months of the UFC 300 loss.
"The Highlight" has, however, been letting his fists fly again. In a recent video on social media, Gaethje shared footage of his return to light training. He donned the boxing gloves to hit the heavy bag, which you can watch
."Trying to get back in the routine," he wrote in the caption.
The 35-year-old Arizona native has appeared to remain positive despite the setback, which stalled his plans to finally reach the lightweight throne at the expense of current kingpin Islam Makhachev.
In the immediate aftermath, Gaethje reassured his fans that he was still in "great spirits" and offered his congratulations to Holloway, who became the third BMF champ on April 13.
With his defeat, former two-time opponent Poirier will mark the next challenge for Makhachev to overcome. The pair will collide in the main event of this weekend's UFC 302 event in Newark, New Jersey.
Holloway, meanwhile, is in hot pursuit of Ilia Topuria's featherweight gold.