Former interim UFC lightweight champion Justin Gaethje expects to be back in action before quarter one of 2025 comes to a close.
Gaethje, who currently occupies the #3 ranking at 155 pounds, hasn't competed since his BMF title defense at UFC 300 last April. "The Highlight" was on the receiving end of the year's consensus best knockout — a buzzer-beating finish for Max Holloway.
The result stalled plans for another championship opportunity for the Arizona native. And given the severity of the KO, Gaethje was sent to the sidelines for a period of rest and recovery.
Now cleared to return, Gaethje is looking ahead to his first assignment of the new year. And while discussing that during a video uploaded to his YouTube channel, the 36-year-old confirmed reports of a showdown with Dan Hooker.
Talk of that matchup first arose last month via journalist Alex Behunin, who described it as being in the works for UFC 313 in Las Vegas on March 8.
While it remains unofficial, Gaethje revealed that he is indeed preparing for that exact task.
So there’s no official fight signed, but I told the UFC maybe two, three months ago that March was, you know, the date I was looking for,” Gaethje said. “I know there’s a fight 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.
When you take a loss like that and you’re as competitive as we are, then it lights a fire under your ass,” Gaethje continued. “So we’re back to it, back to, you know, back in the swing of things and back getting ready for a specific day, a specific opponent. I think it’s going to be Dan Hooker. But you know, with the UFC, things can always change.
Prior to his setback against "Blessed," Gaethje was coming off consecutive wins over Rafael Fiziev and Dustin Poirier in 2023.
While he'll be looking to bounce back in 2025, Hooker will hope to continue his momentum from a massive result Down Under last August. At UFC 305 in Perth, he made it three wins in a row by outpointing Mateusz Gamrot to upset the odds and return to title contention.