Justin Gaethje is expected to return to UFC action in March 2025 after recovering from a knockout loss to Max Holloway, with no specific opponent chosen yet.
Justin Gaethje’s gearing up for a UFC comeback, but don’t expect him in the octagon until 2025.
No official date yet, though. His manager, Ali Abdelaziz, says Gaethje’s taking his time to recover after that knockout loss to Max Holloway at UFC 300 last April. Smart move, really—he’s all about letting his body and mind heal post-fight. So yeah, fans might have to wait a bit longer.
“Justin Gaethje’s going to fight in March,” Abdelaziz told MMA Fighting. “Against who, I have no idea.”
Gaethje’s style? Pure fireworks! He always brings it in the cage, never picky about opponents. That unpredictability makes him so thrilling to watch.
Abdelaziz mentioned a few names on the radar, but Gaethje’s never backed down from a challenge before. Doubt that’ll change now.
“Could be [Dan] Hooker. Maybe Dustin Poirier. Or even [Renato] Moicano,” Abdelaziz said. “Who knows? But March sounds good for Justin. He needs some downtime after his last bout—totally deserves it.”
After knocking out Dustin Poirier in July 2023, Gaethje faced Holloway at UFC 300 in April.
But things went south—a nasty broken nose from Holloway’s spin kick in round one. Still, Gaethje fought hard till the end. A wild exchange at 4:59 in the fifth round saw Holloway land a punch that ended the night for Gaethje.
Now, as he looks to bounce back, Abdelaziz says Gaethje’s game for whoever the UFC lines up next.
“I think he’ll be ready in March,” Abdelaziz reiterated. “Opponent? Doesn’t matter—Justin doesn’t pick ’em.”