Justin Gaethje is set to face Rafael Fiziev in a rematch at UFC 313 on March 8, following Dan Hooker‘s withdrawal due to injury, with Fiziev seeking revenge after a previous loss to Gaethje and returning from a knee injury.
Justin Gaethje’s gearing up for a familiar showdown. Yep, he’s set to face Rafael Fiziev again at UFC 313. This time, it’s happening on March 8 at the T-Mobile Arena in Vegas.
Why the rematch? Well, Dan Hooker’s out. A broken hand during training—bummer! So, UFC officials shuffled things around and announced this new matchup on Wednesday.
Their first clash? Oh, it was a barnburner! Back in 2023 at UFC 286 in London, Gaethje snagged a majority decision win. Now, Fiziev’s itching for payback with just 10 days to go.
But wait, there’s more to Fiziev’s story. He’s been out of the octagon since September 2023 after tearing his ACL against Mateusz Gamrot. Ouch! That injury followed his loss to Gaethje, ending his six-fight winning streak.
So, it’s been nearly 18 months since Fiziev last fought. Quite the hiatus! But he’s back and ready for round two against Gaethje at UFC 313.
And this isn’t just any fight—it’s the co-main event! Right before Alex Pereira defends his light heavyweight title against Magomed Ankalaev. Talk about an action-packed night!