Gaethje Doesn’t ‘Plan On Being Alive’ After UFC 300

Justin Gaethje will defend his “BMF” belt against former featherweight champion Max Holloway as part of the upcoming UFC 300 pay-per-view (PPV) event, which takes place this Sat. night (April 13, 2024) at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

A victory over “Blessed” could put “The Highlight” in a position to fight for the lightweight title at some point later this year, likely in Oct. when the promotion returns to Abu Dhabi. That’s assuming Gaethje doesn’t kick the bucket on fight night.

“I know with a win here, I fight for the belt,” Gaethje said during UFC 300 media day. “I know with a loss here, that all goes away. That’s what I’m fighting for. I’m a quarter-mile at a time kind of guy. I do not look too far ahead. Honestly, I have no clue what the future holds. I don’t usually plan on being alive the day after my fights, so hopefully I’m there on Sunday.”

Gaethje is willing to skip the champ’s return in June to recover from UFC 300.

“I don’t play ‘what ifs’ but you don’t pass up a championship opportunity,” Gaethje continued. “I do want my time. I do think June would probably be impossible for me, as every time I fight is a traumatic life experience. I need to go home and unwind, take care of my body, take care of my head. But I have coaches and a manager who ultimately make those decisions, so if they say ‘go,’ I go.”

None of that matters unless he first defeats Holloway this weekend in “Sin City.”

MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 300 fight card right RIGHT HERE, starting with the early ESPN/ESPN+ “Prelims” matches at 6 p.m. ET, followed by the remaining undercard balance on ESPN/ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET, before the UFC 300 PPV main card start time at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+ PPV.

To check out the latest and greatest UFC 300: “Pereira vs. Hill” news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive UFC 300 event archive right here. For the updated and finalized UFC 300 fight card and PPV lineup click here.