Justin Gaethje Questions Why People Continue to Doubt Him After Another Underdog Victory
Justin Gaethje is tired of being doubted.
‘The Highlight’ delivered another highlight-reel performance in his Octagon return at UFC 324, handily defeating Paddy Pimblett in an early Fight of the Year Contender. The victory earned Gaethje both the interim lightweight championship and a future meeting with the division’s undisputed titleholder, Ilia Topuria.
Walking into the contest, Gaethje was an underdog for the ninth time in his UFC career.
“I don’t know why people continue to doubt me,” Gaethje said during his interview at the post-fight press conference. “It’s hard to explain, but if you’re betting with me the whole time, we’re [__] up, I’ll tell you that right now. I’m nine and two as an underdog. I don’t think people understand what I’m doing in there.
“I’ve said it from before I even got to the UFC: there is a method to the madness. It looks like absolute chaos, but it’s less than seconds, less than inches, and my coach taught me how to be great in those areas.”
Gaethje has continued to defy the odds throughout his career, and he’ll have to do it once again if he hopes to become an undisputed titleholder for the first time.
Thus far, no official date or location has been announced for his anticipated unification clash against Topuria, but sportsbooks already have ‘The Highlight’ listed as a +400 underdog.
When he fought Khabib Nurmagomedov in 2020, Gaethje was only a +240.
“We’re up three,” Gaethje said while discussing the recent run of lightweight legends against the division’s rising contenders. “He [Dustin Poirier] beat Benoit Saint-Denis, I beat [Rafael] Fiziev, and I just beat Paddy. We’re up three right now. [Ilia] Topuria took out Max [Holloway], so we might be 3-1, but I’m gonna try to avenge that one.”
