Justin Gaethje's UFC career is chock full of big fights, but he says none more important than his UFC 300 scrap with Max Holloway!
There's that much on the line.
"This is the biggest fight of my career," 35-year-old Gaethje, the #2 ranked lightweight, told TMZ Sports of Saturday's contest, continuing, "a loss here definitely takes away those aspirations of fighting for the gold. You know, a win here definitely solidifies that."
32-year-old Holloway, who is going up to 155 for the scrap, isn't ranked at lightweight ... but is the #2-ranked featherweight.
FYI, Justin is coming off an impressive win over star Dustin Poirier at UFC 291, and Rafael Fiziev before. JG's also beaten the likes of Michael Chandler, Tony Ferguson, Edson Barboza, and Cowboy Cerrone in the UFC.
Max defeated "Korean Zombie" in August, and Arnold Allen in April 2023. Mas has beaten Frankie Edgar, Brian Ortega, Anthony Pettis, and Jose Aldo (twice).
Justin, a slight favorite Saturday, believes a dub gets him a title shot against champ Islam Makhachev.
"I think I win this fight and my goal is to fight the champion at Madison Square Garden," Gaethje says.
We also talked to Justin about fighting on the historic card. UFC 1 was in November 1993 ... and now 30 years later, Gaethje is one of the premiere fights on the stacked card.
He talked about what it means to him.
"It's just a testament to what I've done here," Gaethje said.
"My first interaction with the UFC fans at a press conference, I said 'I'm the most violent lightweight on the planet and the most exciting,' and I think I've lived up to that. I've spoken it into reality. I'm the most consistent guy. I think that's why we're kind of the people's main event, because they know they're going to get a show."
That show goes down in just a matter of hours! 👊