Next Saturday in Las Vegas, Justin Gaeji will step into the octagon against Paddy Pimblett to compete for the UFC interim lightweight championship at UFC 324. Before this important fight, Gaeji recalled two of his toughest defeats — against Charles Oliveira and Max Holloway.
In 2022, Gaeji faced Oliveira in a fight for the vacant UFC lightweight championship. The Brazilian was unable to make weight and lost the title, giving Gaeji the opportunity to fight for it. However, the American was ultimately defeated in the first round, caught in a submission. He later admitted that his physical condition was far from ideal after a bicycle accident that occurred just 18 days before the fight.
The next serious challenge for Gaeji was the battle with Max Holloway in 2024, when he defended the BMF title ("Baddest Motherf***er"). Holloway confidently controlled the fight and knocked Gaeji out in the final seconds of the fifth round. Gaeji noted that the failure was related to improper psychological preparation.
In an interview with ESPN, he stated: "These are the two opponents against whom I wasn't in my best shape — for my own reasons." He also added that he underestimated Holloway and mistakenly approached this fight as a show rather than serious competition.
In 2020, 37-year-old Gaeji already became the UFC interim champion, winning against Tony Ferguson. That same year, he was unable to unify the titles, losing to Khabib Nurmagomedov.
If Gaeji wins against Pimblett, it will be his second interim title and his third chance in his career to fight for a full championship belt. The current champion, Ilia Topuria, has temporarily suspended his appearances for personal reasons, which has led to the interim title being contested.
