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Former interim lightweight champion, Justin Gaethje will remain on next weekend’s UFC 313 card in a co-main event setting — rematching striking talent, Rafael Fiziev on a weeks’ notice in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Gaethje, a former interim lightweight titleholder and prior symbolic BMF champion, was initially slated to take on surging Kiwi striker, Dan Hooker in a potential title-eliminator over the course of five rounds next weekend at UFC 313.
However, earlier this week, City Kickboxing star, Hooker confirmed his withdrawal from the card, citing a small hand fracture in the lead up to his clash with Gaethje.
Justin Gaethje set to rematch Rafael Fiziev in UFC 313 grudge fight
However, as posted tonight by the UFC Australia account on Instagram, Justin Gaethje has found a short-notice foe for the pay-per-view card in the form of the above-mentioned, Rafael Fiziev.
First fighting in the co-main event of UFC 286 in London back in 2023, Gaethje would snap the rising run of Tiger Muay Thai striker, Fiziev, with a controversial majority decision win in the pair’s barnburning clash in the English capital.
Sidelined since September of that year through a nasty knee injury, Kazakhstan-born contender, Fiziev retains the number eleven rank at lightweight — after dropping a knee injury TKO loss against Polish contender, Mateusz Gamrot in a main event setting.
UFC 313 takes place next weekend at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, with an undisputed light heavyweight title fight between the incumbent, Alex Pereira, and former title challenger, Magomed Ankalaev set to take co-main event honors.
And tonight, as confirmed, Justin Gaethje returns in a co-main event clash opposite striking sensation, Rafael Fiziev.
