‘Fans Have Spoken’ – Justin Gaethje vs Rafael Fiziev Set to Steal the Show at UFC 313 Explains UFC Veteran
Chael Sonnen thinks Justin Gaethje vs. Rafael Fiziev is going to steal the show at UFC 313.
Originally, Gaethje was scheduled to square off with Dan Hooker in a fight that had fans salivating from the moment it was announced. Unfortunately, ‘Hangman’ was forced to bow out after breaking his hand whilst training. That paved the way for the return of Fiziev, who steps in on short notice after sitting on the sidelines for more than a year.
While news of Hooker’s withdrawal understandably frustrated fight fans, Fiziev is an undeniably excellent replacement opponent for Gaethje. His insertion into UFC 313 also adds another level of intrigue considering that the two of them have already delivered an entertaining showdown inside the Octagon.
So it stands to reason that they’ll give us another captivating clash this Saturday night in Las Vegas. In fact, ‘The American Gangster’ is confident that Gaethje vs. Fiziev 2 will steal the show in ‘Sin City.’
“UFC 313 is going to be awesome. I think Gaethje and Fiziev are going to come in and likely steal the show,” Sonnen said during episode three of UFC 313 Embedded. They say about Justin Gaethje that he’s not just your favorite fighter—they say he’s your favorite fighter’s favorite fighter. And Fiziev is the favorite. So when you’ve got a guy that’s the favorite to be your favorite fighter’s favorite fighter, I think the fans have spoken.”
Justin Gaethje and Rafael Fiziev both looking to climb back into the win column at UFC 313
The first time around, Gaethje landed a majority decision victory over Fiziev at UFC 286 in London, snapping the Kazakh’s six-fight win streak. ‘Ataman’ went on to lose a second straight fight, suffering a leg injury against Mateusz Gamrot in September 2023. He has not competed since.
As for Gaethje, it will be his first time stepping inside the Octagon since getting KO’d by Max Holloway at UFC 300 in April. The Highlight’ is 3-2 in his last five outings, earning wins over Michael Chandler, Dustin Poirier, and Fiziev.
