Leading up to UFC 274 against Charles Oliveira, Justin Gaethje would train alongside elite wrestler Kamaru Usman. But this was no anomaly. Because they have coach Trevor Wittman as a common aspect, they have continued training together for years under his watchful eyes. However, it is no secret that when two elite fighters spar hard and swing at each other, things are bound to get messy, and that’s exactly what happened once.

Now as ‘The Highlight’ prepares for his upcoming UFC 313 bout against Rafael Fiziev, it seems like a good time to revisit a hilarious sparring story he shared in April 2024, which also included ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’! You see, Gaethje, Usman, and Henry Cejudo, all gathered together back then for the ‘Pound 4 Pound’ podcast on YouTube, and as their discussion moved forward, juicy details emerged.

As Gaethje talked about his previous fight against Tony Ferguson, he stated that when the latter realized he “can’t walk through my [Gaethje’s] shots, he had to re-evaluate,” and that’s when Kamaru Usman said, “Damn, I am about to re-evaluate at practice. Cause you have hit me. You have tried to hurt me a few times.” 

Co-host, Henry Cejudo asked whether Gaethje unleashed some of his renowned calf-kicks on Usman. With a cheeky smirk, Usman shared, “He’s kicked me a few times,” but Gaethje was quick to clarify, “Only with shin guards!”

But shin guards don’t make a Gaethje strike any less painful, as Usman further confessed, “He’s the type that will hit me very, very hard but then say ‘Oh no, you tried to smoke me, man. You tried to hit me’. I’m like, ‘Bro, no, what are you talking about?'” That’s when Gaethje casually dropped a bombshell!

“He gave me six stitches on my chin. I still got a scar,” he said and proceeded to try and show it, but his beard hid it quite well. But the former welterweight champion wasn’t about to let that claim slide as he fired back by revealing, “Bro, you tried to knock me out. What are you talking about? We have video footage of these interactions.”

The conversation perfectly captured the controlled chaos of their training sessions. Justin Gaethje, known for his relentless pressure and absurd durability, has a reputation for making even sparring sessions feel like pay-per-view brawls.

In the end, he was left with six stitches, a scar, and an unbreakable friendship from the sparring session. Maybe that’s what it means to train with the best. The timing of this old story resurfacing couldn’t be more fitting. Justin Gaethje is gearing up for a high-stakes return at UFC 313 after nearly a year away from the Octagon. But if he wins this bout, is a title shot on the horizon for the former BMF champion?

Justin Gaethje has Islam Makhachev in his crosshairs after UFC 313!

Justin Gaethje faces Rafael Fiziev in a high-octane rematch at UFC 313. Originally set to face Dan Hooker, an injury forced the Kiwi out, leaving Fiziev to step in on short notice. Their last battle at UFC 286 was a razor-thin decision, with Gaethje walking away the victor. Now, he wants more than just another win.

During a conversation on ‘The Jim Rome Show’ about a week ago, Gaethje confessed, “I mean, I’m always shooting for Makhachev. Right now, he’s the champion. And we saw with Poirier, I beat him and then he fought for the belt. I think timing is such a huge factor in this sport.”

Of course, the lightweight division is never short on contenders. Charles Oliveira has already fallen to Islam Makhachev. Arman Tsarukyan, originally scheduled to challenge for the belt at UFC 311, pulled out last minute due to injury, an unfortunate setback that may have cost him the immediate shot.

As such, Gaethje further shared, “And so with the huge win here and certainly a finish, I think they’re going to have to consider me. I’ve never fought him, and that’s what we’re looking for.”

A statement win over Fiziev could force the promotion’s hand, but nothing is guaranteed in the shark-infested waters of the lightweight division. Do you think Justin Gaethje will get his shot at the champion after UFC 313? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!