Justin Gaethje knows everyone is in a fight right now with what is going on in regards to COVID-19 and he addressed it when posting his own reaction to the UFC 249 event being postponed. For him, it was a chance to chase some glory in a sport he has dedicated his life to so, of course, there is some disappointment.
However, he also acknowledged that being positive during these trying times is the best way to get through what brought UFC 249 and everything else to a halt.
On Friday, Gaethje said as much in his social media post when he described what he was feeling about being called on short notice to face Tony Ferguson at UFC 249. “I really felt a surge of energy and support as this fight was building up from so many people across the world, it was very humbling,” Gaethje wrote and added that he would be, “be working hard to be ready next time the opportunity arises.”
Before, when the fight was announced and he knew he only had days to prepare he acknowledged being the underdog in a short notice fight. It was still a chance to bring him closer to a UFC title; even it was the interim one. Still, a global pandemic is more than enough reason to understand why the event cannot go forward. All sports are on hold and mixed martial arts are not exempt from it.
With that in mind, Gaethje added in his post, “Let’s get through this fight we are all facing right now by having a positive impact on our immediate surroundings (family, neighbor, community) Thank you!” He also said he was “proud” to be in business with a boss like Dana White.
Gaethje was the former World Series of Fighting (WSOF) lightweight champion; he left that promotion undefeated before entering the UFC to chase UFC gold.
UFC 249 would have gotten him close, but will a chance like that be there when the sport can resume?
