JRE MMA Show #181 with Justin Gaethje & Trevor Wittman

Justin Gaethje explicitly states that he fights without expectations, relying on his hard work and intuitive reactions. He believes that having expectations, as his opponent Ilia Topuria did, leaves a fighter vulnerable to mental collapse when the fight doesn't go as planned. This self-awareness allows him to adapt mid-fight.

Gaethje: 'When I have gone in with expectations... when we go to round two and when we go to round three and it's not going as you predicted it or wanted it to or expected it to, then where do you go from there?'

Trevor Wittman describes his coaching role as a 'father position,' where he must be 'dead honest' with his fighters for their career's sake, even if it causes friction. This approach ensures fighters confront reality and make necessary adjustments, rather than being shielded from difficult truths.

Wittman: 'I have to be dead honest for your career. Not because it it helps us now and it feels good right now at the moment. I have to look at that from from the time that we start and we talk about you know what are his goals and then my job is to be an adviser, be a mentor to get him to that place.'

Gaethje and Wittman agree that Topuria made a critical mistake by attempting to finish Gaethje on the ground after landing a debilitating body shot. Gaethje believes this 'dumped everything' from Topuria's energy tank, and had Topuria stayed standing, Gaethje would have initiated grappling to recover, forcing Topuria on top anyway. Topuria's pre-fight expectation of a quick finish led to this overcommitment.

Gaethje: 'Him hurting to my body was the reason one of the main reasons I won... I think that fact made him dump everything because it was his last chance to take me out.' Wittman: 'If he would have been smart in that scenario saying, "Hey, we got five rounds. Let me step back a little bit. Let me do some damage." But also, he's like, "Hey, let me get you out of there quick." '

Gaethje asserts that his victory over Topuria, much like his fight with Tony Ferguson, didn't just break his opponent's confidence but fundamentally changed the 'perception of his opponents of him.' By showing that Topuria could be pushed and survived against, Gaethje removed the aura of invincibility, making future fights psychologically harder for Topuria.

Gaethje: 'I didn't break Tony Ferguson's confidence. I changed the perception of his opponents of him. And that is a huge factor when you go in there... Once I showed people that all you got to do is get through that, then nobody's ever going to go in there with thinking that he's unbeatable now.'

After consecutive losses, Gaethje consciously shifted his mindset from being the 'most exciting fighter' to 'not taking these shots.' This involved becoming a 'spot fighter' who conserves energy and makes smart decisions, a change orchestrated by Coach Wittman to enable a championship run.

Gaethje: 'After those fights, I was like, I have to not take these shots... I used to never care about getting hit cuz it's like doesn't hurt.' Wittman: 'I sat down with him and I was like, "Do you want to be a champion?" And I was like, "This is how you have to fight to be a champion is be smart." '

The outdoor White House setting introduced significant environmental variables like humidity, potential rain, and late fight times, which are usually controlled in indoor arenas. Gaethje's team prepared for these unknowns by training in hot, humid conditions and adjusting sleep schedules, highlighting the importance of adaptability in unique circumstances.

Gaethje: 'After round one, I just remember thinking, "Oh, I am so tired right now. How how is this possible?" And the amount of the amount of fluid I lost was probably lost like 15 pounds.' Wittman: 'We trained in a hotter gym. I I'd turn the temperature up in the gyms just so he's getting used to dealing with a little bit more heat stroke.'