‘The Hangman’ revealed an injured hand eventually led to pull out of UFC 313 just two weeks away from the co-main event. His withdrawal affects Justin Gaethje match lineup as he doesn’t have any opponent to compete with. There are many potential replacements and in this article we will discuss five of them who can compete with Justin Gaethje in UFC 313 co-main event.
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1. Mateusz Gamrot
Mateusz Gamrot is a rising star in the lightweight division known for his wrestling and grappling skills. Poland’s fighter showed interest as an opponent of Justin Gaethje for UFC 313. He fought Hooker in UFC 305 and lost by split decision but now he has an opportunity to compete against Gaethje. Gamrot’s ability to control opponents on the ground and explosive style of fighting is capable of competing with Gaethje. He shows a significant improvement and his recent performances shows he is ready to compete at the highest level too.
2. Rafael Fiziev
Rafael Fiziev, popular for his dynamic fighting style is another exciting option as a replacement. Sportsnet’s Aaron Bronsteter supports the idea of Fiziev as a replacement because of his striking prowess and dynamic style of fighting. Currently, Fiziev is no. 11 and Gaethje is no.3 so it may not be possible for these fights to compete in UFC 313 Because of the wide disparity in the rankings. Fiziev’s recent victories shows the top level competition and is ready to take on top-tier with his stand-up battles and solid defense skills.
3. Renato Moicano
The another good replacement is the Renato Moicano who has extensive experience in both lightweight and featherweight divisions. Not only did he succeed multiple submission victories but also competed against elite-players. All this experience to fight against top players helps him to improve his striking and technical skills. Moicano is known for his grappling ability and striking precision, which could pose challenges for Gaethje’s aggressive fighting style.
If called upon, Moicano approach and ground control could present a serious challenge and he will ensure to bring both skill and experience for this fight.
4. Dustin Poirier
Dustin Poirier never misses an opportunity to show his best whenever he gets a chance to compete with top players. Also, he is one of the most accomplished fighters in the lightweight division with numerous high-profile fights under his belt. Both players competed in UFC 291 main event where Gaethje managed to win that match by KO/TKO.
As a former interim champion, Poirier will aim to equalise the score by winning this match with his experience and fighting style. Whereas, If this match took place so Gaethje will try to shoe the dominance in the octagon cage again.
5. Max Holloway
The one to which we all can root is between Gathje and Hollway. Their last fight in UFC 300 was a devastating loss to Gaethje by knockout and this is the appropriate opportunity for him to take payback by his heavy striking-heavy approach. Whereas, Holloway will try to show dominance again by his skill set and experience. Holloway possesses exceptional boxing skills, cardio, and fight IQ that is enough for a thrilling contest between him and Gaethje.
In conclusion, Dan Hooker’s withdrawal opened ways for these five fighters—Mateusz Gamrot, Rafael Fiziev, Renato Moicano, Dustin Poirier, and Max Holloway. Many of them has a history with Gaethje and would like to turn the results in their favour if they get an opportunity to fight against Gaethje. Each player have their unique style and approach to compete and will bring the best in the octagon cage matchups in the lightweight division.
Reddaveni Saisneha 
Aditya Khare