Justin Gaethje disclosed on the Joe Rogan Experience that he does not drink water during any training sessions, including hard conditioning work, drinking only before and after workouts. Trainer Trevor Wittman confirmed he did not give Gaethje water in his corner during his five-round bout with Tony Ferguson, noting Gaethje simply does not drink during training. Wittman also expressed concern about weight cuts and dehydration in combat sports more broadly.
Lightweight champion Justin Gaethje revealed on the Joe Rogan Experience that he avoids drinking water entirely during training sessions, including intense conditioning work, relying solely on hydration before and after workouts.
Gaethje, 37, holds a 28-5-0 record and currently sits atop the lightweight division. The Arizona product trains out of Genesis Training Center and is known for a high-output striking game, landing 6.48 significant strikes per minute at a 58 percent accuracy rate — numbers that reflect the grueling volume of work he puts in daily. His trainer Trevor Wittman confirmed the unusual habit extends to fight night itself, disclosing that he withheld water from Gaethje's corner during the fighter's five-round contest with Tony Ferguson, simply because that is how Gaethje has always operated.
Wittman also used the platform to raise broader concerns about dehydration and the dangers of weight cutting in combat sports.
Ferguson, now 42 and carrying a 26-11-0 record, was the opponent on the other side of that five-round fight. The American, who trains out of Knuckleheadz MMA, owns a reach of 76 inches and has averaged 4.91 significant strikes per minute across his career, complemented by 0.9 submission attempts per 15 minutes — a well-rounded profile that made him a demanding test over championship rounds.
Why it matters
- Gaethje's refusal to drink during training raises questions about how hydration habits at that level affect performance and long-term health.
- Wittman's public comments add a prominent coaching voice to ongoing debates about water cutting and fighter safety.
- The detail that no water was provided during a full five-round bout offers rare insight into the corner protocols of an elite lightweight team.
