🚨 JUSTIN GAETHJE’S POST-FIGHT RECOVERY ROUTINE IS GOLF 🏌️ Justin Gaethje says becoming UFC lightweight champion hasn’t changed much for him because he has followed the same routine after every fight. According to Gaethje, once the fight is over, he goes on a golfing spree. He even told Demetrious Johnson that golf is how he recovers, meaning he can fight at night and be on the golf course the following morning. For a fighter who has built his reputation on some of the most brutal wars in UFC history, that is certainly an unusual recovery routine. Via @mighty Should fighters be doing more low-impact activities like golf during fight recovery? 🤔 YES ✅ / NO ❌ #ufc #mma #ufcfighter #golfing #mmanews
Justin Gaethje, the reigning UFC lightweight champion, has revealed an unconventional post-fight recovery ritual: hitting the golf course.
Gaethje shared the routine in a conversation with former flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson, explaining that golf has been his go-to method for unwinding after fights for years. The UFC gold has not changed his approach at all, he says — once the octagon door closes behind him, he is ready to tee off, sometimes as early as the very next morning.
The disclosure is an interesting one given the kind of fighter Gaethje has always been. The 37-year-old American, fighting out of Genesis Training Center, carries a professional record of 28-5 and has built his entire reputation on pressure, pace, and punishment. He lands 6.48 significant strikes per minute at a 58 percent accuracy rate — numbers that reflect just how relentless and high-output his style inside the cage truly is. For a man who routinely absorbs and delivers serious damage at lightweight, trading a morning of brutal sparring for a gentle round of golf is a striking contrast.
Why it matters
- Gaethje's willingness to discuss recovery openly offers a rare window into how elite fighters manage their bodies after competition
- Low-impact activities like golf promote light movement and mental decompression without placing additional stress on a battered body
- As champion, any insight into how Gaethje maintains his edge between fights is relevant to the lightweight division as a whole
- His consistency — following the same post-fight routine regardless of outcome or stakes — speaks to the disciplined habits that have kept him at the top of a brutal weight class at age 37
