Michael Johnson Seeks Gaethje Rematch After KO
Michael Johnson knocked out Ottman Azaitar with a right hook at 2:03 of the second round at the Tampa event on Dec. 14, 2024. After the win, Johnson called for a rematch with Justin Gaethje.
Speaking with reporters after the fight, Johnson named Gaethje as the opponent he wanted next. The callout followed his knockout win; it was not an announcement that a rematch had been booked. (MMA Fighting’s post-fight report)
Johnson and Gaethje first met at The Ultimate Fighter 25 Finale on July 7, 2017. Gaethje won by second-round TKO at 4:48. (Official event result)
Official results list Johnson’s Tampa finish as a knockout by right hand at 2:03 of round two. (Tampa preliminary results)
The history behind Johnson’s request
Their first meeting was Gaethje’s UFC debut. He arrived as an unbeaten former World Series of Fighting champion and faced Johnson in the main event at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The matchup became a demanding two-round striking contest before Gaethje secured the finish late in the second round.
Both fighters received Fight of the Night recognition for that 2017 bout, with Gaethje also collecting a Performance of the Night award. That reception helps explain why a rematch remained an appealing subject years later: the original fight had been memorable despite ending before the scheduled distance. Johnson’s Tampa knockout supplied a new occasion to revisit that shared history.
His post-fight discussion also covered the longevity of his career and the support he received from the MMA community. The Gaethje request was one part of that wider reflection after a successful night. Reading it alongside the original result keeps the chronology clear: Johnson first lost their 2017 meeting, then publicly sought another chance after beating Azaitar in December 2024.
