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JRE MMA Show #96 with Justin Gaethje & Trevor Wittman

Joe is joined by Interim UFC Lightweight Champion Justin Gaethje & boxing and MMA trainer Trevor Wittman.

Joe RoganhostTrevor WittmanguestJustin Gaethjeguest
May 26, 20202h 46mWatch on YouTube ↗

At a glance

WHAT IT’S REALLY ABOUT

Justin Gaethje and Trevor Wittman Reveal Mindset, Training, and Innovation

  1. Justin Gaethje and coach Trevor Wittman break down Justin’s evolution from an all-action brawler into a calculated, championship-level striker, and how a tight one‑on‑one coach–fighter relationship made that possible.
  2. They go deep on training structure, overtraining, weight cutting, and game-planning for elite opponents like Tony Ferguson and Khabib Nurmagomedov, emphasizing distance, footwork, and mental preparation.
  3. Wittman also unveils his ONX equipment line, explaining how current MMA gloves and gear contribute to injuries and eye pokes, and why his patented designs are engineered to protect fighters and improve performance.
  4. Throughout, they discuss fighter psychology, career longevity, money, and why clear goals and boundaries (like not taking short‑notice fights) are critical to surviving and thriving in MMA.

IDEAS WORTH REMEMBERING

5 ideas

A small, focused stable can outperform big ‘super gyms’.

Wittman argues that coaching a few athletes intensely—seeing every session, managing load, and knowing their psyche—produces better results than spreading attention across dozens of fighters.

Fight style must evolve with goals—from ‘most exciting’ to ‘world champion’.

Gaethje shifted from seeking car-crash brawls to fighting in ‘spots’ with smarter defense and footwork once he decided he wanted to be champion, not just entertaining.

Overtraining and fragmented coaching are major, avoidable problems in MMA.

Many fighters get hard sessions from multiple coaches in different gyms, piling up fatigue and injuries; Wittman stresses centralized planning and knowing when to pull an athlete back.

Short-notice fights should align with a fighter’s own rules and mental readiness.

Gaethje initially refused short-notice Tony Ferguson fights to protect his preparation standards and confidence, then only accepted when timing and conditioning lined up with his own criteria.

Distance and footwork are central to neutralizing elite grapplers like Khabib.

Gaethje and Wittman outline a Khabib game plan built on staying off the fence, controlling distance, and forcing takedown attempts in open space, where Gaethje’s defensive wrestling excels.

WORDS WORTH SAVING

5 quotes

I went from ‘I wanna be the most exciting fighter’ to ‘I wanna be the champion.’ Once that changed, everything about how I fight had to change.

— Justin Gaethje

If you’re not coachable, I’m just a water boy. I’m the co‑pilot—I draw the map and you have to trust me around the corners.

— Trevor Wittman

We didn’t change who he is. We just made him fight in spots. You can’t be the best fighter in the world without being the best defensive fighter.

— Trevor Wittman (about Justin Gaethje)

I don’t process physical versus mental separately. To fight the way I do, my mind has to be in a very, very special place—and that takes time.

— Justin Gaethje

Our sport has world‑class athletes using $60 gloves filled with seat‑cushion foam. Where’s the testing? Where’s the MMA equipment actually made for MMA?

— Trevor Wittman

Gaethje’s transformation from reckless brawler to calculated world-title contenderValue of one-on-one coaching and long-term coach–fighter relationshipsTraining design: avoiding overtraining, peaking, conditioning, and weight cuttingStrategic breakdown of Tony Ferguson fight and matchup with Khabib NurmagomedovFighter psychology: confidence, nerves, crowd influence, and career identityTRT/Nate Marquardt fallout and Wittman rebuilding his career and stableONX equipment innovation: safer gloves, headgear, shin guards, and industry resistance

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