As far as stats are concerned, BMF champion Justin Gaethje is one of the most exciting fighters in the business. With 12 UFC fights and 12 UFC bonuses, ‘The Highlight’ certainly lives up to his name.
However, as we enter UFC 300 fight week, another worrying statistic could spell the end of Gaethje’s BMF title reign: a trend that affects a certain bracket of fighters. After turning 35 years-of-age in November 2023, Gaethje joined this group of UFC ‘veterans’.
UFC Over-35 Curse Explained
Male fighters below welterweight (170 lbs), aged 35 or above, have never won a title fight.
RELATED: Ultimate List of UFC Curses
Taking welterweight into account, only one fighter, Tyron Woodley, has secured title wins at 35 or older, setting the combined record for these fighters at 2-24-0.
| Name | Weight | Age | Defeated by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Joseph Benavidez | Flyweight | 35 years | Deiveson Figueiredo |
| Joseph Benavidez | Flyweight | 35 years | Deiveson Figueiredo |
| Deiveson Figueiredo | Flyweight | 35 years, 34 days | Brandon Moreno |
| Urijah Faber | Bantamweight | 35 years | Dominick Cruz |
| Dominick Cruz | Bantamweight | 35 years | Henry Cejudo |
| T.J. Dillashaw | Bantamweight | 36 years | Aljamain Sterling |
| Henry Cejudo | Bantamweight | 36 years | Aljamain Sterling |
| Kenny Florian | Featherweight | 37 years | José Aldo |
| Frankie Edgar | Featherweight | 37 years | Max Holloway |
| The Korean Zombie | Featherweight | 35 years | Alexander Volkanovski |
| Josh Emmett | Featherweight | 37 years | Yair Rodriguez |
| Tony Ferguson | Lightweight | 36 years | Justin Gaethje |
| Michael Chandler | Lightweight | 35 years | Charles Oliveira |
| Pat Miletich | Welterweight | 35 years | Carlos Newton |
| Gil Castilo | Welterweight | 37 years | Matt Hughes |
| Demian Maia | Welterweight | 39 years | Tyron Woodley |
| Tyron Woodley | Welterweight | 36 years | Kamaru Usman |
| Jorge Masvidal | Welterweight | 35 years | Kamaru Usman |
| Jorge Masvidal | Welterweight | 36 years | Kamaru Usman |
| Kamaru Usman | Welterweight | 35 years | Leon Edwards |
| Kamaru Usman | Welterweight | 35 years | Leon Edwards |
| Alexander Volkanovski | Lightweight | 35 Years | Islam Makhachev |
| Colby Covington | Welterweight | 35 Years | Leon Edwards |
| Alexander Volkanovski | Featherweight | 35 Years | Ilia Topuria |
Gaethje is the favorite entering this fight, being a native lightweight competing against a bulked-up Max Holloway, who has lost at lightweight before.
BMF champions are a legitimate champion in the eyes of the UFC, who provide the holder with PPV points – so it begs the question, does this UFC ‘curse’ apply to BMF champions too?
Justin Gaethje vs. Max Holloway Betting Odds UFC
Gaethje is a considerable favorite sitting at -175, with Holloway at +150 (via BetOnline). It could be time to cash on ‘Blessed’ with the history of aged-UFC fighters in title fights — BMF or not.
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