Quote · The Joe Rogan Experience
JRE MMA Show #181 with Justin Gaethje & Trevor Wittman
Where this was said
The UFC Gloves Debate — Eye Pokes, Mitten Design, and the ONX Revolution
At 2:04:15 · chapter starts 1:53:00
The final major discussion is a full breakdown of UFC glove design. [1] — Trevor Wittman "The UFC's current gloves force fighters to constantly fight their own equipment — straining to make a fist causes premature arm fatigue. Wi…" 2:06:00 Gaethje opens by noting the gloves in his White House fight felt slightly different — thicker leather, softer feel, less pain between the fingers. Wittman clarifies the core problem: current UFC gloves force the hand into an unnatural position and require constant muscular effort to maintain a fist, exhausting the forearm before a punch is thrown. His ONX gloves use internal strapping and a naturally curved shape to line the bones correctly and promote a relaxed, closed-fist position. He demonstrates on camera. Rogan immediately feels the difference. Gaethje hasn't worn hand wraps since 2015 and trains entirely in ONX gloves. Rogan then floats the mitten idea — covering the fingertips to reduce eye pokes by an estimated 80%. Gaethje pushes back: fingertip touch is a critical intuitive sensor during a fight that tells him range and direction. But he agrees the current gloves are terrible and the UFC spent significant money on a redesign that changed almost nothing. Wittman says the right people are now involved in the business side and the UFC deal is coming.
Rogan floated the idea of a mitten-style glove that covers the fingertips. Gaethje pushed back hard — he believes touch sensitivity is a critical intuitive tool during a fight. But he agreed the current gloves are terrible, forcing fighters to waste energy just to make a fist.
Gaethje will take the rest of 2026 off. He's already fought twice this year in under six months. He's been managing severe bone edema in his fibula since Christmas Day. He got cortisone shots and stem cells just to make it to the White House. The body needs a full reset.
Gaethje fought for the lightweight title while managing a severe bone edema in the tip of his fibula that he had suffered on Christmas Day and couldn't heal during camp.
Gaethje received a cortisone shot the Friday before he left for the White House fight to manage the bone edema in his fibula, which he said helped significantly.
Wrestling is a combat sport that's socially acceptable in high school — and it teaches a brutal lesson no team sport can. When someone can flatline you at will, there's no teammate to blame, no excuse to make. That accountability is what makes wrestlers into champions in every field of life.
