We need to appreciate the beauty of Justin Gaethje’s fighting style while we still can.
When Justin Gaethje signed for the UFC, fans had a lot of questions. Just three fights into his tenure in the big leagues, the man who made his name going undefeated on the regional scene has answered every single one of them.
The first query folks had is the same one everyone has with fighters who make their name outside the UFC – is he good enough for this level? Viciously finishing Michael Johnson, who has clean wins over Tony Ferguson, Dustin Poirier and Edson Barboza, in his promotional debut gave that one a definitive answer. Going to war for multiple rounds with former champion Eddie Alvarez and elite contender Poirier provided more evidence.
It earned Conor McGregor's praise https://t.co/HsN8fZbHho
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) January 2, 2018
Damage control
The second thing everyone wanted to know was whether he would change his style or not. He was certainly talented enough to wade forward into the fire and leave himself susceptible to damage in WSOF, but there were doubts about his willingness to take such risks when the competition got tougher.
When he bit down on the mouthpiece and swang for the fences against Johnson, it was clear that the gameplan wasn’t going to change. He was going to continue to absorb the pain and rely on his cardio. If the opportunity presented itself in WSOF, he would seize it to make the fans’ jaws hit the floor.
Justin Gaethje fight week! #UFCGlendale pic.twitter.com/fdb07Lsev2
— Ben Kiely (@TheJivemaster) April 12, 2018
If the rolling thunder was good enough to end a round against Luiz Firmino in 2016, it was good enough for Poirier a couple of years later.
https://twitter.com/streetfitebanch/status/985380551958900736
The finish
Gaethje ultimately lost to Poirier in the wee hours of Sunday morning. ‘The Diamond’ handed him his second consecutive knockout loss, seeing him fall to 18-2.
Even in defeat though, Gaethje was impressive. As MMA numbers whizz Mike Bohn of MMA Junkie pointed out, he became the only fighter in UFC history to land 100 or more significant strikes in each of his first three UFC fights on Sunday.
After the event, he spoke candidly about the unforgiving nature of the sport. “I don’t recommend it to my enemy. But it’s what I was born and bred to do.”
In the beginning of the end when Poirier started the fight-ending sequence, Gaethje perfectly illustrated why he was born for this sport. When that thunderous left hook landed, it really hurt him. As he stumbled him, he stuck his hands up and made a gesture as if to say, ‘Bring it on’.
https://twitter.com/streetfitebanch/status/985386898137997312
According to Gaethje, he has five fights left in him. He’s planning a well-earned break next, but if you’re a fan of fighting, you need to watch this guy compete. There really is only one Justin Gaethje.
