Justin Gaethje

UFC: Khabib Nurmagomedov’s legacy after retiring 29-0

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This past weekend at UFC 254, one of the greatest to ever do it fought for the final time. Khabib Nurmagomedov (29-0) successfully defended his lightweight crown against former interim champion, Justin Gaethje (22-3).

UFC 254 proved to be another dominant victory for Nurmagomedov. Facing the guy who many believed would be his toughest challenger, Nurmagomedov put on arguably the best performance of his career.

After an initial feeling out process, Nurmagomedov’s pressure slowly broke Justin Gaethje. In the second round, a takedown led to a triangle choke victory for the champion. When the fight was over, Nurmagomedov laid his gloves in the octagon and retired at UFC 254.

It’s a move that took many by surprise, however, it shouldn’t come as a surprise. Many wondered if Nurmagomedov would ever compete again after he lost his father earlier this year to COVID-19. Khabib’s father had been his lead trainer as well.

However, Nurmagomedov said he felt that he had to complete this final fight. He promised his mother that he would walk away from the UFC after this contest, and I believe him. I think we’ve seen the last of Khabib Nurmagomedov inside the octagon.

Khabib’s UFC Legacy

Simply put, Khabib Nurmagomedov is one of the greatest to ever do it. He has a very strong argument as the greatest fighter to ever step foot inside the UFC‘s octagon. He leaves undefeated with no asterisks on his record.

Jon Jones is the GOAT in the eyes of many, however, you can’t say his record is nearly as clean. When it comes to longevity and resume of wins, you’d have to lean towards Jones, however, the USADA issues can’t be ignored when examining his overall legacy.

With Nurmagomedov, you have a clean resume. The most dominant lightweight to ever compete in the UFC. He defeated every top challenger in the division outside of Tony Ferguson. That fight was attempted to be made five times, however, it never came together.

At the end of the day, as a fight fan, I’m sad that we won’t see Nurmagomedov compete anymore. However, I’m glad I got to witness his prime and see his dominance. Nurmagomedov went out on top, and 29-0 is something we may never see again in the UFC.

What’s next for Justin Gaethje after UFC 254?

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Yesterday, Justin Gaethje got the opportunity he’s worked his whole career for. He got the chance to headline against arguably the greatest of all time at UFC 254. Gaethje entered the cage yesterday as the interim champion.

Standing across from him was the undisputed king, Khabib Nurmagomedov. Nurmagomedov entered a perfect 28-0, and nobody had really ever come close to defeating the UFC‘s lightweight champion.

However, Gaethje was looked at as the most dangerous opponent. He brought power striking and wrestling credentials to the table. Khabib’s star factor and Gaethje’s style made yesterday must see TV for any fan of the UFC.

There were a couple of times during the fight that Gaethje looked good. He hit Khabib with some good leg kicks, and he landed some solid shots. However, he really struggled with the pressure that Khabib put on him in the UFC 254 main event.

Nurmagomedov showed no respect for the power of Gaethje. He just walked through everything and you could tell he was tiring Gaethje. In the second round, Nurmagomedov secured a takedown and transitioned to a triangle choke where he put Gaethje to sleep.

What’s next for Gaethje after UFC 254?

No matter how you slice it, UFC 254 was a disappointment for Justin Gaethje. However, there’s no shame in it considering all the best at lightweight have suffered the same fate at the hands of Khabib Nurmagomedov.

Nurmagomedov retired after the main event concluded yesterday which opens the lightweight division up. Gaethje should be right back in the conversation for a crack at the vacant UFC lightweight champion.

In his post-fight interview, Gaethje had mentioned that he didn’t take a ton of damage so he wanted to get right back in there. I think the UFC is probably going to make McGregor – Poirier the fight for the vacant UFC championship.

Gaethje deserves a spot in the conversation, but I think the promotion ultimately goes that way. That being said, I would love to see Gaethje paired up with Michael Chandler. Chandler was the backup fighter for yesterday’s UFC 254 main event.

The promotion holds him in high regards so I think it would be fitting to pair the two up. Either make them a main event or put them on the same card as McGregor-Poirier. The two winners face off in the summer for the UFC lightweight championship.

Could McGregor – Poirier be for the vacant UFC lightweight title?

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Conor McGregor, UFC

Yesterday at UFC 254, Khabib Nurmagomedov (29-0) completely dominated Justin Gaethje (22-3) and retained his lightweight champion. Nurmagomedov was overcome with emotions after he was able to win by triangle choke.

The UFC lightweight champion lost his father earlier this year due to COVID-19. Khabib’s father, Abdulmanap, had been Khabib’s lead trainer for his entire career. There were questions surrounding his fighting future after his father passed.

However, the UFC lightweight champion wanted to keep going to honor his father. At UFC 254, he might have put on the best performance of his career in stopping Justin Gaethje. After the fight was over Khabib laid his gloves in the middle of the cage and retired from the sport.

With some fighters, there are questions and doubts when they first announce retirement. However, I think the majority of the MMA community believes Nurmagomedov will not be back in the UFC. That leaves a vacancy at the top of the lightweight division.

The division is absolutely littered with killers, and I guarantee, none of them are sad to see Nurmagomedov leave the division. So the question now becomes, who will get the first crack at the vacant UFC lightweight championship?

McGregor – Poirier for the vacant UFC title?

Before I get into McGregor – Poirier, I will say that Justin Gaethje deserves to be in the conversation for the first shot. He was the interim champion yesterday and just knocked off Tony Ferguson earlier this year to win that title.

However, I think there’s a clear front-runner for the vacant UFC title. The promotion is planning on having Conor McGregor (22-4) and Dustin Poirier (26-6, 1 NC) fight in January. Both men have agreed to the fight.

Poirier was the interim champion last year before losing to Nurmagomedov. He bounced back in June to defeat Dan Hooker. McGregor also last lost in a title fight to Nurmagomedov, but he bounced back and knocked out Donald Cerrone back in January.

The UFC wanted McGregor to face Nurmagomedov again if Khabib won yesterday. Now that Khabib has retired, it makes perfect business sense to book McGregor in the next title fight. Also, Poirier has just as much of a case as Gaethje considering he was also the interim champion.

There are several guys in the mix at the top of the division. You have McGregor, Gaethje, Poirier, Michael Chandler, Tony Ferguson, and Dan Hooker. You could pair all those guys up, but I think McGregor – Poirier is likely going to determine the next UFC lightweight champion.

Khabib Nurmagomedov dominates Justin Gaethje at UFC 254

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The main event of UFC 254 was arguably the most anticipated fight of 2020. The undisputed and undefeated lightweight king, Khabib Nurmagomedov (28-0), was set to defend his title against the interim champion, Justin Gaethje (22-2).

Nobody has been able to solve the puzzle that is Khabib Nurmagomedov. His dominance in the UFC is something that’s virtually unheard of. However, Justin Gaethje was looked at as the most dangerous challenger given his style.

As the UFC 254 main event got underway, Gaethje opened up with a leg kick. Both men looked very tentative in the first minute of the fight. A leg kick got the action going in the second minute. Both fighters exchanged good right hands but neither did serious damage.

Khabib appeared to be trying to time the takedown early on. Khabib really started to pressure halfway through the first round. However, Gaethje was going a good job of landing good shots. A big knee from Khabib caught Gaethje’s attention.

Khabib’s pressure appeared to be tiring Gaethje a little in the first. However, Gaethje landed a couple of really clean shots. Khabib shoots in for his first big takedown attempt and lands it just before the first round ends. Good opening round for the UFC champion.

As the second round opened, Khabib went right back to the pressure. Gaethje landed a good left hook to start the striking. However, Khabib walked right through it. Nurmagomedov shoots in for a takedown and he’s able to land it.

Khabib immediately starts to look to set up a triangle choke on Gaethje. He locks it in and it’s tight. Gaethje taps, but the referee doesn’t see it. Khabib puts Gaethje to sleep and the UFC lightweight king remains unbeaten.

What’s next after UFC 254

The most dangerous challenger in the UFC for Khabib Nurmagomedov was supposed to be Justin Gaethje. However, Khabib completely walked through Gaethje just like he’s walked through all 28 of his previous opponents.

For Khabib, there’s not much left to prove in the lightweight division. I think that the UFC should really try to book the GSP fight because there’s not a ton left for Khabib to prove in the lightweight division.

However, Nurmagomedov announced in the post-fight interview that he was walking away from the sport. With nothing left to prove, he was ready to walk away from the sport at a perfect 29-0.

For Justin Gaethje, this is a pretty disappointing performance, but there’s no shame in him losing to Khabib Nurmagomedov. This will not be the last time that Justin Gaethje fights for the UFC lightweight championship.

UFC 254 Preview: Khabib Nurmagomedov vs Justin Gaethje

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The UFC 254 main even is arguably the most anticipated fight of 2020. Undefeated lightweight king, Khabib Nurmagomedov (28-0), will defend his crown against the interim champion, Justin Gaethje (22-2).

This fight is trending to be one of the biggest UFC fights of all time. Khabib Nurmagomedov has become a global superstar since becoming champion. The dominant Russian is a rare fighter who’s level of domination is unheard of.

Nurmagomedov is so special because he tells his UFC opponents exactly what he’s going to do, however, they still can’t stop it. Khabib has ragdolled opponents like Dustin Poirier, Conor McGregor, Edson Barboza, Rafael Dos Anjos, and more on his run of dominance.

This year has been a tough year for Nurmagomedov. The UFC‘s lightweight champion lost his father who was also his lead trainer. This fight sees Nurmagomedov with a new motivation to finish the journey that he started with his father years ago.

2020 couldn’t have gone better for Justin Gaethje in terms of his fighting career. After the pandemic scrapped the Nurmagomedov – Tony Ferguson fight, the UFC called on Justin Gaethje. He went on to defeat Ferguson at UFC 249 to capture the interim title.

The Justin Gaethje that fought that night looked like the best lightweight in the world. His precision power striking along with his ability to stay composed was remarkable. Gaethje also has an All-American wrestling pedigree in his back pocket when he needs it.

UFC 254 Prediction

The classic saying is that styles make fights. Stylistically, Justin Gaethje is the toughest opponent for Khabib Nurmagomedov in the UFC. Gaethje has incredibly good and powerful leg kicks which can zap anyone’s base very quickly.

In addition to that, he hands are very fast and powerful. It only takes one clean shot to hurt you with Justin Gaethje. On top of that, he’s an All-American wrestler who might be able to hold his own against the dominant UFC lightweight champion.

If Justin Gaethje can keep the fight standing the majority of the time, he’s going to win tomorrow afternoon. However, that would mean Gaethje would pull off something that nobody has been able to do in 28 fights.

Gaethje absolutely has the skills to get it done tomorrow. However, I find it hard to bet against Nurmagomedov. I think Gaethje is going to find some success early, but eventually, Khabib will be able to do what he does best as well.

When all is said and done tomorrow, I think later in the fight, Nurmagomedov will get it done. I think it will end the same way the last two fights with Nurmagomedov have ended. A takedown against the fence leading to a rear naked choke finish.

Prediction: Khabib Nurmagomedov by Submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 4

Khabib Nurmagomedov leaves no secrets about his UFC 254 game plan

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One of the most special things about Khabib Nurmagomedov (28-0) is his honesty. The UFC lightweight champion never leaves it a secret as to what he’s going to do when he steps into the octagon. This Saturday night is no different.

Nurmagomedov will step into the cage at UFC 254 across from interim champion, Justin Gaethje (22-2). Stylistically, Gaethje might be the toughest test Khabib has ever faced inside of the octagon. Bringing incredible striking power with a wrestling background.

The Highlight was an All-American wrestler in college. However, his striking has become so lethal that he leans on that when he fights. Still, he has that wrestling pedigree in his back pocket whenever he needs it. That’s what makes this fight so intriguing.

However, Nurmagomedov is not changing things up when it comes to this fight. Khabib plans on doing the same thing that he’s done to all 28 of his opponents. He plans on dragging Gaethje to the ground and controlling him just like he’s controlled everyone else.

UFC’s most unstoppable force?

“I know he(Gaethje) knows how to wrestle. But what about wrestling for 25 minutes? If I try to take him down once and he defends, I’m going to go all night. This is a big difference in US wrestling and Dagestan wrestling,” Nurmagomedov told reporters yesterday at the pre-fight press conference.

The UFC lightweight champion is brutally honest. He tells his opponents he’s going to try to take them down all night, yet nobody has been able to stop it. Conor McGregor couldn’t stop it, Dustin Poirier couldn’t stop it, and I could keep going on.

The UFC‘s interim lightweight champion, Gaethje, is the one guy in the division who might be able to stop it. The early rounds are going to be crucial for Justin Gaethje at UFC 254. He needs to inflict as much damage as he can early on in the fight.

He’s going to defend some takedowns on Saturday. However, I would bet my life savings that at some point, Nurmagomedov is going to land a takedown. That is where the real battle begins. Will Gaethje be able to get up, or will he succumb like the 28 men who have tried before him.

Tony Ferguson is becoming fed up with the UFC

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Tony Ferguson, UFC

One of the best lightweights in the world is not very happy with the UFC. That lightweight would be former interim champion Tony Ferguson. El Cucuy hasn’t fought since May when he lost an interim title fight to Justin Gaethje.

Ferguson was originally supposed to face UFC lightweight champion, Khabib Nurmagomedov, that night, but due to travel restrictions, the fight was cancelled. Ferguson took the fight against Gaethje and was stopped in the fifth round.

Since then, we have not seen Ferguson in action. However, the UFC has tried to make fights for Ferguson. The promotion was trying to book Ferguson opposite Dustin Poirier as the co-main event for this weekend’s UFC 254 card.

However, due to financial negotiations, the fight never came to fruition. Following that, the UFC offered Ferguson a fight against Michael Chandler, however, Ferguson was not interested in fighting Chandler because he viewed it as a step back.

Now, Ferguson appears to be the odd man out at lightweight. The UFC seems to be closing in on booking the rematch between Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier. Ferguson’s logical opponent is Michael Chandler, but again, Ferguson doesn’t want that fight. He’s becoming increasingly frustrated with the promotion.

El Cucuy vs the UFC

“Chandler? Think about this: How many times are you going to put another f–king person in the f–king shuffle of cards? Dana keeps shuffling me down the list. What? Because I’m f–king Mexican? What’d I do to you? Why do you treat me like s–t,” Ferguson told MMA Junkie.

Ferguson went onto talk about how he feels that the UFC should pay him more given his history with the promotion. Ferguson has been with the UFC since 2011 when he won the Ultimate Fighter. He’s been one of the best lightweights in the world since that time.

Despite losing in his last fight at UFC 249, Ferguson wants his money to be raised for his next fight. If he doesn’t see the numbers climb, it appears that he’s willing to sit out. We’ve seen this several times this year with Jon Jones and Jorge Masvidal. 

However, it’s very rare that these kind of situations ever favor the fighter. The UFC is booming right now and if Ferguson doesn’t want to fight, White and the UFC won’t cave. They could find another fight for Michael Chandler like Dan Hooker. 

At the end of the day, I think it’s best for all parties for this situation to be resolved. There has to be a middle ground somewhere that will make both sides happy. I think all fans would be happy to see Ferguson fighting again sooner rather than later.

Justin Gaethje plans on causing massive damage at UFC 254

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This weekend, the UFC‘s undisputed lightweight championship is on the line. The champion, Khabib Nurmagomedov (28-0). will take on the interim champion, Justin Gaethje (22-2), to determine who is the best lightweight in the UFC.

All who have stepped into a UFC octagon across from Khabib Nurmagomedov has failed. The Russian superstar has ragdolled every opponent on his way to his perfect 28-0 record. Nobody has been able to solve the Nurmagomedov puzzle.

Justin Gaethje plans on being the man to solve that puzzle at UFC 254. Gaethje grew up in the sport of wrestling, but it’s been his exciting striking wars that have captivated fans. His brutal power and brawling style have played up to his nickname of the highlight.

Everything came together for Gaethje at UFC 249 when he fought Tony Ferguson. For the first time, Gaethje didn’t appear wild when he fought. He was composed and executed a game plan. In return, he picked apart Ferguson on his way to capturing the UFC‘s interim lightweight title.

He knows and understands that Khabib Nurmagomedov is a different animal. However, the one positive about fighting Nurmagomedov is that there is no secret to his game plan. Gaethje plans on keeping the fight standing and doing big damage on Saturday night.

UFC Fight for the Ages

“My athleticism is going to cause him serious issues. He’s not going to be able to do what he wants when he wants. He’s going to have to take chances. And when he’s on his feet I’m going to be causing massive damage to his legs, his body, and his face,” Gaethje told BT Sport.

I will say this, Gaethje is the biggest test in the UFC for Khabib. When it comes to the skillset that he brings, he does pose some problems for the UFC‘s lightweight champion. Gaethje does have the grappling and scrambling skills to keep the fight standing.

Leg kicks could be a massive factor in this fight. Gaethje possesses some of the most devastating leg kicks in the sport and he only needs to land a few to make an impact. Sure, leg kicks make him suceptible to the takedown, but again, if a few land they will cause damage.

The UFC‘s interim lightweight champion will definitely have the advantage on the feet. Gaethje’s striking has looked sensational in his last couple of outings. If Gaethje can keep the fight standing Saturday night, he very well could walk away the undisputed UFC lightweight champion.

UFC: Khabib Nurmagomedov has stipulations for McGregor – Poirier

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This weekend at UFC 254, Khabib Nurmagomedov (28-0) will be taking on Justin Gaethje (22-2) for the undisputed lightweight championship. The Eagle is looking to continue his dominance at lightweight. Gaethje is looking to pull of the biggest year of his career.

Even with his full focus on this weekend, the UFC champion couldn’t get away from questions regarding his rival Conor McGregor. McGregor has agreed to fight Dustin Poirier on January 23rd. The fight is done with just contracts needing to be signed per Dana White. 

There is the general feel that the winner of the McGregor – Poirier fight would get the next crack at the UFC lightweight championship. However, there hasn’t been a weight that has been agreed to for the potential January fight.

McGregor’s head coach hinted that the fight would take place at welterweight. That didn’t sit well with the current UFC champion. Nurmagomedov came out this week and said that the fight between the two needs to happen at lightweight.

“You have to fight at 155. If they fight at 170 or 185, this is not lightweight contender fight. If you want to fight at lightweight contender for the belt you have to fight at lightweight,” Nurmagomedov told TSN on Monday.

On the UFC champions terms

It’s worth noting that outside of the fight against Nurmagomedov, all three of McGregor’s last three UFC contest have taken place at welterweight. Even though the fighters he’s fought were both natural lightweights.

I can see where Nurmagomedov is coming. If they want a UFC title shot, they should have to fight at the weight class that they will have to fight in to win the title. However, I can also see the point from the other camps.

If McGregor pushes for 170, it goes back to the point that both fighters wouldn’t have to cut weight. Neither would deplete themselves so the UFC would get both guys at their very best. The weight cut isn’t easy for McGregor or Poirier.

Considering the trend, my guess is that the UFC does try to book McGregor – Poirier at lightweight. I know McGregor’s last few fights have been at 170, but I think the promotion will try to push to get him back at his natural weight which is at lightweight.

UFC: Khabib Nurmagomedov has no interest in Conor McGregor

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The highest PPV buy rate ever in the history of MMA came at UFC 229. That night, Khabib Nurmagomedov (28-0) successfully defended his lightweight title against Conor McGregor (22-4). The fight had a ton of bad blood leading up to it.

After the fight was over and Nurmagomedov had successfully retained his UFC title, he jumped the cage and a brawl ensued. Mayhem broke out at UFC 229 that turned the ending of the night into a bit of a black eye for the sport.

However, the bad blood that still exists has always left fans intrigued in wanting to see the rematch. However, the UFC lightweight champion hasn’t been interested in fighting Conor McGregor for some time. He has stated that McGregor doesn’t deserve another chance.

Recently, UFC president Dana White said that he had a deal worked out with Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor to coach the Ultimate Fighter. However, after McGregor’s recent stunts, Nurmagomedov lost interest. Khabib told ESPN’s Brett Okamoto that $5 billion wouldn’t be enough for him to do that.

In that same interview, the UFC lightweight champion said that he considers the Conor McGregor chapter of his career closed. Nurmagomedov said, “Everything is done. October 6th, I finished him. I finished everything about him.”

Could the UFC make it happen?

A lot of this would come down to the potential UFC rematch between Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier. The UFC is trying to make that fight happen as we speak. If the promotion is able to make the fight happen, and McGregor wins, the rematch could entice Nurmagomedov.

The stance of the lightweight champion has always been that McGregor didn’t deserve a rematch. However, if McGregor is able to defeat Poirier, he would have two consecutive wins inside the octagon making him a worthy challenger to the title.

Nurmagomedov has his hands full at UFC 254 against Justin Gaethje. However, if Khabib and McGregor both win their next fights inside the octagon, the rematch is the fight that would make the most sense. It would arguably be bigger than their original clash at UFC 229.