5 months back at Madison Square Yard, Justin Gaethje kicked off the UFC 268 pay back-for every-see major card with a Battle of the Yr-level victory against Michael Chandler. The scrap electrified the crowd and established the tone for an outstanding return to New York following a two-12 months UFC hiatus.
As a great deal as teammate Rose Namajunas wanted to aim on that November night’s protection of her strawweight title, she informed The Put up by way of Zoom she “had to enjoy his fight, get started to finish” as Gaethje, whom she seems at “like an older brother to me,” place on a present in the struggle he believed would receive him yet another championship prospect.
It worked, and the shoe will be on the other foot for UFC 274 on Saturday in Phoenix, when Gaethje (23-3, 20 finishes) troubles lightweight champion Charles Oliveira in the pay out-for each-check out headliner. Namajunas also places her title on the line once more in a rematch in opposition to Carla Esparza, in the bout promptly previous Gaethje’s.
“I enjoy heading very first for the reason that I want to inspire my teammates to execute,” Gaethje not long ago instructed The Post by means of Zoom. “I embrace that purpose, but now I’m going to embrace closing the exhibit.”
Gaethje previously has plenty of working experience as a closer. Ahead of the Chandler combat, the person appropriately recognised as “The Highlight” had headlined all but one particular of his other eight UFC bouts, including the previous two shell out-for every-perspective functions.
What Gaethje has nonetheless to safe is the undisputed light-weight title. His first bid in October 2020 went the other way, with Khabib Nurmagomedov productively defending his championship through next-round submission prior to saying, inside of the cage, his retirement from MMA competitiveness.
Gaethje experienced received the interim title that established up the unification with Nurmagomedov, but to him “second place” is no replacement for staying the genuine No. 1. Generally imagining of how he can be a positive for other folks in his existence even ahead of himself, achieving the top rated of the mountain would be no unique.
“That would suggest a ton to me it would mean even additional to my household and the people today that search up to me,” Gaethje claimed, “the folks that have experienced my back again and been indicating that I’m going to be the greatest in the environment at 1 level, as a result of my overall career. It’s gonna be terrific for those people.”
Following Nurmagomedov abdicated the 155-pound throne, Oliveira (32-8, 29 finishes) stopped Chandler to get the vacant title. That matchup hadn’t sat effectively with Gaethje, who along with Dustin Poirier was considered a top rated-two lightweight — they were the most modern challengers to Nurmagomedov. In advance of the Chandler combat at the Garden, Gaethje explained to The Post “[Oliveira] did not battle the No. 1 male in the world” to secure the belt, referring to himself or Poirier.
A month later, Oliveira tapped out Poirier by way of rear-bare choke in the to start with effective defense of his title, the UFC-history 15th submission victory of his career. The acquire went a extended way toward cementing for many the Brazilian’s position as the clear No. 1 in the division, fairly than just currently being the person with the gold on his midsection.
Rely Gaethje among the them, who respects Oliveira’s capabilities and has found championship features on display screen considering the fact that profitable the title final Might.
“The greatest big difference is his maturity and his assurance,” Gaethje mentioned. “Those aspects ideal there are risky, and he has embraced the two of those people matters. And that provides more danger to me.”
But Gaethje also sees a champion who has misplaced sight of the arduous route Oliveira walked for a lot more than 10 decades to arrive at the best. The 32-12 months-previous Brazilian, who had debuted at age 20 and went 10-8 above the 1st seven a long time of his occupation, carries a 10-struggle win streak into this bout.
“He thinks he’s infallible proper now, for some odd motive,” Gaethje states. “He’s [forgotten] his journey and how quite a few ups and downs he had. I can not wait to carry him back again down a minor little bit.”
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