Justin Gaethje's references were doubtful when he joined the UFC in 2017.
There was a clear lack of high-quality opponents on his 17-0 record after a title-winning run with World Series of Fighting.
Justin Gaethje's wild UFC debut fight with Michael Johnson was fun, but it didn't scream the top candidate.
Back-to-back knockout losing against Dustin Poirier and Eddie Alvarez suggested that he would be the lightweight gatekeeper before he started sleeping people during an incredible title load of four fights.
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Justin Gaethje Ko'd UFC Bogeyman
Gaethje started his epic series of UFC victories by making James Vick cold in 2018 with one blow.
It was a good scalp at the time, but the victory was not good because Vick then developed a glass jaw.
The former UFC star has been kissed four times since watching Gaethje. He was recently left in a coma for 'a few days' after he was caught on a switch from colleague -MMA veteran Rafael Alves at Karate Combat 47.
People started to take Gaethje seriously as a title threat when he took his next big knockout victory.
Edson Barboza has one of the most impressive highlights in the history of MMA. The Brazilan phenomenon is known for its rotating Kick -Knock -Out victory over Terry Etim, but he also stopped using Beneil Dariush and then hooker in sensational style.
The Gung-Ho approach of Gaethje van Vechten seemed to make him the risk of sleeping through Barboza, which is the opposite of what happened when they bumped into UFC Philidelphia in March 2019.
'The highlight' made it easy when he cracked Barboza with one shot to close the show in less than three minutes.
Gaethje celebrated wild when his opponent was scary stiff as a sign on the UFC Octagon floor.
Justin Gaethje mentions the toughest opponent
Two more victories on Donald 'Cowboy' Cerrone and Tony Ferguson earned him an interim -fc title.
However, Gaethje still has to realize that his dream to become a full champion in the most important promotion of MMA.
Khabib Nurmagomedov crossed his first attempt at the greatest price of the UFC before retired in May 2020.
Charles Oliveira stopped him to win it on the second time he asked two years later.
Gaethje became a sort of champion by claiming the BMF -Riem when he woke his defeat against Poirier.
The 36-year-old has not fought anymore since Max Holloway who took a belt from him with a last face plant Ko on UFC 300 in April 2024.
All those years later, Gaethje still regards as Nurmagomedov as the best opponent he has ever fought.
“I think Khabib was probably [was toughest]”Gaethje said recently.
“Even if I performed better, I am not sure if I could have beaten him that night.
“So that night, when I fought against Khabib, he was one of the most difficult opponents so far.
'I want to fight [Islam] Makhachev … I really believe that is a better matchup for me than Khabib. “
To earn a fight with the current 155LB King, Gaethje has to make an impression against Hooker on UFC 313 on March 8.
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