Justin Gaethje had so much to lose heading into UFC 300, and he arguably misplaced all of it.
Certain, Gaethje walked away with a $300,000 bonus for Struggle of the Night time, however that got here on the expense of a possible light-weight title shot after he ended his night time face-down on the canvas following one of the crucial gorgeous knockouts in UFC historical past. With Max Holloway already up on the scorecards, the previous featherweight champion invited Gaethje to fulfill him within the middle of the cage and throw down earlier than the ultimate horn sounded. Holloway then uncorked a brutal proper hand that despatched Gaethje crashing to the mat with one second left.
It was arguably the worst-case situation for Gaethje after he was beforehand promised a title shot following a head-kick knockout over Dustin Poirier final 12 months.
“I believe Justin Gaethje had essentially the most at stake to lose on Saturday night time, and he put all of it on the road,” UFC analyst Alan Jouban mentioned on the newest episode of The Fighter vs. The Author. “So we have now to applaud him for stepping up and doing that for us.
“Justin mentioned, ‘I’m making another run on the title.’ That was taken away from him on Saturday night time. If he didn’t get knocked out in that final second and he would have misplaced that call, in all probability by a 49-46 scorecard, he presumably might have retired. There was talks of him retiring and not using a win that night time as a result of that type of takes him out of title rivalry.”
With Gaethje out of the operating for the following title shot, UFC turned to Arman Tsarukyan as the brand new high contender after he beat former champion Charles Oliveira in a back-and-forth battle at UFC 300. Tsarukyan in the end turned down the chance as a result of he wanted time to get better from his battle and actually put together for a June 1 problem towards reigning champion Islam Makhachev at UFC 302.
Consequently, Dustin Poirier now fights Makhachev for the light-weight title following Poirier’s knockout win over Benoit Saint Denis at UFC 299.
On paper, Poirier shouldn’t be getting a shot at gold contemplating he misplaced to Gaethje lower than a 12 months in the past, and his solely win since got here towards a considerably unproven prospect in Saint Denis. None of that basically mattered ultimately, nonetheless, as a result of Poirier stays an enormous identify in MMA and he’s a well-respected veteran with an untouchable lifetime résumé.
Timing and alternative led to Poirier getting his title shot at UFC 302, and Jouban argues it wouldn’t be in the least stunning if one thing comparable occurs to Gaethje.
“Dustin Poirier received knocked out by Justin Gaethje nearly a 12 months in the past and received one large, dramatic battle, and now he’s pushed again within the title shot,” Jouban mentioned. “It’s not over. It’s not over for Justin Gaethje.
“This was an enormous setback. But when he comes again and now fights Charles Oliveira in a rematch or fights the winner or the loser of Michael Chandler vs. Conor McGregor, any of these fights with a giant end and searching excellent in a victory might get him proper again in title rivalry as properly. I don’t suppose it’s over for Justin.”
Jouban acknowledged that Gaethje might be reaching the ultimate chapter of his profession, however even at 35, he nonetheless has a while left to make one other push into title rivalry.
Gaethje additionally has the magical means to placed on the sorts of entertaining fights that all the time hold him within the dialog among the many most engaging choices for UFC to advertise an enormous card. In different phrases, Gaethje isn’t too removed from a shot at gold.
“I don’t suppose it’s all performed for him,” Jouban mentioned. “I believe he has a while to possibly attempt to get another large win and get another shot on the title.”
As for Holloway, he sits on the opposite finish of the spectrum, with the world at his fingertips following the viral knockout over Gaethje.
He’s already thought of one of many biggest featherweights of all-time, and it seems Holloway desires the possibility to cement his legacy in that division with a showdown towards present champion Ilia Topuria.
That choice possible leads the pack, however Jouban says Holloway can just about name his shot after his efficiency at UFC 300.
“I believe Ilia Topuria is the battle that we have now to make now,” Jouban mentioned. “Now [Holloway] goes again to his rightful division and it doesn’t cloud the light-weight division.
“The factor about [Holloway vs. Gaethje], it was the most effective battle that made no sense as a result of it messes up two divisions. Now you will have a ‘45er leaping the road within the light-weight division, which is already type of not making an excessive amount of sense. Now Ilia Topuria is saying, ‘That is the battle I would like now after seeing what Max Holloway did.’ Now the elevation, the star standing of Max Holloway is even greater, his star is even brighter. That battle is now even greater. That could be a greater battle than preventing the previous champion, who all of us love and respect, Alexander Volkanovski. I believe that battle makes a ton of sense.
“I believe Ilia Topuria could be my No. 1 decide [for Holloway next], after which presumably the winner Chandler and Conor McGregor could be my No. 2 decide.”
