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How Many Losses Does Justin Gaethje Have in the UFC and Who Has He Lost To?
The UFC lightweight fighter Justin Gaethje will take on Michael Chandler inside the cage at UFC 268. This intriguing lightweight bout will feature on the main card of the event. UFC 268 will take place inside the Madison Square Garden in New York on 7th November.
‘The Highlight’ is currently #2 in the lightweight division of the UFC. He is a vicious striker with a professional MMA record of 22-3 under his name. Gaethje was an undefeated fighter and a former champion at his previous promotion before his UFC debut. However, all of his three losses have come in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
LAS VEGAS, NV – JULY 06: Justin Gaethje poses on the scale during the UFC weigh-in at the Park Theater on July 6, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
All of his three-loss have come via a finish. So ahead of his big fight at UFC 268, let’s take a look at the setbacks Gaethje has suffered in his UFC career.
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Justin Gaethje: First UFC Setback
‘The Highlight’ was on an amazing seventeen-fight undefeated streak when he made a move to the UFC. He won his fight at the TUF finale against Michael Johnson in 2017.
Later, Gaethje faced the former lightweight champion, Eddie Alvarez, at UFC 218. It was a three-round, gruesome scrap. Both men exchanged a lot of strikes till the third round of the fight.
However, the bout ended with one minute remaining in the third round, after Alvarez landed a strong knee and sent Gaethje to the mat. Both the men showed sheer willpower in the fight and also won the ‘Fight Of The Night’ bonus.
Two Fight Skid
After his first loss in the UFC, ‘The Highlight’ looked for ways to get back into the win column. However, he faced the same fate in his second UFC bout. 32-year-old fresh UFC prospect faced Dustin Poirier, who was already a prominent name in the roster in 2018.
This action-packed lightweight bout was Gaethje’s first main event in the UFC. After his first defeat, he improved his performance and gave a tough fight to Poirier.
However, the latter took control in the fourth round of the bout. Within the first minute of the fourth round, ‘The Diamond’ landed a barrage of punches that forced the referee to jump in and stop the fight, handing Gaethje his second UFC setback.
Battle for the Lightweight Gold
Despite the two losses, Gaethje kept himself determined and quickly found a way into the win column. He returned to the octagon in just three months and secured a stunning first-round finish against James Vick.
‘The Highlight’ won back-to-back fights after his second UFC victory. He finished some prominent names in the UFC, like Donald Cerrone and Edson Barboza, in the first rounds of the fight.
Gaethje became the UFC interim lightweight champion by defeating Tony Ferguson at UFC 249. he later unified his belt against the champion Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 254.
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‘The Eagle’ was an undefeated UFC fighter and one of the most dominant in the lightweight division. He completed dominated the fight and gave a setback to’ The Highlight’ in the second round via submission in 2020.
This was Gaethje’s third UFC loss, and he hasn’t entered the octagon since then. However, he is now preparing for UFC 268 and will look to win in order to cement his position in the title race.
What are your thoughts on the amazing striker Justin Gaethje? Let us know in the comments below.
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