Gaethje celebrates victory in the UFC. Photo: Reproduction/X/UFC
Justin Gaethje reached the pinnacle of his career by winning the lightweight title (up to 70,3 kg), but the fighter himself believes that the path to the title began to be built on one of his most painful nights in the octagon. After defeating Ilia Topuria in the main event of UFC Casa Branca , held last Sunday (14), in Washington DC (USA), the new champion revealed that the knockout suffered against Max Holloway at UFC 300 was decisive.
The American highlighted that the tough defeat suffered against Holloway in April 2024 played a fundamental role in building the moment he is currently experiencing. On that occasion, Gaethje was dramatically knocked out in the final seconds of the fight, a result that interrupted his winning streak and raised doubts about his future in the division.
See too
“The knockout of Max Holloway makes this moment special. I think these experiences are the reason why I fought so perfectly tonight,” said the new lightweight champion at the press conference after the event.
Far from being shaken, the veteran used his experience as fuel to evolve. Against Topuria, he delivered a disciplined performance, balancing aggression and strategy to overcome one of the most dominant champions of recent years. His performance stood out for the maturity he demonstrated throughout the four rounds and his ability to execute an efficient fight plan against an opponent considered the favorite by most analysts.
The victory also represents a kind of redemption for Gaethje, who had previously fought for the undisputed title against Khabib Nurmagomedov and Charles Oliveira , without success. Known for his explosive style and the wars he waged in the octagon, the American finally reached the top of the division after almost nine years competing among the best lightweights on the planet.
UFC White House Results
MAIN CARD – starting at 21 PM (Brasilia time)
Lightweight (up to 70,3 kg): Justin Gaethje defeated Ilia Topuria by knockout (corner stoppage) End of Round 4 – Title fight
Heavyweight (up to 120,2 kg): Ciryl Gane defeated Alex Poatan by knockout (left cross) at 1:17 of round 2 – Interim title fight
Bantamweight (up to 61,2 kg): Sean O'Malley defeated Aiemann Zahabi by knockout (right straight) at 4:01 of round 2.
Heavyweight (up to 120,2 kg): Josh Hokit defeated Derrick Lewis by knockout (punches) at 4:08 of round 2.
Lightweight (up to 70,3 kg): Mauricio Ruffy defeated Michael Chandler by knockout (punches) at 4:29 of round 1.
Middleweight (up to 83,9 kg): Bo Nickal defeated Kyle Daukaus by knockout (elbows) at 4:34 of round 1.
Featherweight (up to 65,7 kg): Diego Lopes defeated Steve Garcia by knockout (punches) at 2:42 of round 2.
Exclusive: Michael PQD talks about his brutal UFC debut victory.
Comments