5 jaw-dropping Justin Gaethje fights outside the UFC

#2. Justin Gaethje vs. Luis Palomino 2 – WSOF 23

Six months after his absolute slugfest with Luis Palomino at WSOF 19, Justin Gaethje ran it back with his former foe in the main event of WSOF 23. Just like their first encounter, the bout took place in Gaethje's home state of Arizona, where he was rapidly developing a fanbase for his fan-friendly style of fighting.

It's very rare to see a rematch of a barnburner live up to expectations. When the bar is already set so high, we hardly ever see a sequel live up to the first fight. This wasn't the case with the Justin Gaethje vs. Luis Palomino rematch, which delivered on all fronts.

The duo picked up where they left off in their first encounter, producing one of the best rounds of mixed martial arts you'll likely ever see. Both fighters dropped one another in the opening frame, but Gaethje seemingly managed to edge out the round with a takedown at the end.

The second round was nowhere near as close as the first. Gaethje suffocated Palomino with his volume just as he did in their initial meeting, and eventually knocked him out with 30 seconds to go on the clock.

With back-to-back wins over Luis Palomino, Justin Gaethje solidified his status as one of the most promising lightweights in the world, as well as one of the most dominant champions outside the UFC at the time.

Watch the full fight below:

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#1. Justin Gaethje vs. Luiz Firmino – WSOF 34

With four title defenses under his belt, Justin Gaethje effectively cleaned out the WSOF's lightweight division. Following a memorable two-fight series with Luis Palomino and his dominant showing against Brian Foster, the only top contender yet to face 'The Highlight' was Luiz Firmino, who he took on in the main event of WSOF 34 in New York City.

Luiz Firmino proved to be the toughest test for Justin Gaethje outside the UFC. The defending champion couldn't impose his will on the challenger and the bout was evenly contested all the way until the end of the third round.

Firmino's high-level grappling credentials deterred Gaethje from attempting any takedowns. On the feet, the Brazilian was just as powerful and durable as his American counterpart. The evenly-matched duo delivered an amazing war of attrition, showing incredible mental resolve and phenomenal skill.

Gaethje even landed a rolling thunder, a rare sight in MMA.

Gaethje was able to escape all of Firmino's submission attempts. He forced the challenger to stand-and-bang with him, and both fighters landed heavy blows on one another for three straight rounds.

By the end of the third, Firmino was wearing it and it looked as though his right eye was forced shut due to all the swelling around it. The on-duty doctor had a look and advised the referee to stop the fight, declaring Gaethje the victor via TKO.

While this fight didn't have a finish like the other entries on this list, it served a greater purpose. It sent an ominous warning to all the lightweights in the UFC that an unbreakable force was waiting for his moment to enter the mix.

Watch the full fight below:

Gaethje signed with the UFC a few months after this bout. In his first fight in the famed octagon, he knocked out Michael Johnson following a back-and-forth war reminiscent of his scintillating run in the WSOF.

He would go on to compete in multiple high-profile matchups and UFC championship bouts, adding to his action-packed highlight reel with every passing fight. When he does eventually hang up his gloves, 'The Highlight' will undoubtedly go down in history as one of the most entertaining fighters of all time.