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Justin Gaethje is a fan favorite known for his exciting fighting style and relentless aggression. He's earned multiple 'Fight Of The Night' bonuses throughout his career and currently holds the UFC's 'BMF' championship.
The no.2-ranked lightweight currently holds an impressive record of 25 wins, of which 20 came via way of knockout, with nine in the first round. He has tasted defeat only four times in his professional career. Despite this, lightweight gold has remained frustratingly out of reach.
Who did Justin Gaethje lose his title to? Revisiting 'The Highlight's luck in UFC championship fights
Justin Gaethje's first taste of championship glory came in 2020 when he stepped in on short notice to face Tony Ferguson for the interim lightweight title. Gaethje dominated the fight, learning a TKO victory in the fifth round.
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The win established him as a top contender in the lightweight division. However, his championship dreams were put on hold when he faced the undefeated Khabib Nurmagomedov in a unification bout later that year. Gaethje ultimately lost the fight via. second-round submission, marking his first career loss by submission.
Justin Gaethje's second failed attempt at UFC lightweight gold
Following his loss to Khabib, Gaethje earned a hard-fought decision victory over Michael Chandler in a bout widely considered 'Fight Of The Year'. He then received another shot at the lightweight gold against Charles Oliveira in 2022. However, due to 'Do Bronx' missing weight, only Gaethje was eligible to win the belt. Despite knocking out Oliveira twice, 'The Highlight' fell short again, losing via first-round submission.
Despite the setbacks in championship fights, Gaethje proves his elite status with a knockout win over Dustin Poirier at UFC 291 to secure the 'BMF' belt. He is now all set to continue his reign against another legend, Max Holloway, at UFC 300.
