Justin Gaethje has shared the Octagon with the who’s who of the lightweight limit during his UFC run, nonetheless, one particularly caused him some surprising problems.
Stuck between a rock and a tough place amid his sidelining, former interim champion Justin Gaethje stays hopeful of fighting for gold proper in his return.
And eyeing a pairing with the undefeated Ilia Topuria, Gaethje risks being overtaken for a shot at gold by the surging Paddy Pimblett.
Nevertheless, stacking notable wins one after one other, the Arizona native admitted he was surprised in one among those wins by the “weirdest” strike he ever took.
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Justin Gaethje credits James Vick for quirky strike
Starting the profession downfall of former lightweight star James Vick, Gaethje shared the Octagon with the confident contender back in 2018.
And needing just shy of 90 seconds to stop Vick, Gaethje inflicted an enormous knockout on the star, spelling the tip of his Octagon tenure before three more brutal knockouts on the trot.
Nevertheless, when listing the toughest shots he has ever faced in his profession, Gaethje cited his brutal UFC 300 loss to Max Holloway, in addition to his debut barnburner with Michael Johnson — in addition to a selected shot from Vick.
“Max Holloway is certainly primary,” Gaethje said on his X. “First time and only time I’ve ever been put to sleep. “I remember Michael Johnson hit me with two superb shots that — I don’t know the way I didn’t fall asleep.
“…Before I knocked out James Vick, he kicked me within the liver really good,” Gaethje revealed. “It’s the weirdest shots that hurt in there [the Octagon]. Yeah, that one checked my liver. I used to be like, ‘Uh oh.’”
Justin Gaethje revealed the most important puncher he’s fought in UFC
Entering the fray with the likes of Dustin Poirier and perennial contender Michael Chandler, the divisional powerhouses fell short when it got here to the facility equation, in accordance with Gaethje.
Happening to knock down each and finish Poirier with a devastating high-kick, it was a former divisional champion who flattened him before stopping him who really caught Gaethje’s attention, it seems.