UFC: Ranking Justin Gaethje's best UFC wins so far

Ranking Justin Gaethje's best UFC wins
Ranking Justin Gaethje's best UFC wins

Justin Gaethje beat the bookies at UFC 249 when he picked apart a bloodied and battered Tony Ferguson to become the interim Lightweight champion. Gaethje is the only fighter in UFC history to earn a fight night bonus in each of his seven appearances, showcasing the reason why he is nicknamed the ‘Highlight’. Gaethje was unstoppable on the night against Ferguson, striking with precision and devastating power to take his record to 5-2, but how did this phenomenal performance compare to his previous triumphs?

Let’s have a look below on his five best victories in descending order:

5. James Vick, UFC Fight Night 135, August 25, 2018

It took Gaethje just 87 seconds to dismantle the trash-talking Texan James Vick with a thunderous right hand at UFC 135 in Nebraska. The ‘Highlight’ was originally scheduled to do battle with Al Iaquinta, but the American withdrew from the fight ‘claiming he needed to rest his shoulder.’ Vick stepped up and started his textbook trash-talking at every opportunity, even calling Gaethje the “Homer Simpson of the MMA.”

Gaethje responded in the octagon, picking the Texan apart, eventually putting him to the sword with his blistering right hand. It ended Gaethje’s two-fight streak – sending a very clear message to the rest of the lightweight division.


4. Michael Johnson, The Ultimate Fighter: Redemption Finale, July 7, 2017

Justin Gaethje and Michael Johnson in action during their lightweight bout at The Ultimate Fighter Finale in Las Vegas, Nevada
Justin Gaethje and Michael Johnson in action during their lightweight bout at The Ultimate Fighter Finale in Las Vegas, Nevada

Gaethje made a gleaming UFC debut when he went toe-to-toe with Michael Johnson at the T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada. The ‘Highlight’ performed the herculean task of defeating a solid and resilient Johnson, to earn the clinical striker a well-deserved win. Many named the bout , praising the two fighters’ momentum shifts and mouth-watering sequences that took place over two electric rounds.

Gaethje settled early with leg kicks, before breaking Johnson down with a flurry of body shots. But with less than 30 seconds remaining in round one, Johnson marked Gaethje with a massive right hand that wobbled him, but the brawler survived the first. The late scare didn’t deter Gaethje, who continued to grind down Johnson in the second round. However, Gaethje was forced to dig deep again when Johnson landed another big right and the ‘Highlight’ found himself in a second survival mode.

Gaethje’s constant pressure eventually paid off, when he landed a colossal uppercut late in the second round which broke an exhausted Johnson’s defenses. The clinical striker wasted no time and eventually brought about the finish, piling on the pressure, backed Johnson against the cage walls, and put the fight to bed with a final salvo of shots.

Justin Gaethje scored a first round TKO win over Donald Cerrone
Justin Gaethje scored a first round TKO win over Donald Cerrone

3. Donald Cerrone, UFC Fight Night 158, September 14, 2019

Gaethje added another knockout to his resume after demolishing Donald Cerrone with a brutal counter-punch late in the first round of their bout at UFC Fight Night 158, in Vancouver. The veteran gunslinger arose back to his feet to be greeted with a shower of strikes.

Referee Jerin Valel refused to stop the fight, presenting the aging cowboy a chance to muster up some energy to give the fans more UFC action. Gaethje was forced to keep hitting his hapless opponent glaring at Valel until the ref finally put a stop to the bout. The fight was hard to watch as Cowboy took some barbaric punishment but Gaethje held back to a degree giving his opponent the respect he deserves.


2. Edson Barboza, UFC on ESPN: Barboza vs Gaethje, March 30, 2019

Gaethje emerged as the underdog for this clash with Brazil’s Edson Barboza, but the American displayed why the dark horse must not be underestimated by laying waste to his foe in the first round. Gaethje and Barboza tested each other’s mettle for the duration of the short contest but Gaethje was proving he had come with a game plan.

The Highlight came flying out of his corner and traded dangerous leg kicks with Barboza. Neither man looked like buckling, trading heavy shots and maintaining a frenetic pace throughout the 150 seconds of violent combat. The Brazilian made the mistake of circling the knockout artist with his guard down, this was his downfall as Gaethje utilized his devastating right hook and another memorable knockout. The American had his 17th knockout in 22 fights and his eyes solely set on the interim Lightweight title.


1. Tony Ferguson, UFC 249, May 9, 2020

Cometh the hour, cometh the man: Justin Gaethje stunned heavily favoured Tony Ferguson through a TKO in the final round in an empty stadium
Cometh the hour, cometh the man: Justin Gaethje stunned heavily favoured Tony Ferguson through a TKO in the final round in an empty stadium

Gaethje saved the best performance of his career for the biggest challenge of his career to date. The man that stood in his way of glory was none other than Tony Ferguson. Bet Today USA had Gaethje down as the massive underdog, but once again the Arizona native defied the odds to slingshot him into the upper echelons of the sport.

Kicks, punches, and grunts echoed through the tumbleweed Jacksonville arena. This was the first glimpse of the return of the UFC since the global pandemic and it failed to disappoint. Ferguson carried a 12-fight winning streak into the behind closed doors event and the high-profile fighter looked to scalp another high-profile name to that list.

But Gaethje’s appreciation footwork, devastating trademark leg kicks, and accurate striking stupefied Ferguson. ‘El Cucuy’ was a rabbit in the headlights, swallowing a barrage of strikes and kicks and the punishment was halted in the fifth, with a new 155-pound warrior anointed.

Gaethje battered Ferguson in every round, with Ferguson withstanding a flurry of powerful shots. By the end of the championship fight, both Ferguson’s eyes were swollen and he had a huge gash on his right cheek. For someone who had been coined as a one-dimensional brawler for years, Gaethje put in a stellar, tactical performance. It was the longest fight of Gaethje’s career, and Ferguson deserves the utmost credit for taking such a beating and hanging in there for so long.

With Gaethje’s fight credentials unfolding, at last, the only fight the American has on his radar is Nurmagomedov for the official Lightweight belt, and an entertaining spectacle is all but guaranteed.

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Edited by Saransh Gehlot