50 MMA Fights You Must Watch Before You Die

23. Justin Gaethje Vs. Michael Johnson - The Ultimate Fighter 25 Finale

Justin Gaethje might be the most violent fighter to ever fight inside the Octagon. It's a bold statement to make, but all you have to do is look at his body of work and you'll find it rather difficult to disagree. His first fight with the promotion gave fans a good idea of what was to come in the future.

His opponent, Michael Johnson, stated prior to their match that he would fight smart against Gaethje. Luckily for us, he went against his original game plan and went toe-to-toe with him instead.

Johnson certainly had some success early on, cracking Gaethje with powerful punches and making him stumble around the Octagon. However, Gaethje was able to steady himself and fire right back at Johnson with some crushing leg kicks and heavy handed strikes of his own.

Eventually, Gaethje's relentless and slightly reckless approach to fighting wore Johnson out. By pinning him up against the cage and landing elbows and crunching leg kicks, he slowly, but surely broke Johnson down until he folded from the punishment.

Contributor
Contributor

Co-host of The Ill-Informed Podcast, jiu-jitsu fiend, MMA lover, movie fan, anime nerd, music snob.