In-Depth UFC 249 Breakdown: Khabib Nurmagomedov Vs. Justin Gaethje
Who will walk away with the from Dana White's fight island as the next contender for Khabib's title?
If you're one of the many MMA fans who're disappointed that we still won't get to see UFC lightweight champion, Khabib Nurmagomedov, take on top contender, Tony Ferguson, in what is simultaneously the most anticipated and cursed fight of all time then we understand. We were extremely excited to see them finally scrap inside the Octagon too.
However, if the promotion are hell-bent on making sure the show goes on, then an epic interim 155lb title fight between Ferguson and the exceptionally brutal, fight-finishing machine that is Justin Gaethje, is more than a worthy enough replacement main event for UFC 249.
While the most exciting part about the originally scheduled fight was how unpredictable it would be, this match-up is the opposite, as we're excited to see it because we know exactly what both men bring to the table. This will not be a beautiful fight. This will be a war for the ages, where it'll be a battle of their physical skills and toughness. If a knockdown, drag out war is what you're looking for, then this is the sort of scrap you'll want to pay attention too.
With the main event finally set, we dissect the elements of each fighter's game that make this such a must-see match-up and an important one for the UFC's 155lb weight class.
5. Background
Unlike most main events in the UFC, we've barely had any time to really build up to this battle of the lightweight contenders. It was only a couple of days ago that UFC president Dana White spoke with ESPN MMA's Brett Okamoto and announced that Justin Gaethje would step in to face Tony Ferguson after UFC lightweight champion, Khabib Nurmagomedov, was stranded in Russia after the country closed its borders due to the COVID-19 crisis.
With Nurmagomedov out of the main event, a number of fighters announced that they were available and ready to compete on social media, but it was Gaethje who was given the shot at El Cucuy on the 18th April. It's an extremely dangerous battle for Ferguson, as a loss to Gaethje would derail his shot at the title. However, an impressive victory against his short notice replacement would only make the eventual battle with Nurmagomedov that more exciting.
For Gaethje, he has nothing to lose and everything to gain. Considering his technical, yet wild fight style, he won't be afraid to go for broke with the opportunity to face the champion on the line.