FIGHT CLUB WEEKLY 4.18.2018 : POIREIR VERUS GAETHJE - MAXIMUM SMASHISM
The biggest takeaway from UFC on Fox 29 was that Justin Gaethje is one of the toughest, most game competitors currently active on the roster. After amassing an undefeated amateur MMA record of 7-0, Gaethje signed to World Series of Fighting where he maintained his perfect record and became the promotion’s lightweight championship. It wasn’t until his entry into the UFC that experienced defeat, first at the hands of Eddie Alvarez and most recently in his bout against the surging Dustin Poirier.
It’s clear that you literally have to stop Justin Gaethje if you want to win a fight with him otherwise he will keep coming like Arnold Swarzenegger at the end of the first Terminator movie. He’s definitely a fan-friendly, exciting fighter able to walk through most fighters strikes to deliver his own brutal leg kicks and uppercuts. He’s a smasher who needs to move his head; he’s cool with taking 3 shots to the head in order to deliver one against his opponent. He is usually a bloody mess, win or lose, at the end of his fights, so the real question is how many fights does he have left and what kind of shape will his brain be in when it’s all said and done?
Many are calling this past weekend “The Fight of the Year,” but that remains to be seen. It was going to be an exciting fight, that’s what happens when you put Dustin Poirier, who despite some setbacks in this career, is knocking on the door of a title fight and Justin Gaethje inside a cage for five five-minute rounds.
Gaethje is a talented, athletic guy; he is a solid fighter, but for goodness sake, please stop using your face to block punches, maybe clinch or use your wrestling. He has taken a hell of a lot of damage in his career. He has stated that he has five fights left before he gets out, but in my opinion, he may not make it. Former Glory Kickboxing’s welterweight champ Joe Valtellini had to cut his career short due to lasting injuries due to head trauma and concussions. Either way, I don’t see it ending well for Justin Gaethje.
Dusting Poirier looked great. He weathered the melee brought on by Justin Gaethje and was able to win using great technique and experience. At the end of the fight, instead of calling for a rematch with Eddie Alvarez, he went big and asked for a title shot. Why not? If we look at the lightweight division, it is still in a disarray after the recent events. Khabib Nurmagomedov is the champ; Tony Ferguson is healing from Knee surgery, so he will be out for several months. Conor McGregor may be going to jail. Eddie Alvarez is ranked third and Edson Barboza is ranked fourth. Barboza lost to the current champ and faces a tough Kevin Lee this weekend.
Alvarez and Poirier both have finish wins over Justin Gaethje. It’s likely that the two will have to duke it out and the winner will face Nurmagomedov for a title fight.