Justin Gaethje Stuns Tony Ferguson, Wins Via TKO

Justin Gaethje demolished Tony Ferguson stopping his 12-match defeatless streak. In one of the most dominant displays seen in a title fight over the last year or so, the Highlight tore apart his opponent. The judge in the ring had to stop the bout with 3:39 inside the final round.

Gaethje (22-2 MMA, 5-2 UFC) took a different strategy to fight as he avoided an opne brawl, which is his characteristic style. He would keep the distance between him and Ferguson (25-4 MMA, 15-2 UFC), punishing every little mistake El Cucuy made. At the end of the match, Ferguson’s head and face were swollen, bloody, and he limped in the octagon. On the other side, the new interim title-holder was in superb condition.

Ferguson hung in there but Justin Gaethje dominates the main event fight and earns the TKO

What a night! #UFC249 https://t.co/Rrvk5xtPQR

— SIDELINE (@SidelineFamily) May 10, 2020

But even though, he didn’t rush into anything. Many are saying that besides beating Ferguson, Gaethje managed to post a win against himself and his hot-headed temper. There were plenty of moments in which he would usually storm in and try to end the fight, but tonight he didn’t want to do it. In one situation, Ferguson reminded him that although he looks hurt, there shouldn’t be any relaxing. At the end of the second frame, he sent an uppercut that took down the younger rival, but the horn saved the Highlight.

Afterward, Gaethje’s strikes were rearranging Ferguson’s face, and his jabs were all over the veteran American. For the first time in the last decade, we’ve seen him wobbling and helpless. As time progressed, he was becoming slower, while Gaethje’s reactions were faster. In the end, several jabs forced Herb Dean to stop everything because it was obvious that Ferguson can’t defend properly.

“Justin is a tough son of a b—-, I’ll be real,” Ferguson said. “I was prepared for Khabib, not a striker.”

Dana Withe had the opinion that the fight should have been stopped earlier, In the last round, Gaethje completely ripped Ferguson’s legs, and the 36-year old wasn’t able to either walk or throw a punch.

“I actually thought the fight should have been stopped sooner,” White said. “Tony took a lot of damage tonight. Not only did he take a lot of damage, it was from a guy who hits like a f—ing truck.”

After this win, the logical step for the UFC is to organize a fight between Gaethje and Khabib Nurmagomedov. The funny thing is that the American replaced the Russian Eagle in this event, and that now he has a chance to make another upset and eventually take the lightweight title, all that as a replacement.

“There’s no other challenge I want right now. I want to fight him,” said Gaethje about Khabib.

He would throw the interim belt after White handed him the same, adding that he wants the real one. Gaethje is now on a four-win streak, with the note that his triumph over Ferguson is something nobody expected. Furthermore, it is not just about the win but the way he dominated in the octagon.

Meanwhile, El Cucuy will now have to wait for his shot at the title. At least one title-eliminator is ahead of him before receiving a chance to clash with Khabib or Gaethje, depending on who wins in their fight.