On July 7, 2017, at The Ultimate Fighter: Redemption Finale resonating from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, UFC fans will see Justin Gaethje debut in the promotion as part of the night’s main event.
Why Justin Gaethje’s Debut is Unmissable
Justin Gaethje is one of few fighters to debut in the UFC as the main event. Even if Gaethje is not necessarily a household name, to many fans he is still well known. The heavy-hitter boasts a flawless 17-0 record. “The Highlight” joined the promotion as a free-agent while holding the WSOF Lightweight Championship. Considering the WSOF has formed into the Professional Fighters League, he will go down as the only Lightweight Champion in WSOF history.
Gaethje is primarily known as a brawler. Someone who puts everything on the line every single time he fights. Fans really began to see this firsthand in his back-to-back fights with Luis Palomino, a pair of fights that were both considered Fight of the Year contenders in 2015. The Arizona-native is willing to put his head down and throw bombs at his opponents with recklessness abandonment. He may be a brawler, but he also has a very strong NCAA Division 1 background in wrestling.
The Matchup
Justin Gaethje will be facing Michael Johnson in his UFC debut. Johnson is coming into the bout after losing to Top 3- ranked lightweight Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 205 and is currently ranked sixth in UFC rankings for the lightweight division. Johnson has a willingness to brawl within the pocket. He has notable wins over Tony Ferguson, Dustin Poirier, and Edson Barboza.
On July 7 do not blink these two will go off like fireworks. I would not doubt that we see a finish in this fight. This bout already has the makings of a Fight of the Night candidate. Regardless; this will be a big test for Gaethje. Not only with his opponent but with the potential ‘Octagon Jitters’ he may encounter competing on the biggest stage of his career. Win, lose, or draw; Gaethje will end the night as a new fan-favorite.
Keep your eyes on this young guys career. At 28-years-old, he has a long way to go and could possibly fight for a title in the near future if he gets past Johnson. This fight is going to be a barn burner and I expect Gaethje to leave it all in the octagon and make sure the fight doesn’t go to the judges if he has it his way.
