Justin Gaethje is no stranger to stepping into the Octagon and being part of a taxing war.
On Saturday, he was hoping to become the first fighter in UFC history to win the interim title for a second time.
Paddy Pimblett, on the other hand, was facing a massive test. He had seven straight wins in the promotion and was looking to build even more momentum.
Gaethje defeated ‘The Baddy’ by unanimous decision at T-Mobile Arena, following five rounds of intense back-and-forth action.
Justin Gaethje declines medical trip after grueling five-round battle
UFC boss Dana White’s announcement of the fight drew plenty of criticism, mainly because Pimblett hadn’t faced many top-10 opponents before.
Still, the 31-year-old from Liverpool showed he could handle himself against one of the division’s best, and proved his toughness in what turned into a long fight.
Pimblett was taken straight to hospital after the final bell for tests. Gaethje, though, is no stranger to these kinds of scraps and ignored advice from both the UFC and White to head to hospital for checks after the bout.
Speaking at the post-fight press conference, White explained: “Apparently he’s 100%.
“We sent Paddy Pimblett straight to the hospital, and then we were gonna send Gaethje too, and Gaethje was like, ‘Believe me, I’ve been involved in plenty of wars, I’m good’, so as far as we know right now, he’s healthy.”
Justin Gaethje hopes to fight Ilia Topuria on the UFC White House event
Before UFC 324, Ilia Topuria had mentioned he was eyeing a return between April and June.
With the White House card set for June 14, Gaethje is keen to be part of that historic occasion.
‘The Highlight’ said in the post-fight press conference: “The White House event is in June and I represent this country, I represented it tonight, and I hope to be, obviously (on the event), there’s no way they keep me off that card, unless I’m dead.”
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