UFC interim lightweight champion Justin Gaethje may be one of the most durable fighters to ever grace the octagon. A video grab emerged on Instagram that saw “The Highlight” absorb a monstrous kick by a sparring partner that landed flush. What’s more, Justin simply walked through the high kick as though nothing significant had just transpired.
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Chiefly, Gaethje is synonymous with durability under the bright lights of the UFC’s octagon. Furthermore, he has redefined what it means to have a granite chin.
As he gears up for UFC 254 against Khabib Nurmagomedov, it seems as though his famed durability is intact. Although “The Eagle” is not known to have the heaviest hands at 155-pounds, he has earned his fair share of knockouts/knockdowns. Moreover, he managed to sit Conor McGregor square onto the canvas with a looping right when the two met at UFC 229.
The video is a brief reminder of certain tendencies that Justin expressed in the early days of his UFC tenure. In fact, fans and critics would go so far as to say that he became reliant on his granite chin. Justin was famous for simply standing and trading blows with his opponents, completely disregarding defense.
He would change this needless absorption of strikes after suffering two crippling losses to Eddie Alvarez and Dustin Poirier back to back. Even though he has abandoned this dangerous style of fighting, Justin still continues to earn ‘Performance/Fight of the Night’ bonuses. He has earned a stellar 9 bonuses in just 7 fights with the promotion.
UFC 254: Khabib Nurmagomedov vs Justin Gaethje
“The Eagle” enters his 29th professional fighting without suffering a single loss throughout his career. He has managed to display an unrelenting sense of dominance in the cage and will look to continue the same. Nurmagomedov has been on record that a title defense against Gaethje could potentially be the second last of his career.
Justin will look to actualize his goal of being a UFC champion after earning a championship in another promotion. Fight fans have already begun counting down the days to when the two aforementioned fighters will finally face-off.
Also Watch- Top Finishes: Justin Gaethje
