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WILL THE SENSE OF OCCASION INSPIRE A SURPRISE WIN FOR JUSTIN GAETHJE AT UFC 249?

UFC 249 will be the biggest occasion of Justin Gaethje’s UFC career so far. The circumstances are strange ones, with Gaethje having been drafted in as a late replacement for Khabib Nurmagomedov, who was ruled out of contention as a result of lockdown measures in his home country of Russia.

It’s a moment in the spotlight that Gaethje would not have seen coming, but it’s a chance for him to show the world why he was the man chosen to replace Khabib, as he goes up against Tony Ferguson, who hasn’t lost a UFC fight since 2012. 

Gaethje is inexperienced in terms of his UFC career, having won just four of the six fights he has participated in, but he has experience in other areas of MMA, with several impressive accolades to his name, including the World Series of Fighting Lightweight Championship. Even in his UFC bouts, he has shown his undoubted talents, not least in the wins over James Vick and Donald Cerrone, for which he won Performance of the Night on both occasions. 

The odds on Justin Gaethje defeating Ferguson in UFC 249 are slim, but he is not to be as quickly ruled out as some might think. After all, while Ferguson is five years Gaethje’s senior, the latter has still earned plenty of stripes in the world of MMA at the age of 31. The worst thing Ferguson could do would be to underestimate Gaethje, to think that because it’s not Khabib, his opponent won’t cause him any problems.

While preparations will not have been ideal for Gaethje, you can bet that he’ll be hugely motivated to make a name for himself against Ferguson and prove to the world that he can compete at the highest level of the sport. Opportunities like this don’t come along all that often and so he’ll be doubly determined to seize this chance with both hands.

The sense of occasion accompanying UFC 249 may just spur Gaethje on and help him deliver a memorable performance. With the sporting world essentially frozen at the moment as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, the big fight on May 9th offers the chance for millions to tune in to some live sporting action at last. With the knowledge that so many people will be watching in their homes, Gaethje may just be given the inspiration he needs.

The fact that the fight will be taking place behind closed doors could also give him an extra edge. Ferguson has become well used to being a star attraction on fight night, and is well accustomed to the raucous crowds of the UFC, but taking away the element of live spectators could make Ferguson nervy, and that would offer Gaethje an opportunity to gain an advantage over his more highly fancied opponent. 

In combat sports, anything is possible. You need only look at Andy Ruiz’s victory over Anthony Joshua in boxing to know that on any given night, any fighter can emerge victorious. Gaethje will be looking to draw inspiration from success like that, and he’ll be hoping he can fully capitalise on this opportunity to make a name for himself.

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