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The challenge facing Justin Gaethje at UFC 254 is simple: to beat a man who has never lost a professional fight. It’s that kind of fearsome record that can have one of two effects on an opponent, they will either rise to the challenge and be motivated by the prospect of being the first fighter to ever defeat their rival, or they can shrink in the heat of the moment and wilt in the face of such a commanding presence.
Khabib Nurmagomedov’s record of 28 professional fights and zero defeats is one that should rightly have Gaethje fearful for his chances. After all, before the coronavirus-enforced lockdown, the idea of Gaethje taking on Khabib for the UFC Lightweight Championship would have been laughable. The American was drafted in as a late replacement for Khabib to take on Tony Ferguson, and sprung a surprise by defeating El Cucuy to set up the title fight with the Russian.
But the challenge facing him now is even greater than that which Ferguson presented. There are few fighters like Khabib, blessed with such a unique blend of quick feet, agility, yet searing power and crunching force. Countless would-be champions have fallen at the hurdle of taking on Khabib, and all have been left licking their wounds.
Khabib’s unbeaten status piles more pressure on Gaethje ahead of a fight he goes into as the massive underdog in the Khabib Nurmagomedov v Justin Gaethje odds. At least when he took on Ferguson, there was a degree of hope due to the fact that his opponent had at least been beaten before – proof that it was in fact possible. With Khabib, there is no template on which to base his tactics or game plan. The odds are stacked heavily against him.
That extra edge brought by the fact that Khabib is unbeaten is a phenomenon that runs through all sport. You think of the Arsenal team that won the Premier League in the 2003-04 season, a team that forged a fearsome reputation for themselves due to the fact that defeat simply wasn’t in their nature. The same can be said of boxers Floyd Mayweather Jr and Joe Calzaghe, who both went their whole careers without once tasting defeat.
Of the current crop of boxers, Tyson Fury is yet to be beaten, and looks as though he could be the next man to finish his career with a zero in his defeats column. All these teams and individuals had a certain aura around them, which made the idea of beating them as much of a mental challenge as a physical or technical one.
Combat sports in particular lend themselves to this aura, as sports such as boxing and MMA are among the most physical, and intensely personal sports around. The challenge facing Gaethje is to overcome the psychological edge Khabib holds over all his opponents, to frustrate the Russian in a bid to force mistakes.
Khabib hasn’t fought since September 2019, and this will give Gaethje some hope that there may be a bit of rustiness lingering. But the challenge facing the American is an immense one, and it’ll be an almighty surprise if he does emerge as the new Lightweight Champion at UFC 254.
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