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WHAT JUSTIN GAETHJE WILL HAVE LEARNED FROM HIS VICTORY OVER TONY FERGUSON

UFC 254 will mark a defining moment in the career of Justin Gaethje as he readies himself for the challenge of taking on Khabib Nurmagomedov for the UFC Lightweight Championship. It’s a position the 31-year-old would not have expected to find himself in, given his underdog status when he took on Tony Ferguson earlier this year. Naturally, Gaethje is placed as the underdog in the latest Khabib fight odds, and that was case when he squared off against Ferguson.

But against the odds, Gaethje pulled off an upset, beating Ferguson to set up this title showdown with the undefeated Khabib. It was a shock for El Cucuy, who had been slated to take on Khabib himself before coronavirus restrictions prevented the Russian from travelling. Then, with Gaethje the late replacement, and Ferguson suddenly the firm favourite, he wilted against the pressure and let his opponent get the better of him.

Gaethje’s win was a lesson in persistence and never giving up. He stood firm throughout the five rounds, picking his punches wisely, keeping Ferguson on a leash and gradually wearing down his opponent’s resolve. Although he was dropped at one stage, he showed great mental strength to get back up and continue. In the end, Ferguson was simply worn out, punch drunk, and unable to deliver on his status as the overwhelming favourite. 

For Gaethje, the challenge is to take that form and transfer it into a new challenge, that of defeating the undefeated Khabib for the UFC Lightweight Championship. It’s a big ask – made even bigger when you consider where Gaethje was before the lockdown – but the victory over Ferguson will have helped him realise that he has the talent to earn big wins against the UFC. Whether that’s possible against a fighter of Khabib’s quality remains to be seen.

Gaethje will have learned a lot from his success against Ferguson, namely that persistence and a positive attitude can yield dividends. His punching on that night was supremely accurate, but it will be interesting to see if he can maintain that standard of performance against Khabib, who is by every metric faster, stronger, more agile, and a harder puncher than Ferguson. 

That’s where Gaethje’s mental strength will need to come to the fore. Yes, he got knocked down by Ferguson, but the crucial thing is that he didn’t let it affect his game plan or his confidence. Against Khabib, you have to feel as though the Russian will eventually enjoy a period of dominance, and Gaethje may find himself on the deck once again, and he’ll need to summon all his powers of resilience to keep the fight going as long as possible.

Khabib’s aim will be to finish Gaethje as early as possible, to not let his opponent do to him as he did to Ferguson, wearing him down through grim forbearance and incredible concentration. Amidst the blood and thunder of the Octagon, it can be difficult to perform in a controlled and measured way, but Gaethje did just that against Ferguson, and he will need to do so again against an altogether more fearsome opponent. 

Ultimately, the most important thing Gaethje will take from beating Ferguson is the belief that he can mix it with the best fighters in the UFC. Combat sports so often come down to confidence and belief in oneself, and you can bet that Gaethje will be flying high as he gears up for the most important fight of his career so far.

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