Champions collide at Y as Island
PLENTY AT STAKE FORK HABIB AND GAETHJE IN THE BIGGEST UFC FIGHT THIS YEAR
When Khabib Nurmagomedov and Justin Gaethje inked their contracts to fight at UFC 254, one thing was certain — one of them would leave the Octagon as the GOAT and the other as the GOAT in waiting.
But there was something else that many may have overlooked, not least the two supreme combatants — there would be danger lurking at every punch, every kick, every clinch and every takedown of their 25- minute five- round contest for the UFC lightweight crown.
Nurmagomedov puts his belt and his unbeaten record ( 28- 0) on the line against the interim champion Gaethje, who most people believe has the tools and the heart to hand the Russian fighter the first defeat in a career inwhich he has lost just one round — one round.
That’s incredible, as are many other things that the Dagestan native has done ever since he graced the MMA Octagon as he began to piece together his legacy.
On Saturday night at the purpose- built Flash Forum arena on the iconic Yas Fight Island in Abu Dhabi, history will be made, either way. Both fighters will put everything on the line to secure their place in the record books, one as an unbeaten warrior and the other as the one who snapped the other’s flawless record.
While Nurmagomedov has an impeccable record having dismissed some of the best ever lightweight fighters including Dustin Poirier, Conor McGregor, Al Jaquinta and Edson Barbosa in recent years, Gaethje has shaped his own reputation as one of the sport’s most deadly fighters by knocking- out one rival after the other, the most recent of the unfortunate athletes being Tony Ferguson.
So how will the most anticipated fight in UFC’s recent history play out?
Nurmagomedov has promised to do whatever it takes to get the win even if it means taking him down ‘ 100 times if necessary’ and engaging in grappling for all of 25 minutes.
Good kicks
“I think he has dinner meat on his hands,” Khabib said. “He has very good kicks. They all are good when they stand up. But when I grab them, it changes a little bit. I think that more than Dustin, Conor, and other guys, he knows how to wrestle. He’s going to be a little bit hard. But I prepare myself to try to take him down 100 times. It’s going to be very interesting Saturday night.”
So the questions that begs an answer is can Gaethje prevent being taken down by the greatest grappler in MMA history?
Yes andno, that’s if you go by the international betting odds. Most oddsmaker can’t see Nurmagomedov being beaten while the daring ones make Gaethje a narrow outsider given that he poses the biggest threat ever to the Russian.
While Nurmagomedov has not fought since he submitted Dustin Poirier at UFC 242 in Abu Dhabi last September, Gaethje has had an unbelievable year, stepping in to fight Tony Fergusson after the fight that was five years in the making against Nurmagomedov was cancelled and tore him to pieces.
From the way he fought Ferguson and the confidence that win has given him, Gaethje seems to be at the pinnacle of his career. Or is he? Could he have more to offer against Nurmagomedov and like he says, ‘ surprise’ himself.
Conceivably, because he looks like he’s still not quite the finished article. He has the hunger, the passion and conviction to chase his own legacy and to make his coal- mining town parents proud.
As dominant as Nurmagomedov has been all through his career, Gaethje would appear to have superior cardio and ammunition in his fists and legs. He is a finisher and we’ve yet to see him having to wrestle more than he needs to.
So, as Nurmagomedov has predicted, the main event at UFC 254 is going to be a class act, with MMA’s best grappler against the sport’s hardest hitting stand- up fighter.