Justin Gaethje is no longer undefeated, but he put up one Hell of a war to keep his win streak going.
Gaethje took on former UFC Lightweight Champion Eddie Alvarez in what could rightly be considered one of the best fights of 2017.
Justin opened with a leg kick. Both men were light on their feet. Eddie looked like he was immediately suffering from the leg kick. Justin hit some hard punches. Good right by Alvarez. Leg kick by Justin but Alvarez caught it and almost kicked Gaethje when he was down. Good exchanges. Justin pushed the pace, chasing Alvarez around the cage. Good combo by Alvarez. Big right by Gaethje. Alvarez took Justin down but Gaethje got right back up. Good shots to the body by Alvarez. Justin bled from his nose. Another good shot to the body by Alvarez. Body shot and left hook up top by Alvarez. Gaethje returned with some shots of his own, though. Again Eddie went to the body, and this time, Justin ran. Again, Justin ripped shots to the body. Justin went for another of his leg kicks, but Alvarez caught it and ended with a front flip kick. Yes, a front flip kick.
WE'VE GOT A WAR! #UFC218 pic.twitter.com/PqWGR7d2RD
— UFC (@ufc) December 3, 2017
No ice on the leg of Alvarez before Round 2. This time Alvarez opened with a leg kick. Eddie looked like his lead leg wasn’t bothering him much, though. In fact, he looked very relaxed and confident.
The crowd chanted “Eddie” as these two men went to war.
Left hook by Gaethje, but Eddie landed a right. Right hand over the top by Justin. Left by Eddie. Uppercuts by Justin. This fight is war! Body shots by Alvarez followed by a knee, followed by more body shots. Gaethje hit a knee of his own. Crisp right from Justin. Nice jabs by Alvarez followed by a knee. Eddie moved away from the shots. Huge body shots and those looked like they hurt Gaethje. Justin still hung in the pocket and traded, though.
More chants of “Eddie” from the crowd.
In the last minute of Round 2, Eddie had thrown 250 strikes. Lots of swelling on Alvarez’s right side of the face, but that didn’t stop him from throwing more strikes. Gaethje slipped and ate a knee on the way up. He went for a flying knee as the round came to a close.
FIVE MORE MINUTES! #UFC218 pic.twitter.com/qEZAT6jgrL
— UFC (@ufc) December 3, 2017
Round 3. Alvarez faked a takedown and the two went right back to swinging for the fences. Leg kick by Gaethje and chopped him hard with a second. Alvarez’s leg started to bubble up. Another huge chop and Eddie tried to pull guard but Justin stepped back and told him to get up. Eddie went to southpaw but then back to orthodox. Left kick by Gaethje and another kick to the chewed up leg of Alvarez.
Eddie took his back and took Justin to the ground but Gaethje back up. Uppercut by Justin … and another. Eddie Alvarez kept coming at him, though, and returned some uppercuts of his own. The two went in for some stand up grappling but Gaethje wasn’t interested. Both men looked exhausted, but Alvarez landed a huge knee and…it was over! Gaethje KO’d!
What a war!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VSJX6YvFYo
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