UFC 249 Champion Grew Up in Colorado, Wrestled At UNC in Greeley
Sports came back with a local connection this weekend (May 9) in the form of a UFC fight in an empty Florida arena.
Justin Ray Gaethje is a professional mixed martial artist from Arvada, Colorado, who fights in the lightweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He also attended the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley and was a NCAA Division I All-American. Saturday night (May 9) Gaethje beat Tony Ferguson in the lightweight title fight to claim the belt and bragging rights.
UFC fighter Tony Ferguson was supposed to fight Khabib Nurmagomedov. But a problem arose when Nurmagomedov got stuck in Russia due to travel restrictions associated with COVID-19. That opened the door for a title fight between Ferguson and Colorado's own Gaethje.
The match might have come to an abrupt end when Ferguson dropped Gaethje with a massive uppercut in the closing seconds of the second round. However, Gaethje was saved by the bell and was able to recover in his corner. Check out the hit below.
The two brutalized each other all the way until the final round, when Gaethje left Ferguson stumbling. One final hit would end the fight as Ferguson fell back in exhaustion. According to CBS Sports, "Referee Herb Dean jumped in to call a halt to the bout at the 3:39 mark of Round 5."
Source: CBS Sports, ESPN, Dazin.com