Safford native and hometown hero Justin Gaethje has just pulled off what is being called the ultimate U.S. upset, capturing the undisputed UFC lightweight championship at the historic UFC Freedom 250 event held right on the South Lawn of the White House.
Facing off against the heavily favored and previously undefeated Ilia Topuria (17-0)—who was ranked as the No. 2 pound-for-pound fighter in the world—Gaethje put on the performance of a lifetime. The Safford High School wrestling alumni proved why he is known as one of the most exciting fighters in MMA history, weathering a wild, back-and-forth boxing match to completely batter the champion.
By the third round, Gaethje’s signature power and relentless jabs left Topuria a bloody mess, with Gaethje even nearly securing a D'arce choke. The climax came at the end of the fourth round when Gaethje delivered a massive, crushing knee to Topuria's body right before the bell. The damage was so severe that Topuria had to be carried out, and the fight was officially waved off by corner stoppage/retirement before the fifth round could begin.
