Outside Source
Justin Gaethje captured interim lightweight gold at UFC 249. | Getty/UFC
A pizza binge could have cost Justin Gaethje his interim title.
Gaethje became the interim lightweight champ with a brutal stoppage win over Tony Ferguson at UFC 249 in 2020. “The Highlight” recently revealed the technicalities that went on in the background heading into the fight. The then-interim champ Ferguson was originally scheduled to challenge Khabib Nurmagomedov for the undisputed lightweight title. However, Nurmagomedov couldn’t enter the U.S. as the world shut down due to COVID-19. However, UFC was the only major sporting organization with the privilege of hosting live events. Gaethje was called up for a short-notice interim title shot against Ferguson. Despite not being a big fan of short-notice bookings, Gaethje obliged.
Advertisement
Gaethje started losing weight only to be told a couple of days later that the fight was off. With the company of his cousin, Gaethje went on a pizza binge, getting himself up to 184 pounds. However, Gaethje received news the next day that the fight was back on.
Gaethje Dealt with Confusion Regarding UFC 249 Fight
: “They called me 13 days before the fight,” Gaethje said on Born Primitive Tactical. “I weighed probably 182 [pounds]… I was like, ‘Let’s do it.’ So, I’m at the gym, started working out. Two days later they called me, ‘It’s off.’ I had cut down to 176-175 [pounds]. My cousin was hanging out with me from California at the time… So we ordered Pizza Hut and ate s—t tons of pizza. I got up to like 184 pounds and then the next morning they called me, ‘Fight’s back on.’”
Nurmagomedov has correctly predicted that Ferguson would never be the same after the beating he received from Gaethje. “El Cucuy” never won a fight in the UFC again, retiring on an eight-fight losing streak. Since losing to Gaethje, Ferguson earned his first combat sports victory in a boxing match against influencer Salt Papi last weekend. Meanwhile, Gaethje has only fought elite competition, dropping title shots against Nurmagomedov and Charles Oliveira. He is 3-1 in his last four, with his only loss against Max Holloway. Gaethje is now adamant on another title shot.
This article first appeared at Recent News on Sherdog.com
Help support MMACrazies.com when you shop Amazon by starting your online Amazon shopping at MMACrazies.com/recommends/amazon. You are not charged extra, but we receive a small and very helpful commission on everything you purchase. Thanks for thinking of us every time you shop at Amazon.
