Edson Barboza is one dangerous fighter according to Justin Gaethje. Photo: Per Häljestam-USA TODAY Sports
On March 30, 2019, Justin Gaethje took on Edson Barboza in a highly anticipated UFC lightweight bout.
The pair were two of the most feared strikers in the stacked 155 lbs division, and just minutes into the first round, Barboza circled into Gaethje’s bomb of a right hook and the fight was over.
Four years after the massive knockout, “The Highlight” recalls that the Brazilian’s striking made him more nervous than ever before.
“One of the few times I’ve been scared walking into a fight was against Barboza. Watching him body people was definitely in the back of my mind,” Gaethje recently wrote on Twitter.
One of the few times I’ve been scared walking into a fight was against Barboza. Watching him body people was definitely in the back of my mind. https://t.co/UmmvJxR2AY
Justin Gaethje comes from a win against another dangerous striker in Rafael Fiziev. The two clashed in the co-main event of UFC 286 in London a few weeks back. After three tough and bloody rounds, Gaethje stood as the winner via unanimous decision.
The former UFC lightweight interim champion is now interested in a rematch against Dustin Poirier. In their fight back in 2018, Poirier finished Gaethje by fourth-round TKO after a violent back-and-forth battle.
“It’s a fight that makes me nervous,” Poirier said about a rematch. “When I hear a name and I get nervous, it’s motivation.”