Justin “The Highlight” Gaethje added another one to his reel Saturday night with a second-round KO of Dustin Poirier to claim the UFC’s just-go-with-it BMF belt at UFC 291 in Salt Lake City.
No rational observer of combat sports would argue against the idea of Dustin Poirier as a bad mother-shut-your-mouth. He just won’t get to take home a shiny belt that says so.
Justin Gaethje’s right shin made sure of that.
“The Highlight” added another one to his reel Saturday night with a second-round KO of Poirier to claim the UFC’s just-go-with-it BMF belt, becoming the second man to earn the prize and accepting the strap from the first man to take it home, Jorge Masvidal.
“I told Dustin he’s my favorite fighter on Earth,” Gaethje said in the cage after the win. “Luck and chance are a factor in this cage and I just thank God I came out on the right side this time.”
The redux of their first meeting in 2018 realistically could never have topped the fight of the year-level original, no matter how much violence-hungry fight fans yearned for it. But the night-capping lightweight contest of UFC 291 in Salt Lake City was fun while it lasted, and that’s what counts.
“This is unlike any other sport on earth, because you barely get a chance at redemption,” Gaethje said.
