Justin Gaethje had lots to lose heading into UFC 300, and he arguably misplaced all of it.

Certain, Gaethje walked away with a $300,000 bonus for Battle of the Night time, however that got here on the expense of a possible light-weight title shot after he ended his night time face-down on the canvas following one of the vital gorgeous knockouts in UFC historical past. With Max Holloway already up on the scorecards, the previous featherweight champion invited Gaethje to fulfill him within the middle of the cage and throw down earlier than the ultimate horn sounded. Holloway then uncorked a brutal proper hand that despatched Gaethje crashing to the mat with one second left.

It was arguably the worst-case situation for Gaethje after he was beforehand promised a title shot following a head-kick knockout over Dustin Poirier final yr.

“I believe Justin Gaethje had probably the most at stake to lose on Saturday night time, and he put all of it on the road,” UFC analyst Alan Jouban mentioned on the most recent episode of The Fighter vs. The Author. “So now we have to applaud him for stepping up and doing that for us.

“Justin mentioned, ‘I’m making another run on the title.’ That was taken away from him on Saturday night time. If he didn’t get knocked out in that final second and he would have misplaced that call, most likely by a 49-46 scorecard, he presumably may have retired. There was talks of him retiring with no win that night time as a result of that form of takes him out of title competition.”

With Gaethje out of the working for the subsequent title shot, UFC turned to Arman Tsarukyan as the brand new prime contender after he beat former champion Charles Oliveira in a back-and-forth battle at UFC 300. Tsarukyan finally turned down the chance as a result of he wanted time to get better from his battle and actually put together for a June 1 problem in opposition to reigning champion Islam Makhachev at UFC 302.

In consequence, Dustin Poirier now fights Makhachev for the light-weight title following Poirier’s knockout win over Benoit Saint Denis at UFC 299.

On paper, Poirier shouldn’t be getting a shot at gold contemplating he misplaced to Gaethje lower than a yr in the past, and his solely win since got here in opposition to a considerably unproven prospect in Saint Denis. None of that basically mattered in the long run, nonetheless, as a result of Poirier stays an enormous title in MMA and he’s a well-respected veteran with an untouchable lifetime résumé.

Timing and alternative led to Poirier getting his title shot at UFC 302, and Jouban argues it wouldn’t be in the least shocking if one thing related occurs to Gaethje.

“Dustin Poirier obtained knocked out by Justin Gaethje nearly a yr in the past and received one huge, dramatic battle, and now he’s pushed again within the title shot,” Jouban mentioned. “It’s not over. It’s not over for Justin Gaethje.

“This was an enormous setback. But when he comes again and now fights Charles Oliveira in a rematch or fights the winner or the loser of Michael Chandler vs. Conor McGregor, any of these fights with a giant end and looking out superb in a victory may get him proper again in title competition as nicely. I don’t suppose it’s over for Justin.”

Jouban acknowledged that Gaethje might be reaching the ultimate chapter of his profession, however even at 35, he nonetheless has a while left to make one other push into title competition.

Gaethje additionally has the magical means to placed on the sorts of entertaining fights that at all times preserve him within the dialog among the many most tasty choices for UFC to advertise an enormous card. In different phrases, Gaethje is rarely too removed from a shot at gold.

“I don’t suppose it’s all executed for him,” Jouban mentioned. “I believe he has a while to perhaps attempt to get another huge win and get another shot on the title.”

As for Holloway, he sits on the opposite finish of the spectrum, with the world at his fingertips following the viral knockout over Gaethje.

He’s already thought-about one of many best featherweights of all-time, and it seems Holloway desires the possibility to cement his legacy in that division with a showdown in opposition to present champion Ilia Topuria.

That choice seemingly leads the pack, however Jouban says Holloway can just about name his shot after his efficiency at UFC 300.

“I believe Ilia Topuria is the battle that now we have to make now,” Jouban mentioned. “Now [Holloway] goes again to his rightful division and it doesn’t cloud the light-weight division.

“The factor about [Holloway vs. Gaethje], it was the most effective battle that made no sense as a result of it messes up two divisions. Now you could have a ‘45er leaping the road within the light-weight division, which is already form of not making an excessive amount of sense. Now Ilia Topuria is saying, ‘That is the battle I need now after seeing what Max Holloway did.’ Now the elevation, the star standing of Max Holloway is even greater, his star is even brighter. That battle is now even greater. That may be a greater battle than preventing the previous champion, who all of us love and respect, Alexander Volkanovski. I believe that battle makes a ton of sense.

“I believe Ilia Topuria can be my No. 1 choose [for Holloway next], after which presumably the winner Chandler and Conor McGregor can be my No. 2 choose.”

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