UFC 249: Relive the rise of Justin Gaethje before he faces Tony Ferguson on May 9

Justin Gaethje is just six fights old in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) but has already become one of the most prominent faces on the current UFC roster. The number four-ranked lightweight is currently on the verge of earning his first title shot in UFC if he manages to vanquish Tony Ferguson in his upcoming fight at UFC 249. Though Justin Gaethje is billed as the underdog at UFC 249, ‘The Highlight’ could still pose a lot of threat inside the octagon. Justin Gaethje is considered to be one of the deadliest strikers in the current lightweight unit and could snatch the Interim Lightweight title from Tony Ferguson at UFC 249. Before the two lock horns at UFC 249, here's all about Justin Gaethje’s iconic rise in UFC.

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UFC 249: Justin Gaethje’s iconic UFC journey before he faces Tony Ferguson on May 9

The official Instagram handle of UFC recently posted a video which showcases the rise of Justin Gaethje. ‘The Highlight’ made his UFC debut in 2017 against Michael Johnson and registered a spectacular knockout in his very first fight. However, Justin Gaethje went on to lose his next two fights against Eddie Alvarez and Dustin Poirier. While most UFC fans began to censure him, the 31-year-old regained his position in the UFC roster by unleashing back-to-back victories against some of the best fighters of all time on the UFC roster. Justin Gaethje went on to deliver knockouts to James Vick, Edson Barboza, and Donald Cerrone one after the other, which earned his Interim Lightweight title shot against Tony Ferguson at UFC 249.

Justin Gaethje MMA stats: Fights -  23, Wins - 21, Losses - 2

Justin Gaethje UFC stats: Fights - 6, Wins - 4, Losses - 2

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UFC 249 Tony Ferguson vs Justin Gaethje live update

UFC 249 is scheduled to go ahead on May 9 at Florida and Dana White has already released the full fight card. Tony Ferguson and Justin Gaethje are going to headline the PPV for the Interim Lightweight title, while Bantamweight Champion Henry Cejudo and Dominick Crux will battle it out at the co-main event. Here’s the full fight card.

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Image courtesy: UFC.com