UFC 249 Recap: Is Cejudo's Win Tainted? Can Gaethje Beat Khabib?
Madelyn Burke: The UFC returned to the octagon on Saturday with UFC 249, and the card was headlined by a couple of thrilling championship bouts. I'm joined now by SI's Justin Barrasso. Justin, let's start with the main event. Gaethje claimed interim lightweight gold with a fifth round TKO of Tony Ferguson. How did this end up being such a one sided fight, though?
Justin Barrasso: It was just a beat down, and I know that styles make fights and clearly Gaethje's style is just problematic for Tony Ferguson. We spoke about this earlier in the week and it was just Gaethje's so dangerous. And in his combinations and in his striking was just too much for Tony. I think that a lot of people wouldn't have been shocked if Gaethje won the fight. But I think everyone was shocked at the manner in which he won it. Ferguson got very little offense and really it looked like a Tony Ferguson fight just with the roles reversed. Tony's opponents are normally beaten and battered and bruised and swollen by the end of the fight. And that was Tony last night, a very surprising outcome.
Madelyn Burke: Now, coming off such a dominant wind Gaethje says he's ready to fight Khabib Nurmagomedov and unify the UFC lightweight championship. Can Gaethje beat Khabib?
Justin Barrasso: I think that Khabib went to bed last night. I think the fight ended around 7:00 in the morning in Russia. And I think he went to bed with just, you know, calmness and got a couple hours extra sleep. Gaethje's fantastic. But no, I don't I don't think he can be Khabib. Again, styles make fights and Gaethje's a really good wrestler, but not as good as Khabib. He's maybe a little bit better of a striker, but it's just not the right style. Ferguson was the right style to beat Khabib. Clearly, you could see it now, he wasn't eager for that fight. Tony was just problematic. I still think there's a chance that we see Connor [McGregor] first. Connor, get that that match and then then you have the winner. Then you get two fights out of it, then you're the winner fight Gaethje. But I don't think that. I don't think Justin is the right matchup for Khabib and I think Khabib knows it.
Madelyn Burke: Now in the co-headliner Saturday night, Henry Cejudo defeated Dominic Cruz to defend his bantamweight belt and then he retired. But it was a bit of a controversial win, as Cruz said in a post-fight interview at the ref smelled like alcohol and cigarettes, adding that he wants the ref to be drug tested. Would you put an asterisks next to this win for Cejudo?
Justin Barrasso: I would. It's kind of a classic Cejudo win. Keith Patterson, a highly respected official. Yeah, I think. I think Dominic wants maybe in that, he kind of mentioned in the future that officials can be drug tested, too, which I suppose isn't the worst idea, but not a good look for anyone. Right. Henry wants to go out on top of the world as the greatest combat fighter of all time. He didn't get that. Look, I know I asked him that question in a in the virtual press conference last night. He did. He wasn't eager. He said that he was, you know, inflicting punishment on Cruz, which he was. That was 11 straight strikes and the knee to the head was was vicious, but Cruz was standing up. And how could you end a fight when someone's working his way back to his feet? I think the Cruz really made a great point. The fight should have continued. There should certainly be an asterisk next to it. But the record books will show what they show. And that's a win for Cejudo.
Madelyn Burke: Absolutely. I think a lot of people would say they'd love to retire on top, but I'm not sure fight fans were convinced that's Cejudo was on top in that one. Justin Barrasso, thanks so much for the time.
Justin Barrasso: Thank you.
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