A top UFC analyst predicts Justin Gaethje will pull off another mammoth upset this weekend on the White House lawn.
Interim UFC lightweight champion Justin Gaethje has had several opportunities to win a lineal UFC title during his legendary career in the Octagon. After defeating Paddy Pimblett earlier this year at UFC 324 to win the interim belt for the second time in his UFC tenure, Gaethje will face Ilia Topuria in the UFC White House main event this weekend.
As has become customary for Gaethje throughout his career, he’ll be a significant underdog on fight night. Topuria, unbeaten in his UFC career, is widely predicted to outclass Gaethje and hand the interim titleholder another potentially brutal knockout defeat.
But one top UFC analyst, Laura Sanko, believes Gaethje’s most dangerous attribute may be the fact that he’ll be fighting with nothing to lose at UFC Freedom 250.
Justin Gaethje’s ‘lack of attachment’ will lead to UFC White House upset
In a recent appearance on The Bohnfire podcast, Sanko shared her prediction for the UFC White House headliner and why Gaethje will come out on top.
“I think the fact that you’re dealing with a guy in Justin Gaethje who has no attachment to the outcome – that’s a dangerous thing,” Sanko said of Gaethje.
“The people who are saying he’s going to get cooked on the front lawn of the White House are nuts. This is another guy who bleeds red, white and blue, and the thing I love about him as much as anyone who has faced or will face Ilia Topuria, is Justin Gaethje is not going to be intimidated by the moment – or the opponent. I think Justin Gaethje is more than willing to end up face down on the canvas, as he always is, and that alone sets him apart and makes him incredibly dangerous for a guy like Ilia Topuria, because it could just as easily be Ilia.
“I love picking underdogs,” Sanko continued on Gaethje. “I’m going to pick Justin Gaethje. I’m going to go with Justin Gaethje on America’s front lawn: finish.” (h/t MMA Junkie)
Gaethje’s most recent knockout win came against Dustin Poirier at UFC 291. As tensions ramp up between Topuria and Gaethje ahead of UFC Freedom 250, Sanko believes Gaethje will get the better of the pound-for-pound superstar.
What is your prediction for Ilia Topuria vs. Justin Gaethje? Let us know in the comments!