Gaethje is a big fan of Strickland’s unorthodox style and how he deployed it at UFC 302 to beat Paulo Costa.
Sean Strickland has taken a lot of criticism for the slow and patient way he beat Paulo Costa at UFC 302, walking down the Brazilian powerhouse and picking him apart for a split decision win. But there’s one man who loved what he saw from “Tarzan” on Saturday night: the BMF himself, Justin Gaethje.
Can we still call Gaethje the BMF even though he lost the BMF title to Max Holloway at UFC 300? It feels like once a BMF, always a BMF. Strickland agrees with that.
“Oh, f—ing Gaethje, bro. My man!” Strickland said backstage at UFC 302 as the two met. “The BMF. I gotta start fighting like you.”
“You are!” Gaethje replied. “You already do [fight like me] … Run towards motherf—ers!”
Even Strickland was critical of how his fight went, but blamed the lack of excitement on Costa for moving backwards endlessly. But that’s exactly what his style of fighting forces opponents to do, and that’s why “The Highlight” approves.
“I love it!” Gaethje said when asked about Sean’s performance. “Incredibly awkward and people can’t figure it out. Pushes you back the whole time, that s— is exhausting.”
Justin Gaethje walked into UFC 300 the de facto No. 1 contender for the lightweight title, but now it’s unclear where he stands after losing a barnburner of a fight to Max Holloway. He came into the UFC a bit too wild, and attributes his current position at top of the division to Trevor Wittman for reeling him in a bit and making him more patient and technical.
No wonder he enjoyed Strickland’s methodical and unflappable performance at UFC 302. It may not have been the most exciting thing in the world, but it worked and Strickland stuck with it. A little more of that wouldn’t serve Gaethje poorly now that he’s at the level where the smallest mistake can cost you everything.