Charles Oliveira makes quick work of Justin Gaethje
Charles Oliveira entered the Octagon on Saturday because the light-weight champion. He left it with no belt, but additionally with the popularity that he’s clearly one of the best 155-pounder on the planet.
In a wild, spectacular struggle, Oliveira submitted Justin Gaethje with a rear bare choke at 3:22 of the primary spherical in the primary occasion of UFC 274 on the Footprint Middle in Phoenix, Arizona.
As a result of Oliveira missed weight at Friday’s weigh-in by a half-pound, he was stripped of the title when the bell rang. The UFC stipulated that if Oliveira had gained, he’d be the No. 1 contender.
Each males have been down and each have been rocked within the transient struggle, but it surely was a shootout that Gaethje didn’t have the bullets to win. He dropped Oliveira twice, however due to the excellence of Oliveira’s jiu-jitsu, he didn’t observe him to the ground and take a look at for a ground-and-pound end.
Oliveira, against this, had no such challenge. Within the ending sequence, he put Gaethje down and first bought him right into a triangle choke. Gaethje managed to slide away, however Oliveira, the UFC’s all-time chief in submissions and finishes, shortly bought his neck. He put the rear bare choke in and for the second time in a light-weight title struggle, Gaethje tapped.
Every man was formally credited with one knockdown, however each went down a number of instances. Oliveira’s skill to struggle in all positions was what made the distinction.
“There’s one thing lacking,” Oliveira stated within the Octagon after the win. “The champion has a reputation and it’s Charles ‘Do Bronx’ Oliveira.”
The struggle was motion from the opening bell. The bell rang and seconds later, Oliveira blasted Gaethje with a straight proper that harm him. Gaethje recovered and dropped Oliveira. However as a substitute of following the Brazilian to the mat, Gaethje backed off and allowed Oliveira to stand up.
They have been buying and selling punches, elbows, knees and kicks and seemingly taking turns hurting the opposite. However when Oliveira dropped Gaethje the final time and Gaethje was not capable of stand up instantly, that was primarily a wrap.
“It is a message for the complete division,” stated Oliveira, who instantly after successful leaped over the Octagon and spoke to UFC president Dana White. “I’m an issue for the complete division. … I’m the champion. That is my title.”
He stated he didn’t care who he fought subsequent, however did say he’d like a crack at ex-champion Conor McGregor.
