Two fighters known for exciting fights will clash with each other this fall.
Donald Cerrone and Justin Gaethje will headline the upcoming UFC Vancouver
card Sept. 14, the UFC announced on Friday.
Cerrone (36-12, 1 NC), is coming off a TKO loss to Tony Ferguson at UFC 238.
Before that, he dominated Alexander Hernandez winning by TKO in the second
round followed by a five-round bout with Al Laquinta.
His opponent Gaethje (20-2) is the former World Series of Fighting champion,
which is now PFL (Professional Fighting League). He is the type of fighter that
isn’t afraid to take a punch to give a punch. Throughout his 22-fight career, he has 18
career finishes and has been to just two decision finishes against Marcus
Edwards in 2012 and Melvin Guillard in 2014.
Gaethje dropped back-to-back KO losses to current interim champion Dustin
Poirier and former champion Eddie Alvarez, both of which earned him Fight of
the Night honors. He is a fighter, he fights and looks to put on a show for the
fans. Now he will get to do it against one of the most respected fighters in the
Mixed Martial Arts world.
Cerrone has several UFC records, including most total wins (23), finishes (16),
post-fight bonuses (17), knockdowns (20), and second-most significant strikes in
UFC history by an active fighter (1518, behind Max Holloway). On the other side,
Gaethje has the most "Strikes landed per minute" which is an astonishing 8.5, 20
percent higher than second-place Shane Burgos.
It’s hard to find two fighters that are better suited to match up for an exciting, fast-
paced fight, destined for fireworks in the octagon. According to Bet Online,
Gaethje has opened up as a big -250 favorite while Cerrone sits at a +210
underdog.
Cerrone plays the underdog role a lot, and often it works out in his favor. So,
don’t be surprised if those lines change. It won’t be a shock if this fight doesn’t go
the distance, the contest isn’t just talked about being Fight of the Night; it’s being
looked at as a potential Fight of the Century.
Robert James Nealon bio here