UFC veteran Michael Johnson has a chance to reverse his recent form when he faces UFC debutant Justin Gaethje at TUF 25 Finale on Friday, July 7. Gaethje, known mostly from his time with World Series of Fighting, has won all 17 professional fights with 14 coming by knockout.
Gaethje, who is a former WSOF Lightweight champion and known as “The Highlight” for his violent performances, has a perfect record of 17-0 with 14 of those wins coming by way of knockout.
However, despite having the impressive knockout ratio, this weekend’s opponent Johnson has never been knocked out in the entirety of his professional career. Gaethje believes he can be the man to stop “The Menace”.
Many believe Gaethje to be a favourite for the match-up with Johnson suffering three defeats in his last four fights, albeit to top opposition. A win for Gaethje would see him as an immediate contender in the lightweight division.
Can “JT Money” create the storybook ending in TUF 25: Redemption Finale?
TUF 7 finalist Jesse Taylor has made sure this season’s TUF 25: Redemption has lived up to it’s name so far, as he’s blown through the competition on his way to the final, for a chance to make up for past mistakes.
Taylor is infamously known for being the only man to be removed from an Ultimate Fighter finale for events after completion of filming after going on a drunken rampage on the Las Vegas strip after making the final of TUF 7. Having drinks with friends to celebrate making the final, “JT Money” lost control and was caught on CCTV kicking out the windows of a limosene among other unruly behaviour.
UFC President Dana White would remove Taylor from the competition the very next day and he was never given another chance with the promotion until now. The theme of redemption has never been more fitting for Taylor as he looks to reclaim Ultimate Fighter glory and put his wrong, right when he faces TUF 19 finalist Dhiego Lima in this season’s finale.
Elsewhere on the card we see Britain’s most exciting prospect, lightweight Marc Diakiese, who will be looking to claim his fourth consecutive UFC win since signing with the promotion when he faces fellow prospect Drakkar Klose.
“Bonecrusher” has raised more than a few eyebrows since signing for the UFC, particularly when he put on an exhibition against Teemu Packalen before using his trademark straight right to knock the Finn out.
Drakkar Klose represents a different challenge to Diakiese, however. Rather than stand and trade, it’s almost inevitable that Klose will look to wrestle with Diakiese and some believe this is where the fight will be won.
With neither fighter suffering defeat in their professional careers, the old cliche “Someone’s 0 has got to go” is certainly a factor in this fight and the match-up makes for a very interesting one.
Other big names on the card include Jared Cannonier fresh off the face of his defeat to top contender Glover Teixeira, Elias Theodorou as he continues his ascendancy in the middleweight division, top prospect Aspen Ladd who makes her UFC debut and Angela Hill returns to the cage against Ashley Yoder.
The Ultimate Fighter 25 Finale Fight Card
Lightweight Bout: Justin Gaethje (17-0) vs. Michael Johnson (17-11)
TUF 25 Final (Welterweight Bout): Jesse Taylor (30-15) vs. Dhiego Lima (12-5)
Lightweight Bout: Marc Diakiese (12-0) vs. Drakkar Klose (7-0-1)
Light-Heavyweight Bout: Jared Cannonier (9-2) vs. Nick Roehrick (7-0)
Middleweight Bout: Elias Theodorou (13-1) vs. Brad Tavares (14-4)
Light-Heavyweight Bout: Marcel Fortuna (9-1) vs. Jordan Johnson (7-0)
Women’s Strawweight Bout: Angela Hill (6-3) vs. Ashley Yoder (5-2)
Welterweight Bout: James Krause (23-7) vs. Tom Gallicchio (19-9)
Light-Heavyweight Bout: Ed Herman (22-12) vs. C.B. Dollaway (15-8)
Women’s Bantamweight Bout: Jessica Eye (11-6) vs. Aspen Ladd (5-0)
Featherweight Bout: Gray Maynard (12-6-1) vs. Teruto Ishihara (9-3-2)
Women’s Strawweight Bout: Tecia Torres (8-1) vs. Juliana Lima (9-3)
