What does Tony gain from fighting Gaethje?

[Dionysian]

Yeah, I agree it's a tough fight. I'm just not sure how much a 37 year old LW should be worried about shortening his career.

There is the other side of that. The older you are the more you need to maximize the time you have left.

37 year old Tony that sits out gets title shot at real belt in 4 months when they reschedule Khabib fight.

37 year old Tony that wins gets title shot at exactly the same time... or later if they make him fight Conor in the summer.

37 year old Tony that loses will retire with exactly 0 undisputed title shots in his lifetime.

 

[Mikeyz]

Yeah I basically see it that way too. I think Gaethje can knock him out early but I can certainly see Tony drowning Gaethje, especially a Gaethje who hasn’t had a full camp. I’d probably lean towards Tony but it’s one of his hardest fights for sure.

Poirer and Alvarez knocked him out. I am sure Tony will have no problem doing so too.

 

[ArmenianAssasin]

Yeah I basically see it that way too. I think Gaethje can knock him out early but I can certainly see Tony drowning Gaethje, especially a Gaethje who hasn’t had a full camp. I’d probably lean towards Tony but it’s one of his hardest fights for sure.

same I just don't see Tony being able to survive against Justin after the way he was dropped by guys like Pettis

 

[seanb1979]

money

Lol this. Half this forum seems to forget that this is actually their career and the source of their income. Maybe 1 in 50 fighters are fighting for some sort of legacy. The rest want that retirement fund.

 

[seanb1979]

Yeah but if he loses he’s fucked.

I think he’s going to win, but, man, he’s taking a big risk here.

I get what you're saying but I bet if Tony were to talk about it he wouldn't even be considering the possibility of losing. He doesn't seem like that sort of guy.

 

[SteveColdStone]

Poirer and Alvarez knocked him out. I am sure Tony will have no problem doing so too.

Justin has gotten better and he put them both through hell. I think Tony’s power is a little underrated but I’m quite confident that Poirier hits harder and I also think Alvarez probably has a bit more power, although the took him out with a knee.

Tony stopping Gaethje with strikes wouldn’t surprise me but I think he’s going to have to get through some spots to be able to get the stoppage.

 

[SteveColdStone]

same I just don't see Tony being able to survive against Justin after the way he was dropped by guys like Pettis

Well I watched that fight twice and I honestly don’t think Tony was in much trouble. He got clipped while throwing a kick and then he of course started rolling and looked a little wobbly/funky in the sequence after but he remained extremely aware the whole time.

I actually think Tony’s defense is above average. The problem is that he’s just an average ranked lightweight in the first round who is figuring things out and is there to be hit. He then builds in the second and then starts to take over and he’s then possibly the greatest lightweight ever. He moves his head, uses footwork, switches stances and can bamboozle opponents. The problem is that Gaethje can shut you off with one shot. Or he can kick your legs and ruin your mobility for the rest of the fight and then he makes you an easier target.

Tony throws these weird hooks and uppercuts sometimes and I think he might get obliterated in an exchange if he’s not careful.

Look at how he starts the fight here. He throws a low kick and Pettis comes close to catching him clean with a good shot. Tony tried the low kick again right away and Pettis is ready with his right hand and lands a good shot. I doubt Tony would come out so aggressive against Gaethje. Pettis is known to be terrible going backwards so that’s probably why Tony was so aggressive at the beginning. You can’t make a mistake and then repeat it again immediately afterwards against Gaethje though.

 

[SteveColdStone]

Lol this. Half this forum seems to forget that this is actually their career and the source of their income. Maybe 1 in 50 fighters are fighting for some sort of legacy. The rest want that retirement fund.

Ferguson surely cares about legacy and the belt though; the guy has won 12 in a row and has been chasing the belt for years now. It’s incredibly rare for a fighter to go on a run like that in an elite org.

 

[bjjwar]

Does anyone think fighters fight because they think it's fun? Money, obviously and he'll get more than what he'd have gotten to fight Khabib and since he's fighting a worse fighter with no training it's a win win situation.

If he fought Khabib he'd have gotten less money and a higher chance to get injured. I don't see what he's losing here.

 

[seanb1979]

Ferguson surely cares about legacy and the belt though; the guy has won 12 in a row and has been chasing the belt for years now. It’s incredibly rare for a fighter to go on a run like that in an elite org.

Yeah but also imagine his mindset. Justin is very beatable and he probably thinks he has it bagged. Even though most of us see either as a possibility, I don't think he does.

 

[SteveColdStone]

Does anyone think fighters fight because they think it's fun? Money, obviously and he'll get more than what he'd have gotten to fight Khabib and since he's fighting a worse fighter with no training it's a win win situation.

If he fought Khabib he'd have gotten less money and a higher chance to get injured. I don't see what he's losing here.

Nobody is implying that fighting at the elite level is for fun. I said in my op that he’s getting paid.

If he loses to Gaethje people will be saying that Tony was never good and that he lost to a guy that rolled off the couch and was beaten by Poirier who was beaten by Khabib.


I don’t know if he would have gotten considerably less for fighting Khabib. Why would his risk of getting injured be higher if he fought Khabib?

He could lose his opportunity to fight for the belt. If he loses this fight I’d be shocked if he ever fought for the title.

 

[WHITE ANDERSON]

What if Gaethje beats Tony and Khabib?

He's 36 with a reconstructed knee, he's reaching the end here.

then that means justin is the best in the world and LW GOAT
sorry, the khabib tony fight is just not that compelling. it's an easy fight for khabib. justin is actually a tougher fight for khabib

 

[Mr Fahrenheit]

The only thing Tony gains is a name on his resume and a pay cheque. I’m sure it will be a great fight but Ferguson just has to be fighting for the real belt. Instead he’s fighting for a belt that’s been treated as a happy meal belt and doesn’t even guarantee you a shot at the official belt. He is already the most legitimate title challenger in UFC history and he doesn’t need to fight Gaethje at all.

By fighting Gaethje he stays active but that’s it and it’s not worth it. He’s going to get damaged win or lose and will most likely lose a piece of himself in this, while not even fighting for the title. I hope it gets cancelled and we see the Khabib fight later this year. Don’t let this be a GSP vs Anderson situation.

You buried the lead. He gets paid and he gets to do what he’s great at. Those two things are the entire purpose of a career.

I get your point but this isn’t some tiny detail. Who wants to sit around waiting for things that may or may not happen in the future?

 

[HI SCOTT NEWMAN]

Another win and highlight reel finish and lots and lots of money.

 

[SteveColdStone]

then that means justin is the best in the world and LW GOAT
sorry, the khabib tony fight is just not that compelling. it's an easy fight for khabib. justin is actually a tougher fight for khabib

We will see if it ever actually happens. Justin and Khabib both present similar problems for Khabib.

 

[Arrrrgh]

His legend will grow.

 

[The XL]

Nothing. But he's a warrior and a crazy mother fucker, so he's gonna fight a high risk low reward fight on an island somewhere on some Mortal Kombat shit in the middle of all of this hysteria. War Tony.

 

[SteveColdStone]

You buried the lead. He gets paid and he gets to do what he’s great at. Those two things are the entire purpose of a career.

I get your point but this isn’t some tiny detail. Who wants to sit around waiting for things that may or may not happen in the future?

I have to assume his main goal right now is to become champion. If he becomes champ he gets the best paydays of his career. This fight with Justin Gaethje still gives him the opportunity to become a champion should be get past Gaethje, but it he loses then he is most likely done as a contender.

It’s a completely different opponent for him on short notice in an unknown location. If he takes this fight and wins I don’t see how it increases his chances of becoming champ. He stays active but he most likely loses the benefits of staying active as he will most likely take a lot of damage in this fight. There is no taking away that he is the number one contender, regardless of whether he fights Gaethje or not. If he really needs the money then I understand his choice, but this is a massive risk.

 

[SteveColdStone]

His legend will grow.

If he loses he’s a bum though

 

[Coconutwater]

he strengthens his case that he is the best in the world
if tony loses to gaethje, tony is clearly not the best in the world

Nah, because Gaethje winning doesn't make him the number one ranked contender either... A victory over Tony shouldn't wipe out El Cucuy's 12 fight win streak.

Justin is 4-2 in his last six. It screws Tony's long history of proven success. It's a crap fight for Tony, he's being forced to face a tough opponent to win a title shot he already qualified for. Conor should face Gaethje if Dana is so adamant about shoving him back in front of Khabib again.