UFC 249 Preview: Justin Gaethje Historical UFC Closing Odds

Justin Gaethje sports a 4-2 record in the UFC. The former World Series of Fighting lightweight champion has not gone the distance in any of those contests. He has either scored a knockout or been knocked out. Gaethje has earned seven fight-night bonuses in those six fights. On Saturday he faces Tony Ferguson in the main event of the UFC 249 pay-per-view card. The winner walks away with the interim UFC lightweight champion and a possible future matchup against current 155-pound champion Khabib Nurmagomedov.

Gaethje joined the UFC with a 17-0 record. The ex-WSOF champion surrendered that promotion’s 155-pound belt to sign with the UFC. At the time Gaethje had 15 stoppage victories. 

Gaethje requested the scariest fight the UFC could give him for his UFC debut. The UFC matched him opposite Michael Johnson. Johnson’s record in the UFC was then 9-7. Fight fans knew Johnson’s record was misleading. He would not roll over for Gaethje. 

Gaethje scored a TKO win over Johnson with 12 ticks left on the clock in the second stanza. 

Gaethje lost his next two outings by knockout. Former UFC lightweight champ Eddie Alvarez stopped him in the third round. Dustin Poirier then scored a fourth-round TKO over Gaethje.

Gaethje has bounced back from those defeats. He is on a three-fight winning streak. All three victories have come by first-round knockout. His most recent stoppage win was a TKO of Donald Cerrone.

Below is a history of Gaethje’s closing odds for his UFC bouts.

UFC 249 takes place at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida. The main card streams on ESPN+ pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.