NEW YORK -- Something had to give. Either a chunk of Luiz Firmino’s face would fall off or Justin Gaethje’s right arm would, from hitting the Brazilian constantly with right uppercuts.
The World Series of Fighting 34 main event on Saturday at Madison Square Garden turned out to be a thriller, featuring an incredible, back-and-forth battle between Gaethje, the defending WSOF lightweight champion, and a valiant challenger who took the fight on three weeks’ notice. In the end, with both fighters busted up and swollen, it was Gaethje that drove his record to 17-0 after referee Dan Miragliotta wisely waved off the fight after three rounds.