Justin Gaethje and Eddie Alvarez were expected to bring the fireworks at UFC 218 in Detroit, Michigan, and they definitely delivered. It was the back-and-forth striking war that fans expected, and the former UFC lightweight champion closed the fight out with a huge knee to put Gaethje down and out, handing the former WSOF titleholder his first career defeat.
They traded leg kicks right away, with Gaethje throwing three within ten seconds. Alvarez got clipped with a right hand, but answered with an uppercut. Gaethje buckled Alvarez’s lead leg with about a half-dozen leg kicks within 40 seconds.