MMA fans had salivated over the idea of witnessing Justin Gaethje and Edson Barboza throwing fists without regard for their own health ever since their matchup was announced. The two lightweights met in the UFC on ESPN 2 main event on Saturday in Philadelphia, and they did not disappoint. It did not last long enough for “Fight of the Year” consideration, but their encounter packed plenty of violence into a two-and-a-half-minute window.
Gaethje used relentless pressure to put Barboza in perfect position, at which point he unloaded a massive right hand and authored his second straight first-round knockout.