PHOENIX -- It's about time to get Justin Gaethje a Wikipedia page. Just six months after defeating Luis Palomino in an instant Fight of the Year candidate, Gaethje somehow topped himself Friday night, starching Palomino with a sensational one-punch knockout to defend his World Series of Fighting lightweight title in the headlining rematch of WSOF 23.
They say sequels never top the first time out, but Gaethje (15-0) and Palomino (23-11) set out to prove that wrong. The two collided in the center of the cage from the opening bell, and it was Palomino who seized the upper hand early, catching Gaethje flush with a left hand and sending the champion staggering across the canvas.