Justin Gaethje proved HE was the ultimate fighter as he outlasted Michael Johnson in TUF 25 finale main event.

Fan friendly

Justin Gaethje has arrived in the UFC with a bang. Gaethje came into the organisation with a reputation for crazy back-and-forth battles. It is one thing going hammer and tongs with fighters at a World Series of Fighting level. It's completely different thing coming into the UFC against a top five lightweight and putting on the same kind of show.

Relentless

Gaethje style will make him an instant fan favourite. Fans love exciting fighters. Gaethje is exciting and then some. His relentless forward pressure and all-action style forces opponents to fight. And Michael Johnson put up one hell of a fight.

Whatever Johnson's plan was before the event, went out of the window once the contest was underway. Johson was in "Gaethje's world". They were both throwing huge punishing blows from the opening bell. Neither man was willing to give. Johnson almost threatened to out-Gaethje, Justin Gaethje. But Gaethje, despite looking out-on-his-feet in the second round, rallied with a series of uppercuts that spelt doom for his opponent. By the end of the second round, Johnson was in a crumbled heap in the corner as Gaethe rained blows onto him.

Not all brawl

Gaethje style is all action, but is not all mindless brawn. From the outset, Gaethje chopped Johnson down some clever leg kicks that slowly restricted Johnson's movement during the fight. While Johnson was enjoying success with his hands, he became indifferent to his own lack of movement. Johnson became stuck in the mud drunk off the series of combination he was landing on Gaethe. Absorbed in his own striking success, Johnson couldn't see that his energy gauge was depleting to zero. That is what Gaethje does. He uses his opponents hubris against them. While your teeing off on him, he is teeing off on you, he can take your firepower... can you take his?

No equal?

After the fight, Gaethje - the undefeated, 18-0, UFC debutant - threw down the gauntlet to the rest of the UFC lightweight division,

Where is my equal at?

Style-wise Gaethje probably has no equal. There are certainly better technical fighters than Gaethje. Even in the lightweight division. However you'd struggle to find one that is more exciting.

Short shelf-life?

However Gaethje's style comes at a price. He knows, probably more than anyone, that it is only a matter of time before he gets knocked out. Fighting the way he fights eventually his body will have to give. Johnson came close to delivering the knock out blow to Gaethje twice in last night's fight. At the end of the first round and middle of the second Gaethje looked like he had rolled the dice one too many times.

But Gaethje does what he does. He digs deep into his soul to survive. Then his takes his opponent's soul. Johnson was bloodied and well beaten by the end of the content.

Michael Johnson will only have a handful of fights like that in his career. It seems every fight for Gaethje is a career-shortening slug fest. The UFC fans will love the Gaethje ride while it lasts. We all hope it lasts as long as possible. Equally, we hope that when the ride ends he departs with his health and faculties in tact.

Gaethje claimed after the fight that he was 'unbreakable'. He seems hell bent on testing his theory to it's limit.

"Who's Next?" Was the question Gaethje asked after the fight.... who would you like to see him face next? I think a fight against Nate Diaz would be fun, a Tony Ferguson fight would be amazing. A more realistic target (but no less exciting) would be a fight against Raging Al Iaquinta. Whoever Gaethje fights next it's almost guaranteed to be a classic!