UFC 274: Charles Oliveira taps out Justin Gaethje with rear-naked, says ‘something is missing here’
- ‘Do Bronx’ gets dropped twice in opening exchanges but recovers to knock Gaethje down and lock in submission
- Win makes Oliveira No 1 contender to lightweight title he never technically lost, after controversial weight miss on Friday
Charles Oliveira tapped out Justin Gaethje with a first-round rear-naked choke in the main event of UFC 274 on Saturday night in Phoenix, Arizona, but the victory did not come easily.
The Brazilian, 32, was hurt badly by several strikes in the early going of his lightweight fight with Gaethje, crashing to the canvas on two occasions. But just when it looked like he was destined for a knockout loss, he scored a knockdown of his own, took his foe’s back, and locked up a rear-naked choke.
Gaethje, 33, fought the choke for a moment, but was soon drifting off as he attempted to tap out.
It was a dramatic win to cap off a dramatic week for Oliveira.
The Brazilian landed in Phoenix as the UFC lightweight champion, but was stripped of his title after missing weight by half a pound at Friday’s pre-fight weigh-ins.
In victory, he is now the No 1 contender for the title he never technically lost, and is expected to be matched up with another top lightweight for the division’s vacant throne sometime in the coming months.
