From the octagon to the hospital: Justin Gaethje reunites with defeated Michael Chandler after brutal UFC 268 clash in New York which left both fighters battered and bruised
- Justin Gaethje defeated Michael Chandler in a memorable UFC 260 clash
- Saturday’s contest in New York will go down as one of the fights of the year
- Gaethje picked up a decision victory but both fighters traded very heavy blows
- The two men reunited in hospital looking happy, but battered and bruised too
Justin Gaethje reunited with Michael Chandler in hospital after the former beat his opponent in a brutal UFC 268 clash on Saturday night.
Both fighters were taken for medical check-ups after Gaethje won an exciting clash which saw both fighters receive numerous heavy blows, in a battle that could go down as one of the fights of the year.
Contest winner Gaethje, who picked up a decision victory on Saturday night, posted an image on Instagram of the two rivals looking beaten and bruised in hospital, but both fighters were smiling despite the heavy blows they faced.
Justin Gaethje (left) and Michael Chandler were reunited in hospital after their brutal UFC fight
Gaethje (right) picked up a decision victory over his rival (left) on Saturday night in New York
‘All glory to God,’ Gaethje captioned the post. ‘I wasn’t leaving tonight without my chance to to put another strap on Trevor Wittman’s wall.’
Both men came out swinging for the fences and in the first round, the odds on them both hearing the final bell in the third would have been long.
But somehow they both survived the slugfest and it was Gaethje who came up with the cleaner work, although his opponent deserves great credit for making it such a great spectacle.
Gaethje is now adamant he is next in line for a title shot against the winner of Charles Oliveria’s clash with Dustin Poirier in December.
Both fighters traded heavy blows which caused several bruises and marks on their faces
After the fight, the victor said: ‘I knew exactly what that motherf***** was, he was a warrior. We are living in the wrong times.
‘Me and him should have been fighting to the death in the f****** Coliseum. Hopefully it’s (Charles) Oliveira down in Brazil or Poirier in Louisiana, I don’t give a f***, I’m ranked No.2.
‘I just got an impressive win. Of course, who else? D.C. ( Daniel Cormier ) ain’t out here so I’m the only motherf***** left.’
Gaethje now wants to face the winner of Charles Oliveria’s date with Dustin Poirier next month
After the fight, Gaethje was seen trying to get into Chandler’s ambulance which was met to take him from Madison Square Gardens to hospital, but the UFC star was ushered into another vehicle.
Gaethje was seen asking if Chandler was ok before heading to get medical help himself almost instantly.
The American claimed victory in a UFC 268 event which saw Kamaru Usman beat Colby Covington via a points decision after the Nigerian Nightmare dropped his opponent twice in the second round.
Meanwhile, Rose Namajunas defended her strawweight belt against Zhang Weili by a unanimous decision, while veteran Chris Barnett, weighing at 19 stone, beat Gian Villante with a sensational roundhouse kick.