The topic of whether or not Nick Newell should be in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has gained steam and now Justin Gaethje is weighing in.
Gaethje, who is currently the sixth ranked UFC lightweight, handed Newell the first loss of his professional mixed martial arts career. “The Highlight” was the World Series of Fighting lightweight champion at the time. Gaethje successfully retained his title via second-round TKO.
Since that bout, Newell has won three straight fights. His record stands at 14-1. In his last outing on March 9, he submitted Sonny Luque in the opening round. It was Newell’s first bout since Oct. 2015.
Making A Case
Since his return, many have called for the UFC to sign Newell. While obviously there’s a feel-good narrative in that Newell was born with congenital amputation of his left arm, many have pointed to his body of work as the true reason he deserves to fight for the top MMA organization. Even MMA News’ own Adam Martin has expressed his belief that Newell should be given an opportunity.
Now, Gaethje is showing his support:
I believe @NotoriousNewell deserves a shot. This sport hurts and it is unforgiving, much like some mma fans and critics. He will get hurt and lose like the the rest of us, it will not be because he is lacking in skill or suffering from a disability but because we are #Gladiators
— Justin Gaethje ?? (@Justin_Gaethje) March 14, 2018
What do you think? Does Nick Newell deserve a shot in the UFC? Sound off in the comments below.
