LONDON – Justin Gaethje is unhappy not only with how the main event of UFC 286 was judged, but also with the way it was called on the broadcast.
The former UFC interim lightweight champion thought his friend and teammate Kamaru Usman did enough to beat British champion Leon Edwards in their trilogy bout for the welterweight title Saturday at The O2 in London.
Despite disagreeing with the majority decision for Edwards, Gaethje (24-4 MMA, 7-4 UFC) said he understands his bias – but also thinks the same of Michael Bisping, who called the fights alongside Jon Anik and Daniel Cormier.
“I thought (Usman) won the fight,” Gaethje told reporters at his UFC 286 post-fight news conference. “But I’m probably as biased as the judges. (I’m) certainly not as biased as Michael Bisping. He shouldn’t have been (anywhere) near a microphone during that fight. Yeah, it sucks.”
Gaethje wouldn’t say if he thinks the UFC should keep commentators from working an event at which a friend or teammate is fighting, but he wasn’t shy about his thoughts on Bisping’s work.
“It’s not my call,” Gaethje said. “I just thought it was very unprofessional (from Bisping).”
Gaethje picked up a majority decision over Rafael Fiziev in the co-main event at UFC 286 to get back in the win column after a submission loss in a lightweight title fight against Charles Oliveira at UFC 274 in Phoenix. The 34-year-old is hoping to get a rematch with either Oliveira or Dustin Poirier.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 286.
