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As the sport of MMA continues to grow, the number of high-level athletes competing in it and the number of contests held each year multiplies exponentially. Choosing just one round as the best for a 12-month period should be a near impossible task.

And yet it wasn’t.

One fight this year stirred emotion inside of me like no other: Justin Gaethje vs. Michael Johnson at The Ultimate Fighter 25 Finale in July. And the first round of that clash was a five-minute period of time that anyone who witnessed it will never forget.

Gaethje entered the fight with an undefeated record, making his UFC debut after migrating over from WSOF. While playing to much smaller audiences under that banner, “The Highlight” had certainly developed a reputation as one of the sport’s most exciting fighters, but it was uncertain if he could utilize the same reckless style at the sport’s highest level.

Johnson has been a mainstay in the octagon since 2010, and while “The Menace” certainly has endured his share of ups and downs during that tenure, a pair of fight-night bonuses in his previous three appearances stood as proof of his willingness to entertain.

It took exactly three seconds for the first strike to be thrown. At the end of the period, according to FightMetric, 204 total strikes were exchanged between the two – about one every one and a half seconds over the course of the opening frame. Included among those were 28 of Gaethje’s patented leg kicks, chopping away at Johnson’s foundation.

Fifteen seconds into the fight, both men had decided pacing themselves was an unnecessary option, throwing every strike at full power. By the end of the opening minute, both men had been tagged clean and briefly wobbled, yet neither was willing to back down.

A little more than halfway through the first round, a Gaethje combination saw his opponent wobbled, but the battle raged on. With less than 30 seconds remaining, it was Johnson who landed flush, buckling Gaethje’s knees in what seemed like the beginning of the end.

Johnson raced against the clock for the remainder of the frame, first taking Gaethje to the floor and looking to finish him there before blasting away with punches, elbows and even a flying knee when the action returned to the feet.

It was five minutes of raw, intense, hand-to-hand combat that left you wondering what more this two athletes could possibly give. It was MMAjunkie’s “2017 Round of the Year.”

Incredibly, the next 4 minutes and 48 seconds could easily contend for the award, as well. The battle between the two continued, and the show of heart ensured this clash will unquestionably enshrined in the UFC Hall of Fame at some point in the future. Gaethje was nearly out on his feet in the early going, but battled back to score a dramatic TKO with just 12 seconds left in the second round of one of the greatest fights of all time that UFC broadcaster Todd Grisham labeled “an instant classic.”

While the sheer heart shown by both fighters in the second was incredible, it was the relentless nature of the first that made it MMAjunkie’s choice.

Also see:

• MMAjunkie’s ‘2017 Robbery of the Year’: The MMA gods giveth, and they taketh away
• MMAjunkie’s ‘2017 Coach of the Year’: Former champion becoming standout instructor
• MMAjunkie’s ‘2017 Gym of the Year’: New entrant makes immediate impact

For complete coverage of The Ultimate Fighter 25 Finale, check out the UFC Events section of the site.

Filed under: Featured, News, UFC