In boxing, kickboxing and mixed martial arts, a gatekeeper is a skillful and well-regarded fighter, but one who does not have the popularity or brilliance of a title contender. They are considered to be a cut above most journeymen. A gatekeeper will often have an impressive record in terms of wins versus losses but will have a difficult time getting people behind them and especially obtaining promotion. They are often seen as a "stepping-stone" for potential title contenders to prove their worth against.

Characteristics

Gatekeepers will frequently have the following characteristics:

  • They're sometimes relegated to fight contenders to boost the contender's stock shortly before a title fight.[1]

Notable examples

The following fighters have all been described as gatekeepers:[1][2][3][4][5]

Notable MMA examples

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Ondrizek, Troy (1 October 2006). "The Most Important Fighter in Boxing History". East Side Boxing. Archived from the original on 3 April 2012.
  2. ↑ "Edison Miranda as The Gatekeeper? Tough Gate - Boxing News". boxingscene.com. 12 May 2009.
  3. ↑ Blake Hochberger (15 May 2012). "I Like Marquez Over Judah, Ward Over Dawson And..." The Sweet Science.
  4. ↑ "Monte Barrett: The Gatekeeper Cometh". saddoboxing.com.
  5. ↑ "Adam Kownacki gets unanimous decision over Chris Arreola as both heavyweights break CompuBox record". sportingnews.com. 12 August 2021.
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