Justin Gaethje
Justin Ray Gaethje (/ˈɡeɪdʒi/; born November 14, 1988) is an American professional mixed martial artist. He currently competes in the Lightweight division in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). A professional competitor since 2011, he is a former UFC Interim Lightweight Champion, and the current UFC BMF Champion. He is the second fighter in the history of the UFC to be awarded the BMF championship after winning the title at UFC 291. As of August 1, 2023, he is #2 in the UFC lightweight rankings.
| Justin Gaethje | |
|---|---|
Gaethje in May 2022 | |
| Born | Justin Ray Gaethje November 14, 1988 Tucson, Arizona, U.S. |
| Nickname | The Highlight |
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) |
| Weight | 155 lb (70 kg; 11.1 st) |
| Division | Lightweight |
| Reach | 70 in (178 cm) |
| Fighting out of | Arvada, Colorado, U.S. |
| Team | Grudge Training Center (2011–2016) Genesis Training Center Elevation Fight Team |
| Trainer | Trevor Wittman (2011–present) |
| Wrestling | NCAA Division I Wrestling |
| Years active | 2011–present |
| Mixed martial arts record | |
| Total | 29 |
| Wins | 25 |
| By knockout | 20 |
| By submission | 1 |
| By decision | 4 |
| Losses | 4 |
| By knockout | 2 |
| By submission | 2 |
| Amateur record | |
| Total | 7 |
| Wins | 7 |
| By knockout | 6 |
| By decision | 1 |
| Other information | |
| University | University of Northern Colorado |
| Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog | |
Born in Safford, Arizona, Gaethje began wrestling when he was four years old. He was a two-time Arizona state champion as a wrestler at Safford High School, and an NCAA Division I All-American during his time at the University of Northern Colorado. He began his amateur MMA career while in college, turned professional in 2011 and joined the World Series of Fighting (WSOF) in 2013, where he became Lightweight Champion. He defended his WSOF belt five times before vacating it to join the UFC in 2017.