Justin Ray Gaethje is an American professional mixed martial artist who competes in the UFC's Lightweight division. A professional since 2011, Gaethje is a former UFC Interim Lightweight Champion and the second person to hold the BMF title after Jorge Masvidal. As of April 16, 2024, he is ranked #3 in the UFC lightweight rankings.
1970: Larry Wagner's All-American Status
In 1970, Larry Wagner became the first Northern Colorado wrestler to achieve Division I All-American status.
November 14, 1988: Birth of Justin Gaethje
Justin Ray Gaethje was born on November 14, 1988, in Tucson, Arizona.
August 2, 2008: Amateur MMA Debut
Justin Gaethje made his amateur MMA debut on August 2, 2008, winning by slam knockout.
2009: NCAA Division I Wrestling Championship Qualification
In his sophomore season in 2009, Justin Gaethje qualified for the NCAA Division I 157 lb Championship.
2010: All-American Status
Justin Gaethje earned All-American status in wrestling in 2010.
August 20, 2011: Professional MMA Debut (Specified)
Justin Gaethje made his professional MMA debut against Kevin Croom on August 20, 2011, winning by KO.
2011: Professional MMA Debut
Justin Gaethje began his professional mixed martial arts career in 2011.
2011: NCAA Division I Wrestling Championship
Justin Gaethje participated in the 2011 NCAA Division I 149 lb Championship.
December 2, 2012: WSOF Signing
Justin Gaethje was signed by the World Series of Fighting on December 2, 2012.
March 23, 2013: WSOF Debut
On March 23, 2013, Justin Gaethje made his WSOF debut against Gesias Cavalcante, winning by TKO.
June 14, 2013: Victory over Brian Cobb
Justin Gaethje defeated Brian Cobb via TKO on June 14, 2013, at WSOF 3.
October 26, 2013: Victory over Dan Lauzon
On October 26, 2013, Justin Gaethje defeated Dan Lauzon by knockout at WSOF 6.
January 18, 2014: WSOF Lightweight Championship Win
Justin Gaethje became the first WSOF Lightweight Champion on January 18, 2014, after defeating Richard Patishnock.
July 5, 2014: First Title Defense
On July 5, 2014, Justin Gaethje successfully defended his WSOF Lightweight Championship against Nick Newell.
November 15, 2014: Victory over Melvin Guillard
Justin Gaethje won a non-title fight against Melvin Guillard on November 15, 2014, at WSOF 15.
March 28, 2015: Victory over Luis Palomino
On March 28, 2015, Justin Gaethje successfully defended his title against Luis Palomino at WSOF 19. This fight was later named the best fight of 2015 by the Los Angeles Times.
September 18, 2015: Rematch Victory over Luis Palomino
Justin Gaethje again defeated Luis Palomino on September 18, 2015, at WSOF 23, defending his lightweight title.
March 12, 2016: Victory over Brian Foster and Suspension
Justin Gaethje defended his title against Brian Foster on March 12, 2016, but was briefly suspended for his post-fight celebration.
October 7, 2016: Cancelled Bout with Ozzy Dugulubgov
Justin Gaethje's scheduled fight against Ozzy Dugulubgov on October 7, 2016, was cancelled due to Dugulubgov's illness.
October 17, 2016: Scheduled Title Defense and Opponent Change
On October 17, 2016, a title defense for Justin Gaethje was announced against João Zeferino, who was later replaced by Luiz Firmino due to injury.
December 31, 2016: Victory over Luiz Firmino
Justin Gaethje defeated Luiz Firmino on December 31, 2016, at WSOF 34, retaining his lightweight championship.
2016: Corrective Eye Surgery
In 2016, Justin Gaethje underwent photorefractive keratectomy to correct his severe vision impairment. He had significantly different levels of sight in each eye, requiring close proximity to opponents to see clearly, as noted by Dan Hardy.
May 4, 2017: Gaethje Signs with UFC
On May 4, 2017, Justin Gaethje vacated his WSOF title and signed with the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
July 13, 2017: Gaethje to Coach TUF 26
On July 13, 2017, it was announced that Gaethje would coach The Ultimate Fighter 26 alongside Eddie Alvarez.
December 2, 2017: Gaethje vs. Alvarez at UFC 218
On December 2, 2017, Gaethje faced Eddie Alvarez at UFC 218, resulting in the first loss of his MMA career via third-round KO. This fight earned him his second Fight of the Night bonus.
April 14, 2018: Gaethje vs. Poirier at UFC on Fox 29
On April 14, 2018, Gaethje lost to Dustin Poirier by TKO in the fourth round at UFC on Fox 29. The fight earned him his third consecutive Fight of the Night bonus and was later named Sherdog's 2018 Fight of the Year. It was revealed after the fight that his leg kicks partially tore Poirier's quadriceps femoris muscle.
June 28, 2018: Iaquinta Withdraws, Vick Steps In
On June 28, 2018, Al Iaquinta withdrew from his scheduled bout against Gaethje at UFC Fight Night 135, and James Vick was announced as his replacement.
August 25, 2018: Gaethje vs. Vick at UFC Fight Night 135
On August 25, 2018, Gaethje faced James Vick at UFC Fight Night 135. He won by first-round knockout and received a Performance of the Night bonus.
March 30, 2019: Gaethje vs. Barboza at UFC on ESPN 2
On March 30, 2019, Justin Gaethje won against Edson Barboza by first-round knockout at UFC on ESPN 2. This win also earned him the Fight of the Night award.
September 14, 2019: Gaethje vs. Cerrone at UFC on ESPN+ 16
On September 14, 2019, Gaethje defeated Donald Cerrone via first-round TKO in the main event at UFC on ESPN+ 16, earning his third Performance of the Night bonus.
September 2019: John Ray Gaethje's Retirement
In September 2019, Justin Gaethje's father, John Ray Gaethje, retired as a copper miner after 36 years at the Morenci mine.
May 9, 2020: Gaethje vs. Ferguson at UFC 249
On May 9, 2020, at UFC 249, Gaethje secured a TKO victory against Tony Ferguson in the fifth round, claiming the interim UFC Lightweight Championship and ending Ferguson's 12-fight win streak. He earned both Fight of the Night and Performance of the Night bonuses.
June 2020: Hall of Fame Induction
In June 2020, Justin Gaethje was inducted into the University of Northern Colorado Athletics Hall of Fame.
September 2020: Attendance at Trump Rally
In September 2020, Justin Gaethje attended a rally for President Donald Trump, alongside Dana White, Colby Covington, Henry Cejudo, and Ali Abdelaziz. Gaethje acknowledged Trump's contribution to the UFC's early growth.
October 24, 2020: Gaethje vs. Nurmagomedov at UFC 254
Gaethje faced Khabib Nurmagomedov for the UFC Lightweight Championship on October 24, 2020 at UFC 254, losing by technical submission due to a triangle choke in the second round. This was his first submission loss.
2020: Interview with ESPN
In 2020, Justin Gaethje recounted his summer job at the Morenci mine in an interview with ESPN's Brett Okamoto.
2020: Shift in Fighting Philosophy
In 2020, Justin Gaethje revealed a change in his fighting philosophy during an ESPN interview. While prioritizing winning, he now emphasized entertaining fans to boost his earnings. His coach, Trevor Wittman, noted that after losses to Alvarez and Poirier, Gaethje shifted his focus from being the "most exciting fighter" to becoming a UFC champion, adopting a more strategic approach while still maintaining his aggressive style.
November 6, 2021: Gaethje vs. Chandler at UFC 268
On November 6, 2021, at UFC 268, Gaethje won a unanimous decision against Michael Chandler. This fight earned the Fight of the Night award and was widely acclaimed as Fight of the Year.
May 7, 2022: Gaethje vs. Oliveira at UFC 274
Gaethje challenged Charles Oliveira for the vacant UFC Lightweight Championship at UFC 274 on May 7, 2022. He lost the fight via rear-naked choke submission in the first round.
March 18, 2023: Gaethje vs. Fiziev at UFC 286
On March 18, 2023, Gaethje won a majority decision against Rafael Fiziev at UFC 286, earning him the Fight of the Night bonus.
July 29, 2023: Gaethje vs. Poirier 2 at UFC 291
On July 29, 2023, Gaethje won the rematch against Dustin Poirier at UFC 291 by head kick knockout in the second round, earning the "BMF" title and a Performance of the Night bonus.
April 16, 2024: UFC Lightweight Ranking
As of April 16, 2024, Justin Gaethje is #3 in the UFC lightweight rankings.