Justin Ray Gaethje is an American professional mixed martial artist.
52 Facts About Justin Gaethje
2.
Justin Gaethje currently competes in the Lightweight division in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
3.
Justin Gaethje 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.
4.
Justin Gaethje began his amateur MMA career while in college, turned professional in 2011 and joined the World Series of Fighting in 2013, where he became Lightweight Champion.
5.
Justin Gaethje defended his WSOF belt five times before vacating it to join the UFC in 2017.
6.
Justin Ray Gaethje was born on November 14,1988, in Safford, Arizona.
7.
Justin Gaethje's mother was a postmaster while his father was a copper miner, as were both of his grandfathers.
8.
Justin Gaethje has a twin brother, Marcus John Gaethje, who worked at the Morenci mine for almost 10 years.
9.
When he was 18, Justin Gaethje spent a summer himself at the Morenci mine.
10.
Justin Gaethje attended Safford High School, where he was a four-time finalist and two-time state champion.
11.
Justin Gaethje still holds the seventh-most near falls and the ninth-most team points scored in the history of the state as a wrestler.
12.
Justin Gaethje initially applied to a small college in Arizona as he wanted to stay close to his family, but instead accepted an offer from the NCAA Division I program at the University of Northern Colorado.
13.
Justin Gaethje dropped down to the 149 lb division for his senior year, but had struggles with weight cutting.
14.
In June 2020, it was announced that Justin Gaethje would be inducted into the University of Northern Colorado Athletics Hall of Fame for his achievements in wrestling.
15.
Justin Gaethje first came into contact with mixed martial arts as a freshman at the University of Northern Colorado, when he wrestled Ultimate Fighting Championship fighters such as Georges St-Pierre, Clay Guida and future opponent Donald Cerrone.
16.
Justin Gaethje won the fight in the first round via KO due to a slam after Croom attempted a submission.
17.
Justin Gaethje won by knockout 12 seconds into the first round.
18.
Justin Gaethje was signed by the World Series of Fighting on December 2,2012, and made his debut on March 23,2013 at WSOF 2 against Gesias Cavalcante, finishing the fight in the first round through TKO after opening a cut above Cavalcante's left eye.
19.
Justin Gaethje dispatched Patishnock in the first round via TKO to become the WSOF Lightweight Champion.
20.
Justin Gaethje won the fight with a right hook TKO in the second round.
21.
On November 15,2014, Justin Gaethje faced UFC veteran and former training partner Melvin Guillard at WSOF 15.
22.
Justin Gaethje then went on to fight Luis Palomino at WSOF 19 on March 28,2015.
23.
Justin Gaethje defended his title by stopping Palomino via TKO in the third round after a combination of leg kicks and punches.
24.
Justin Gaethje had a rematch against Palomino on September 18,2015, at WSOF 23 and defended his belt again, finishing Palomino in the second round by TKO.
25.
Three days later, Justin Gaethje was suspended indefinitely by the Colorado State Athletic Commission for "unsportsmanlike conduct" after he performed his signature celebration, a backflip off the top of the cage, in the aftermath of his victory at WSOF 29.
26.
Justin Gaethje was expected to defend the WSOF Lightweight Championship against Ozzy Dugulubgov at WSOF 33 on October 7,2016.
27.
On October 17,2016, it was announced that Justin Gaethje would defend the WSOF Lightweight Championship against Joao Zeferino on December 31,2016, at WSOF 34 in the main event.
28.
Justin Gaethje won the bout by TKO via doctor stoppage due to Firmino's right eye being swollen after round three.
29.
On May 4,2017, Justin Gaethje announced he had vacated his WSOF title and signed with the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
30.
Justin Gaethje won the back-and-forth fight via TKO in the second round through a combination of punches and knees.
31.
The win earned Justin Gaethje the Fight of the Night and Performance of the Night awards.
32.
Justin Gaethje lost the competitive fight by KO in the third round, the first loss of his MMA career.
33.
Justin Gaethje lost a back-and-forth fight via TKO in the fourth round to Dustin Poirier on April 14,2018, at UFC on Fox 29.
34.
Justin Gaethje was scheduled to fight Al Iaquinta on August 25,2018, at UFC Fight Night 135.
35.
Justin Gaethje rebounded from his two losses in emphatic fashion, winning the fight by knockout in the first round.
36.
Justin Gaethje was awarded a Performance of Night award, which meant he had earned five bonus awards in his four fights in UFC.
37.
Justin Gaethje faced Edson Barboza on March 30,2019, at UFC on ESPN 2.
38.
Justin Gaethje won the fight via knockout in the first round.
39.
Justin Gaethje next faced Donald Cerrone on September 14,2019, in the main event at UFC on ESPN+ 16.
40.
Justin Gaethje won the fight via TKO in the first round.
41.
Justin Gaethje dominated the fight, stopping Ferguson via TKO in the fifth round, and thus ending Ferguson's record of 12 wins in a row.
42.
Justin Gaethje continued his bonus award streak, earning the Fight of the Night and Performance of the Night awards.
43.
Justin Gaethje fought in a unification bout for the UFC Lightweight Championship against Khabib Nurmagomedov on October 24,2020, at UFC 254.
44.
Justin Gaethje lost the fight via technical submission due to triangle choke in the second round, marking the first submission loss in his mixed martial arts career.
45.
Justin Gaethje faced former Bellator Lightweight Champion Michael Chandler at UFC 268 on November 6,2021.
46.
Justin Gaethje faced Charles Oliveira on May 7,2022, at UFC 274 for the vacant UFC Lightweight Championship.
47.
Justin Gaethje faced Rafael Fiziev on March 18,2023 at UFC 286.
48.
Justin Gaethje is well known for the knockout power in his punches, and his debilitating leg kicks.
49.
Justin Gaethje holds a bachelor's degree in Human Services from the University of Northern Colorado.
50.
Justin Gaethje has stated his intention to do social work with at-risk youth.
51.
Justin Gaethje's surname is of German origin due to his German-American father.
52.
Justin Gaethje underwent a photorefractive keratectomy in 2016 to correct his eyesight.