Justin Ray Gaethje07-07-17MMA.pdf
/ref> (; born November 14, 1988) is an American professional

mixed martial artist Mixed martial arts (MMA), sometimes referred to as cage fighting, no holds barred (NHB), and ultimate fighting, and originally referred to as Vale Tudo is a full-contact combat sport based on striking, grappling and ground fighting, incorp ...

. He currently competes in the

Lightweight Lightweight is a weight class in combat sports and rowing. Boxing Professional boxing The lightweight division is over 130 pounds (59 kilograms) and up to 135 pounds (61.2 kilograms) weight class in the sport of boxing. Notable lightweight boxe ...

division in the

Ultimate Fighting Championship The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by Zuffa, a wholly owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. It is the largest MMA ...

(UFC). He is a former Interim UFC Lightweight Champion. As of May 9, 2022, he is #3 in the UFC lightweight rankings. Born in

Safford, Arizona Safford (Western Apache: Ichʼįʼ Nahiłtį́į́) is a city in Graham County, Arizona, United States. According to the 2020 Census, the population of the city is 10,129. The city is the county seat of Graham County. Safford is the principal ...

, Gaethje began

wrestling Wrestling is a series of combat sports involving grappling-type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. Wrestling techniques have been incorporated into martial arts, combat ...

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 NCAA Division I (D-I) is the highest level of College athletics, intercollegiate athletics sanctioned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the United States, which accepts players globally. D-I schools include the major ...

All-American during his time at the

University of Northern Colorado The University of Northern Colorado (UNC) is a public university in Greeley, Colorado. The university was founded in 1889 as the State Normal School of Colorado and has a long history in teacher education. The institution has officially changed ...

. He began his amateur MMA career while in college, turned professional in 2011 and joined the

World Series of Fighting The Professional Fighters League (PFL) is an American mixed martial arts league founded by Venture capital, venture capitalist Donn Davis in 2017 and launched in 2018, following the acquisition and restructuring of the former World Series of Fight ...

(WSOF) in 2013, where he became Lightweight Champion. He defended his WSOF belt five times before vacating it to join the UFC in 2017.

Early life

Justin Ray Gaethje was born on November 14, 1988, in

. His mother, Carolina (''

née A birth name is the name of a person given upon birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name, or the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a birth certificate or birth re ...

'' Espinoza), is of

Mexican Mexican may refer to: Mexico and its culture *Being related to, from, or connected to the country of Mexico, in North America ** People *** Mexicans, inhabitants of the country Mexico and their descendants *** Mexica, ancient indigenous people ...

descent from

Sonora Sonora (), officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Sonora ( en, Free and Sovereign State of Sonora), is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the Administrative divisions of Mexico, Federal Entities of Mexico. The state is d ...

, Mexico and his father, John Ray Gaethje, is of

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. His mother was a postmaster while his father was a copper miner, as were both of his grandfathers. His paternal grandfather boxed while serving in the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...

. Gaethje's father Ray retired as a copper miner in September 2019, after 36 years working at the

Morenci mine The Morenci Mine is a large copper mine located near Morenci, Arizona, United States. Morenci represents one of the largest copper reserves in the United States and in the world, having estimated reserves of of ore grading 0.16% copper. It is loc ...

. Gaethje has two sisters. He also has a

twin Twins are two offspring produced by the same pregnancy.MedicineNet > Definition of TwinLast Editorial Review: 19 June 2000 Twins can be either ''monozygotic'' ('identical'), meaning that they develop from one zygote, which splits and forms two em ...

brother, Marcus John Gaethje, who worked at the Morenci mine for almost 10 years. When he was 18, Gaethje spent a summer himself at the Morenci mine. He said to Brett Okamoto of

ESPN ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). The ...

in 2020, "I worked seven days a week, 12 hours every day. I did it for three months straight and took one sick day, because I had to sleep. I did 96 hours one week." Gaethje recalled that as he was about to leave the mine to attend university, two of his co-workers told him, "You'll be right back, you ain't gonna make it in college. You'll be right back here." This motivated Gaethje to make a success of himself.

Wrestling career

High-school

Gaethje began

at the age of four. He attended Safford High School, where he was a four-time finalist and two-time state champion (

AIA AIA or A.I.A. or Aia may refer to: Aia * Aia, a small town in the Basque province of Gipuzkoa, Spain * Aia, current Kutaisi, ancient capital of Colchis * Aia, another name for Aea (Malis), an ancient town in Greece * ''Aia'', the collected ed ...

). He still holds the seventh-most near falls (218) and the ninth-most team points scored (1057.5) in the history of the state as a wrestler. Gaethje also played

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...

and

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding tea ...

in high school.

Collegiate

Gaethje graduated from Safford High School with a 191–9 record. He initially applied to a small college in Arizona as he wanted to stay close to his family, but instead accepted an offer from the

program at the

. As a freshman, Gaethje had an 18–9 record, including a third-place finish at the Oregon Wrestling Classic. In his sophomore season, he qualified for the 2009 NCAA Division I 157 lb

Championship In sport, a championship is a competition in which the aim is to decide which individual or team is the champion. Championship systems Various forms of competition can be referred to by the term championship. Title match system In this system ...

, where he posted a 0–2 record. He finished the season with a 14–4 record and was named to the Western Wrestling All-Conference First Team. As a junior, Gaethje went 5-2 at the 2010 NCAA Division I 157 lb Championship to earn 7th place and

All-America The All-America designation is an annual honor bestowed upon an amateur sports person from the United States who is considered to be one of the best amateurs in their sport. Individuals receiving this distinction are typically added to an All-Am ...

n status. This made him the first Northern Colorado wrestler to attain Division I All-American status since Larry Wagner in 1970. Gaethje dropped down to the 149 lb division for his senior year, but had struggles with weight cutting. He won true-second at the NCAA Western Regional Championships and so qualified for the 2011 NCAA Division I 149 lb Championship, where he posted a 1–2 record to end his senior season with a 17–8 record. In June 2020, it was announced that Gaethje would be inducted into the University of Northern Colorado Athletics Hall of Fame for his achievements in wrestling.

Mixed martial arts career

Early career

Gaethje first came into contact with

mixed martial arts Mixed martial arts (MMA), sometimes referred to as cage fighting, no holds barred (NHB), and ultimate fighting, and originally referred to as Vale Tudo is a full-contact combat sport based on striking, grappling and ground fighting, inc ...

(MMA) as a

freshman A freshman, fresher, first year, or frosh, is a person in the first year at an educational institution, usually a secondary school or at the college and university level, but also in other forms of post-secondary educational institutions. Ara ...

at the

, when he wrestled

(UFC) fighters such as

Georges St-Pierre Georges St-Pierre (; born May 19, 1981) is a Canadian actor and former professional mixed martial artist. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest fighters in mixed martial arts (MMA) history. St-Pierre was a two-division champion in the Ult ...

Clay Guida Clayton Charles Guida (; born December 8, 1981) is an American professional mixed martial artist, currently signed to the UFC competing in the Lightweight division. A professional competitor since 2003, Guida also formerly competed for Strikeforc ...

and future opponent

Donald Cerrone Donald Cerrone (born March 29, 1983), known professionally by his nickname "Cowboy", is an American retired mixed martial artist, actor, and former professional kickboxer. He competed in the Lightweight and Welterweight division for the Ultimat ...

. Afterward, he talked to his coaches about his intentions on trying out the new sport, to which he was told that he had to get his grades up in order to get an amateur bout. After improving his grades, Gaethje made his amateur debut during the pre-season of his

sophomore In the United States, a sophomore ( or ) is a person in the second year at an educational institution; usually at a secondary school or at the college and university level, but also in other forms of post-secondary educational institutions. In ...

year (08'-09') on August 2, 2008, where he scored a

slam Slam, SLAM or SLAMS may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional elements * S.L.A.M. (Strategic Long-Range Artillery Machine), a fictional weapon in the ''G.I. Joe'' universe * SLAMS (Space-Land-Air Missile Shield), a fictional anti-ball ...

knockout on his opponent. After amassing a 7–0 amateur record, Gaethje made his professional debut on August 20, 2011, against future UFC fighter

Kevin Croom Kevin Michael Croom (born July 15, 1987) is an American mixed martial artist currently competing in the Lightweight division. A professional since 2009, he has fought in the UFC, Bellator, Titan FC, the RFA, the LFA, and CES MMA. Mixed martia ...

. Gaethje won the fight in the first round via KO due to a slam after Croom attempted a submission. On the regional circuit in Colorado and Arizona, Gaethje compiled an undefeated 7-0 professional record, with 6 stoppage wins. One of his early victories was over UFC veteran

Drew Fickett Andrew Robert Fickett (born December 14, 1979) is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the Lightweight division. A professional competitor since 1999, Fickett has also formerly competed for the UFC, Strikeforce, DREAM, Cage Rage, the ...

. Gaethje won by knockout 12 seconds into the first round.

World Series of Fighting

Gaethje was signed by the

on December 2, 2012, and made his debut on March 23, 2013 at

WSOF 2 This is a list of events held and scheduled by the Professional Fighters League, a mixed martial arts organization based in the United States. This list also includes events by the league's predecessor, the World Series of Fighting (WSOF). Schedu ...

against

Gesias Cavalcante Gesias Cavalcante (born July 6, 1983) is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist currently competing in the Lightweight division. He was the 2006 and 2007 K-1 HERO Middleweight Champion, and has also fought for Strikeforce, DREAM, Shooto, W ...

, finishing the fight in the first round through TKO (doctor stoppage) after opening a cut above Cavalcante's left eye. On June 14, 2013, he fought Brian Cobb at WSOF 3, eventually winning via TKO from leg kicks in the third round. Afterward, Gaethje fought

Dan Lauzon Daniel James Lauzon (born March 30, 1988) is a former American mixed martial artist who competed in the World Series of Fighting's Lightweight division, and has also formerly competed in the UFC and Affliction. He is the younger brother of fello ...

WSOF 6 World Series of Fighting 6: Burkman vs. Carl was a mixed martial arts event held in Coral Gables, Florida, United States. Background This event featured the first WSOF Championship bout between Josh Burkman and Steve Carl. Results ...

on October 26, 2013, finishing Lauzon by knockout with a right uppercut in the second round. The three stoppage victories secured Gaethje a shot at the inaugural

WSOF Lightweight Championship Professional Fighters League (formerly the World Series of Fighting, or "WSOF") is an American mixed martial arts promotion, and the following is a history of its champions in each weight class. As well as championship history for their Internation ...

, in the headline bout of WSOF 8 against Richard Patishnock on January 18, 2014. Gaethje dispatched Patishnock in the first round via TKO to become the WSOF Lightweight Champion. His first title defense was at

WSOF 11 World Series of Fighting 11: Gaethje vs. Newell was a mixed martial arts event held on July 5, 2014 in the United States. This event aired live in prime time on NBC. Background Rousimar Palhares was set to make his first title defense against fo ...

against

Nick Newell Nicholas George Newell (born March 17, 1986, in Milford, Connecticut) is an American mixed martial artist, who competes in the lightweight division. He is notable for having a MMA career while missing one of his hands. Early life Newell was born ...

on July 5, 2014. Gaethje won the fight with a right hook TKO in the second round. On November 15, 2014, Gaethje faced

UFC The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by Zuffa, a wholly owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. It is the largest MMA ...

veteran and former training partner

Melvin Guillard Melvin Paul Guillard, Jr. (born March 30, 1983) is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the Middleweight division. Guillard most notably competed in the Lightweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), Bellator MMA a ...

at WSOF 15. The fight was ruled a non-title contest after Guillard missed weight. He scaled at 158.8 lbs, nearly 4 lbs over the 155 lb limit, and 50% of his purse went to Gaethje. Gaethje won the bout via split decision. He then went on to fight

Luis Palomino Luis Vicente Palomino (born October 9, 1980) is a Peruvian-American mixed martial artist and bare-knuckle fighter who is the current Lightweight and Welterweight champion for Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship, making him the first “double ch ...

WSOF 19 World Series of Fighting 19: Gaethje vs. Palomino was a mixed martial arts event held in Phoenix, Arizona, United States. This event aired on NBCSN in the U.S and on Fight Network in Canada. Background The main event was for the WSOF Lightweigh ...

on March 28, 2015. Gaethje defended his title by stopping Palomino via TKO in the third round after a combination of leg kicks and punches. The

Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the Un ...

named this fight as the best fight of 2015. Gaethje had a rematch against Palomino on September 18, 2015, at

WSOF 23 World Series of Fighting 23: Gaethje vs. Palomino II was a mixed martial arts event to be held in Phoenix, Arizona, United States. This event aired on NBCSN in the U.S and on Fight Network in Canada. Background The main event was a rematch for ...

and defended his belt again, finishing Palomino in the second round by TKO. At WSOF 29 on March 12, 2016, he defended his belt against Brian Foster via TKO due to leg kicks at 1:43 of the first round. Three days later, 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. The suspension was lifted a day later. Gaethje was expected to defend the WSOF Lightweight Championship against Ozzy Dugulubgov at WSOF 33 on October 7, 2016. However, the bout was cancelled on the day of the event as Dugulubgov was stricken with illness. On October 17, 2016, it was announced that Gaethje would defend the

against João Zeferino on December 31, 2016, at WSOF 34 in the main event. However, an injury forced Zeferino to withdraw from the bout and he was replaced by

Luiz Firmino Luiz is a Portuguese given name that is an alternative form of Luís. It's archaic in Portugal, but common in Brazil. Notable people referred to by this name include the following: People *Luiz Bonfá (1922-2001), Brazilian guitarist and composer ...

. Gaethje won the bout by TKO via doctor stoppage due to Firmino's right eye being swollen after round three.

Ultimate Fighting Championship

On May 4, 2017, Gaethje announced he had vacated his WSOF title and signed with the

. It was announced on May 12 that he would make his debut against the veteran Michael Johnson on July 7, at '' The Ultimate Fighter: Redemption Finale''. Gaethje won the back-and-forth fight via TKO in the second round through a combination of punches and knees. The win earned Gaethje the Fight of the Night and

Performance of the Night UFC Bonus Awards are three separate cash bonuses usually awarded to four fighters after each UFC event, based on internal decisions by UFC management. More/fewer bonuses have been awarded at some events, especially when no knockouts or submissions ...

awards.

Sherdog Sherdog is an American website devoted to the sport of mixed martial arts (MMA). It also has many forums and discussion pages on the many topics of MMA like records, promotions, etc. The site is a member of the CraveOnline network and provides MM ...

named this fight as the best fight of 2017, and round 2 of the fight as the best round of the year. On July 13, 2017, the UFC announced that Gaethje would coach ''

The Ultimate Fighter 26 ''The Ultimate Fighter 26'' (also known as '' The Ultimate Fighter: A New World Champion'') is an installment of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC)-produced reality television series ''The Ultimate Fighter''. Tryouts were announced on May ...

'' along with

Eddie Alvarez Edward "Eddie" Alvarez (born January 11, 1984) is an American mixed martial artist who most recently competed in the Lightweight (170 lb) division of ONE Championship. He also formerly competed in the UFC and Bellator MMA, winning world titles ...

, with the duo expected to face each other at the conclusion of the season. The bout with Alvarez took place on December 2, 2017, at

UFC 218 The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by Zuffa, a wholly owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. It is the largest MMA ...

. Gaethje lost the competitive fight by KO in the third round, the first loss of his MMA career. The fight also earned him his second consecutive Fight of the Night bonus award. At the

World MMA Awards The World MMA Awards are awards presented by ''Fighters Only'' magazine to honor exceptional performance in various aspects of mixed martial arts. Winners are presented with the ''Fighters Only silver statuette''. The World MMA Awards are divided ...

, it was named the fight of the year. Gaethje said after the loss, "It was the time of my life. Honestly, being in front of that many people, being able to put my skills on the line at the highest level on a pay-per-view, all of those things, it was a dream come true for me. I said it before, I said it many times, that I was going to lose (eventually). If I lost, I hoped that I would get knocked out. All of those things came true." Gaethje lost a back-and-forth fight via TKO in the fourth round to

Dustin Poirier Dustin Poirier (born January 19, 1989) is an American professional mixed martial artist. He is a former Interim UFC Lightweight Champion. As of May 9, 2022, he is #2 in the UFC lightweight rankings and as of October 24, 2022, he is #11 in the U ...

on April 14, 2018, at

UFC on Fox 29 ''UFC on Fox: Poirier vs. Gaethje'' (also known as ''UFC on FOX 29'') was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that was held on April 14, 2018, at the Gila River Arena in Glendale, Arizona. Background After pr ...

. The fight earned Gaethje his third consecutive Fight of the Night bonus award. Sherdog named Gaethje vs. Poirier as the best fight of 2018. It was revealed after the fight that Gaethje's leg kicks had caused a partial tear of Poirier's

quadriceps femoris muscle The quadriceps femoris muscle (, also called the quadriceps extensor, quadriceps or quads) is a large muscle group that includes the four prevailing muscles on the front of the thigh. It is the sole extensor muscle of the knee, forming a large ...

. Poirier said, "I didn't know it in the fight, but I knew it the night of and the next morning. He tore my quad. I'm trying to think of another time I've been seriously damaged with kicks. Jim Miller hurt my calf really good, but nothing like that." Gaethje was scheduled to fight

Al Iaquinta Al Iaquinta (born April 30, 1987) is an American former professional mixed martial artist who competed in the lightweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, having once challenged for the Lightweight championship belt. A professional ...

on August 25, 2018, at

UFC Fight Night 135 ''UFC Fight Night: Gaethje vs. Vick'' (also known as ''UFC Fight Night 135'') was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that was held on August 25, 2018 at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, Nebraska, United State ...

. However, on June 28, 2018, Iaquinta withdrew from the bout and he was replaced by

James Vick James William Vick (born February 23, 1987) is a retired American mixed martial artist and boxer who formerly competed in the welterweight and lightweight divisions of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Vick was a cast member of '' The U ...

. Gaethje rebounded from his two losses in emphatic fashion, winning the fight by knockout in the first round. He was also awarded a Performance of Night award, which meant he had earned five bonus awards in his four fights in UFC. Gaethje faced

Edson Barboza Edson Barboza Jr. (born January 21, 1986) is a Brazilian-American professional mixed martial artist and former Muay Thai kickboxer who competes in the featherweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship and has formerly competed at ligh ...

on March 30, 2019, at

UFC on ESPN 2 ''UFC on ESPN: Barboza vs. Gaethje'' (also known as ''UFC on ESPN 2'') was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that was held on March 30, 2019 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Backgr ...

. He won the fight via knockout in the first round. This fight earned him the Fight of the Night award. Gaethje next faced

on September 14, 2019, in the main event at

UFC on ESPN+ 16 ''UFC Fight Night: Cowboy vs. Gaethje'' (also known as ''UFC Fight Night 158'' or ''UFC on ESPN+ 16'') was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on September 14, 2019 at Rogers Arena in Vancouve ...

. He won the fight via TKO in the first round. The win also earned Gaethje his third Performance of the Night bonus award.

UFC interim Lightweight Champion and further title contention

On April 6, it was announced that Gaethje would step in on short notice to face

Tony Ferguson Anthony Armand Ferguson Padilla (born February 12, 1984) is an American professional mixed martial artist. He currently competes in the Lightweight division in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). He is a former Interim UFC Lightweight C ...

for the interim UFC Lightweight Championship on April 18, at

UFC 249 ''UFC 249: Ferguson vs. Gaethje'' was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on May 9, 2020 at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida, United States. It was originally planned to ...

. However, on April 9, UFC president

Dana White Dana Frederick White Jr. (born July 28, 1969) is an American businessman who serves as president of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), a global mixed martial arts organization. In August 2019, White's net worth was estimated at $500 milli ...

announced that this event had been postponed, and the bout instead took place for May 9, 2020. Gaethje dominated the fight, stopping Ferguson via TKO in the fifth round, and thus ending Ferguson's record of 12 wins in a row. He also continued his bonus award streak, earning the Fight of the Night and

awards. This made Gaethje the only fighter in UFC history to win at least one fight night bonus in each of his first seven appearances. Gaethje fought in a unification bout for the

UFC Lightweight Championship Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) champions are fighters who have won UFC championships. Historical notes At the time of the UFC's inception in 1993, mixed martial arts was not sanctioned in the United States, and did not include weight classe ...

against

Khabib Nurmagomedov Khabib Abdulmanapovich Nurmagomedov av, ХIабиб ГӀабдулманапил НурмухӀамадов (born 20 September 1988) is a Russian former professional mixed martial artist. He competed in the lightweight division of the Ultima ...

on October 24, 2020, at

UFC 254 ''UFC 254: Khabib vs. Gaethje'' was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on October 24, 2020 at the du Forum on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Background The event proceeded w ...

. He 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. Despite tapping, referee Jason Herzog did not stop the bout before Gaethje lost consciousness due to the choke. Gaethje faced former Bellator Lightweight Champion

Michael Chandler Michael Chandler (born April 24, 1986) is an American professional mixed martial artist. He currently competes in the Lightweight division in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). A professional competitor since 2009, Chandler first gained n ...

UFC 268 ''UFC 268: Usman vs. Covington 2'' was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on November 6, 2021, at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York, United States. Background A UFC Welterwe ...

on November 6, 2021. After a back-and-forth fight, Gaethje won the bout via unanimous decision despite knocking Chandler down and nearly finishing him in the second round. This bout earned the '' Fight of the Night'' award. The bout was named ''Fight of the Year'' by various mixed martial arts media outlets and the UFC itself. Gaethje faced

Charles Oliveira Charles Oliveira da Silvahttp://boxing.nv.gov/uploadedFiles/boxingnvgov/content/results/2014_Results/12-12-14MMA.pdf (born October 17, 1989) is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist and Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner. He currently comp ...

on May 7, 2022, at

UFC 274 ''UFC 274: Oliveira vs. Gaethje'' was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on May 7, 2022, at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona, United States. Background The event was originally linke ...

for the vacant

. Due to Oliveira missing weight and having been stripped of the title, only Gaethje was eligible to win the title. Despite knocking down Oliveira twice, Gaethje lost the fight via rear-naked choke submission in round one.

Fighting style

As a two-time

Arizona State Arizona State University (Arizona State or ASU) is a public research university in the Phoenix metropolitan area. Founded in 1885 by the 13th Arizona Territorial Legislature, ASU is one of the largest public universities by enrollment in the ...

high school champion and an

n, Gaethje has some of the best

credentials in the UFC's lightweight division. Despite his elite wrestling pedigree, he rarely looks for takedowns, instead preferring an entertaining stand-up fighting style. He is well known for the knockout power in his punches, and his debilitating

leg kick A low kick (also known as a leg kick) is a kick in which the attacker uses their leg to strike the opponent's lower body (thigh or calf) with the shinbone or foot. This type of kick, under different names, is utilized in numerous full-contact ma ...

s. When asked after his loss to Poirier in 2018 why he did not use his wrestling in the bout, Gaethje said, "I’ve been wrestling my whole life. I should’ve and could’ve took him down a couple of times, especially when I had him rocked just to steal a round or two. For some reason, my mind will not let me do it. I think I sold myself so hard on the fact that this is not wrestling. It gets you tired. If I’m going to get tired, I’d rather it be from fighting and not from wrestling. That’s the reason why I never wanted to wrestle. But I did so much cardio this camp that it would not have been a problem for me to turn it into a wrestling match, but I just can’t do it, it would not be fun for me." In a 2020

interview, Gaethje stated he realized after transitioning from wrestling to mixed martial arts that, while winning was still important, entertaining the fans could earn him more money. He said, "There can be guys out there who are 13–0 with 13 decisions, and they're not

ven Ven may refer to: Places * Ven, Heeze-Leende, a hamlet in the Netherlands * Ven (Sweden), an island * Ven, Tajikistan, a town * VEN or Venezuela Other uses * von Economo neurons, also called ''spindle neurons'' * '' Vên'', an EP by Eluveiti ...

getting paid $5,000 to fight because nobody is watching. I've gotten opportunities on the biggest stages because of the way I fight. I've never not wanted to win a belt, but I wanted to make money, and the surest way to make money in this sport was to be exciting." According to Gaethje's coach

Trevor Wittman Trevor Wittman (born March 5, 1974) is an American boxing and MMA trainer. Training career Compelled to retire from boxing after being diagnosed with a hyperinflated lung, Wittman transitioned to training boxers in the Denver metropolitan area. ...

, the back-to-back losses against Alvarez and Poirier caused Gaethje to change his mentality. Although he is still a

pressure fighter Throughout the history of gloved boxing styles, techniques and strategies have changed to varying degrees. Ring conditions, promoter demands, teaching techniques, and the influence of successful boxers are some of the reasons styles and strategies ...

, Wittman said that Gaethje now takes fewer risks and is more selective about when to trade punches. Wittman stated, "I asked him after those two losses, 'Is your purpose still to be the most exciting fighter in the world?' And he said, 'Not really, Coach. I want to be a UFC champion.'"

Personal life

Gaethje holds a bachelor's degree in

Human Services Human services is an interdisciplinary field of study with the objective of meeting human needs through an applied knowledge base, focusing on prevention as well as remediation of problems, and maintaining a commitment to improving the overall qua ...

from the

. He has stated his intention to do social work with

at-risk youth An at-risk student is a term used in the United States to describe a student who requires temporary or ongoing intervention in order to succeed academically. Richardson, Val, comp. "At-Risk Student Intervention Implementation Guide." The Education ...

. Gaethje's surname is of German origin due to his German-American father. Gaethje underwent a

photorefractive keratectomy Photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) and laser-assisted sub-epithelial keratectomy (or laser epithelial keratomileusis) (LASEK) are laser eye surgery procedures intended to correct a person's vision, reducing dependency on glasses or contact lenses. ...

in 2016 to correct his eyesight. He said, "I used to be blind. I had horrible vision. I was 20/60 in one eye and 20/200 in another eye. And I was far sighted in one eye and nearsighted in another eye."

Dan Hardy Daniel Mark Hardyhttp://boxing.nv.gov/2012%20Results%20Web/05-26-12%20MMA.pdf (born 17 May 1982) is an English former mixed martial artist who fought in the welterweight division. During his professional MMA career, which began in 2004, Hardy ...

stated on ''Inside the Octagon'' that before the surgery Gaethje's "eyesight was so bad that he actually had to physically be in contact with his opponent to know what he was hitting." Gaethje—along with UFC President

, fighters

Colby Covington Colby Ray Covington (born February 22, 1988) is an American professional mixed martial artist who currently competes in the welterweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he is a former Interim UFC Welterweight Champ ...

and

Henry Cejudo Henry Cejudo (born February 9, 1987) is an American professional Mixed martial arts, mixed martial artist and Freestyle wrestling, freestyle wrestler. He is the former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) UFC Flyweight Championship, Flyweight Ch ...

, and manager

Ali Abdelaziz Ali Ibrahim Abdelaziz (Arabic: علي عبدالعزيز) is an Egyptians, Egyptian mixed martial arts manager, having founded Dominance MMA Management. Abdelaziz is the former executive vice president and matchmaker for the World Series of Fight ...

—attended a rally for President

Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pe ...

in September 2020, with the fighters being acknowledged by the President. Gaethje praised Trump for his role in the UFC's early development, saying "He’s a reason that the UFC is here."

Championships and accomplishments

Wrestling

National Collegiate Athletic Association The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges an ...

All-American out of the

(2010) ** 2010 NCAA Division I 157 lb

– 7th Place

Mixed martial arts

** Interim UFC Lightweight Championship (One time) ** Fight of the Night (Six times) vs. Michael Johnson,

and

(Four times) vs. Michael Johnson,

and

** 2017 Fight of the Year vs. Michael Johnson ** 2021 Fight of the Year vs.

(One time; first; only) *** Five successful title defenses ** Most consecutive title defenses (five) ** Most wins in title bouts (six) ** Longest lightweight winning streak (10) ** Most knockout wins (nine) *

** 2017 Fight of the Year vs.

** 2017 Comeback of the Year vs. Michael Johnson *

MMAjunkie MMA Junkie is a news website that covers the sport of mixed martial arts (MMA). It was founded in 2006, and is owned by Gannett Company since 2011. The site and its content have been featured in ''Time'' magazine'', ''ESPN The Magazine'', ''The N ...

** 2015 March Fight of the Month vs. Luis Palomino ** 2015 September Fight of the Month vs. Luis Palomino ** 2017 Round of the Year vs. Michael Johnson (Round 1) ** 2018 Fight of the Year vs.

** 2021 November Fight of the Month vs.

** 2021 Fight of the Year vs.

Yahoo! Sports Yahoo! Sports is a sports news website launched by Yahoo! on December 8, 1997. It receives a majority of its information from STATS, Inc. It employs numerous writers, and has team pages for teams in almost every North American major sport. Bef ...

** 2015 Best Fight of the Half-Year vs.

** 2021 Fight of the Year vs.

MMAFighting.com ''MMA Fighting'' is a news website that covers the sport of mixed martial arts (MMA). Founded in 2001, the site is notable for its breaking news coverage, podcast series, and ''The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani''. Overview ''MMAFighting.com'' w ...

** 2021 Fight of the year vs.

** 2017 Fight of the Year vs. Michael Johnson ** 2017 Round of the Year vs. Michael Johnson (Round 2) ** 2018 Fight of the Year vs.

** 2018 Round of the Year vs.

(round 2) ** 2021 Fight of the Year vs.

** 2021 Round of the Year vs.

(Round 1) *

Bleacher Report Bleacher Report (often abbreviated as B/R) is a website that focuses on sport and sports culture. Its headquarters are in San Francisco, with offices in New York City and London. Bleacher Report was acquired by Turner Broadcasting System in Aug ...

** 2017 Fight of the Year vs. Michael Johnson ** 2021 Fight of the Year vs.

* RealSport ** 2017 UFC Debut of the Year vs. Michael Johnson *

CBS Sports CBS Sports is the sports division of the American television network CBS. Its headquarters are in the CBS Building on W 52nd Street in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, with programs produced out of Studio 43 at the CBS Broadcast Center on W 5 ...

** 2017 Fight of the Year vs. Michael Johnson ** 2021 Fight of the Year vs.

* Bloody Elbow ** 2017 Best Fight of the Year vs. Michael Johnson * Cageside Press ** 2017 Fight of the Year vs. Michael Johnson ** 2021 Fight of the Year vs.

* MMAWeekly.com ** 2018 Fight of the Year vs.

* CombatPress.com ** 2018 Fight of the Year vs.

**2021 Fight of the Year vs.

* MMADNA.nl ** 2017 Fight of the Year vs.

** 2017 Debut of the Year. * Lowkick MMA ** 2021 Fight of the Year vs.

Daily Mirror The ''Daily Mirror'' is a British national daily tabloid. Founded in 1903, it is owned by parent company Reach plc. From 1985 to 1987, and from 1997 to 2002, the title on its masthead was simply ''The Mirror''. It had an average daily print ...

** 2021 Fight of the Year vs.

Wrestling Observer Newsletter The ''Wrestling Observer Newsletter'' (''WON'') is a newsletter that covers professional wrestling and mixed martial arts. Founded in print in 1982 by Dave Meltzer, the ''Wrestling Observer'' website merged with Bryan Alvarez's ''Figure Four We ...

** MMA Match of the Year (2018) ** MMA Match of the Year (2021)

Mixed martial arts record

, - , Loss , align=center, 23–4 ,

, Submission (rear-naked choke) ,

, , align=center, 1 , align=center, 3:22 ,

Phoenix, Arizona Phoenix ( ; nv, Hoozdo; es, Fénix or , yuf-x-wal, Banyà:nyuwá) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities and towns in Arizona#List of cities and towns, most populous city of the U.S. state of Arizona, with 1 ...

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 23–3 ,

, Decision (unanimous) ,

, , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

New York City, New York New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

, United States , , - , Loss , align=center, 22–3 ,

, Technical Submission (triangle choke) ,

, , align=center, 2 , align=center, 1:34 ,

Abu Dhabi Abu Dhabi (, ; ar, أَبُو ظَبْيٍ ' ) is the capital and second-most populous city (after Dubai) of the United Arab Emirates. It is also the capital of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and the centre of the Abu Dhabi Metropolitan Area. ...

, United Arab Emirates , , - , Win , align=center, 22–2 ,

, TKO (punch) ,

, , align=center, 5 , align=center, 3:39 ,

Jacksonville, Florida Jacksonville is a city located on the Atlantic coast of northeast Florida, the most populous city proper in the state and is the largest city by area in the contiguous United States as of 2020. It is the seat of Duval County, with which the ...

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 21–2 ,

, TKO (punches) , UFC Fight Night: Cowboy vs. Gaethje , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 4:18 ,

Vancouver, British Columbia Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...

, Canada , , - , Win , align=center, 20–2 ,

, KO (punch) , UFC on ESPN: Barboza vs. Gaethje , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 2:30 ,

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 19–2 ,

, KO (punches) , UFC Fight Night: Gaethje vs. Vick , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 1:27 ,

Lincoln, Nebraska Lincoln is the capital city of the U.S. state of Nebraska and the county seat of Lancaster County. The city covers with a population of 292,657 in 2021. It is the second-most populous city in Nebraska and the 73rd-largest in the United Sta ...

, United States , , - , Loss , align=center, 18–2 ,

, TKO (punches) , UFC on Fox: Poirier vs. Gaethje , , align=center, 4 , align=center, 0:33 ,

Glendale, Arizona Glendale () is a city in Maricopa County, Arizona, Maricopa County, Arizona, United States, located approximately northwest of Downtown Phoenix. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it had a population of 248,325. History In the la ...

, United States , , - , Loss , align=center, 18–1 ,

, KO (knee) ,

, , align=center, 3 , align=center, 3:59 ,

Detroit Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at th ...

Michigan Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and the ...

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 18–0 , Michael Johnson , TKO (punches and knees) , The Ultimate Fighter: Redemption Finale , , align=center, 2 , align=center, 4:48 ,

Las Vegas, Nevada Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 17–0 ,

, TKO (doctor stoppage) , WSOF 34 , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 16–0 , Brian Foster , TKO (leg kicks) , WSOF 29 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 1:43 ,

Greeley, Colorado Greeley is the home rule municipality city that is the county seat and the most populous municipality of Weld County, Colorado, United States. The city population was 108,795 at the 2020 United States Census, an increase of 17.12% since the 2010 ...

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 15–0 ,

, TKO (punches) ,

, , align=center, 2 , align=center, 4:30 ,

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 14–0 ,

, TKO (leg kicks and punches) ,

, , align=center, 3 , align=center, 3:57 ,

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 13–0 ,

, Decision (split) , WSOF 15 , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

Tampa, Florida Tampa () is a city on the Gulf Coast of the United States, Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. The city's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and ...

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 12–0 ,

, TKO (punches) ,

, , align=center, 2 , align=center, 3:09 ,

Daytona Beach, Florida Daytona Beach, or simply Daytona, is a coastal Resort town, resort-city in east-central Florida. Located on the eastern edge of Volusia County, Florida, Volusia County near the East Coast of the United States, Atlantic coastline, its population ...

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 11–0 , Richard Patishnock , TKO (punches and elbows) , WSOF 8 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 1:09 ,

Hollywood, Florida Hollywood is a city in southern Broward County, Florida, United States, located between Fort Lauderdale and Miami. As of July 1, 2019, Hollywood had a population of 154,817. Founded in 1925, the city grew rapidly in the 1950s and 1960s, and is now ...

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 10–0 ,

, KO (punches) ,

, , align=center, 2 , align=center, 1:40 ,

Coral Gables, Florida Coral Gables, officially City of Coral Gables, is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida. The city is located southwest of Downtown Miami. As of the 2020 U.S. census, it had a population of 49,248. Coral Gables is known globally as home to the ...

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 9–0 , Brian Cobb , TKO (leg kicks) , WSOF 3 , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 2:19 ,

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 8–0 ,

, TKO (doctor stoppage) ,

, , align=center, 1 , align=center, 2:27 ,

Atlantic City, New Jersey Atlantic City, often known by its initials A.C., is a coastal resort city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. The city is known for its casinos, boardwalk, and beaches. In 2020, the city had a population of 38,497.

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 7–0 , Adrian Valdez , TKO (punches) , Rage in the Cage 164 , , align=center, 2 , align=center, 0:19 ,

Chandler, Arizona Chandler is a city in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States, and a suburb in the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). It is bordered to the north and west by Tempe, to the north by Mesa, to the west by Phoenix, to the ...

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 6–0 ,

, KO (punch) , Rage in the Cage 163 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 0:12 ,

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 5–0 , Sam Young , Submission (rear-naked choke) , Rage in the Cage 162 , , align=center, 2 , align=center, 1:58 ,

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 4–0 , Marcus Edwards , Decision (unanimous) , ROF 43: Bad Blood , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

Broomfield, Colorado Broomfield is a consolidated city and county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. Broomfield has a consolidated government which operates under Article XX, Sections 10-13 of the Constitution of the State of Colorado. The Broomfield populatio ...

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 3–0 , Donnie Bell , TKO (punches) , ROF 42: Who's Next , , align=center, 2 , align=center, 2:57 ,

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 2–0 , Joe Kelso , TKO (punches) , BTT MMA 2: Genesis , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 4:32 ,

Pueblo, Colorado Pueblo () is a List of municipalities in Colorado#Home rule municipality, home rule municipality that is the county seat and the List of municipalities in Colorado, most populous municipality of Pueblo County, Colorado, Pueblo County, Colorado ...

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 1–0 ,

, KO (slam) , ROF 41: Bragging Rights , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 1:01 ,

, United States , , -

NCAA record

! colspan="8", NCAA Championships Matches , - ! Res. ! Record ! Opponent ! Score ! Date ! Event , - ! style=background:white colspan=6 , 2011 NCAA Championships at 149 lbs , - , Loss , 6–6 , align=left, Scott Sakaguchi , style="font-size:88%", SV 6–8 , style="font-size:88%" rowspan=3, March 17, 2011 , style="font-size:88%" rowspan=3, 2011 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championship , - , Win , 6–5 , align=left, Don Vinson , style="font-size:88%", 6–4 , - , Loss , 5–5 , align=left, Ganbayar Sanjaa , style="font-size:88%", 2–6 , - ! style=background:white colspan=6 , 2010 NCAA Championships 7th at 157 lbs , - , Win , 5–4 , align=left, Stephen Brown , style="font-size:88%", 12–7 , style="font-size:88%" rowspan=7, March 19, 2010 , style="font-size:88%" rowspan=7, 2010 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championship , - , Loss , 4–4 , align=left, Cyler Sanderson , style="font-size:88%", 6–10 , - , Win , 4–3 , align=left, Shane Vernon , style="font-size:88%", TB 6–5 , - , Loss , 3–3 , align=left, J.P O’ Connor , style="font-size:88%", 1–8 , - , Win , 3–2 , align=left, Matt Moley , style="font-size:88%", TB 3–2 , - , Win , 2–2 , align=left, Bryce Saddoris , style="font-size:88%", 6–4 , - , Win , 1–2 , align=left, Hadley Harrison , style="font-size:88%", 5–4 , - ! style=background:white colspan=6 , 2009 NCAA Championships at 157 lbshttps://nwhof.org/NCAA-Brackets/PDF/NCAA%202009.pdf , - , Loss , 0–2 , align=left, Mike Kessler , style="font-size:88%", 6–11 , style="font-size:88%" rowspan=4, March 19, 2009 , style="font-size:88%" rowspan=4, 2009 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships , - , Loss , 0–1 , align=left, Neil Erisman , style="font-size:88%", 3–8 , -

Pay-per-view bouts

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Gaethje, Justin 1988 births Living people American male mixed martial artists American people of German descent American mixed martial artists of Mexican descent Lightweight mixed martial artists Mixed martial artists utilizing collegiate wrestling Mixed martial artists from Arizona Northern Colorado Bears wrestlers People from Safford, Arizona Ultimate Fighting Championship male fighters Ultimate Fighting Championship champions

Early life

Wrestling career

High-school

Collegiate

Mixed martial arts career

Early career

World Series of Fighting

Ultimate Fighting Championship

UFC interim Lightweight Champion and further title contention

Fighting style

Personal life

Championships and accomplishments

Wrestling

Mixed martial arts

Mixed martial arts record

NCAA record

Pay-per-view bouts

See also

References

External links