The Origin Story
Justin Gaethje is the UFC lightweight champion, known for one of the most relentless, all-action fighting styles in the sport, and an avid golfer.
A Mining Town Wrestler
Gaethje grew up in Safford, Arizona, where his father spent 36 years working at the Morenci copper mine. He started wrestling at four, won two Arizona state titles, and became an NCAA Division I All-American at Northern Colorado in 2010.
Champion
After winning and defending the World Series of Fighting lightweight title, Gaethje joined the UFC in 2017. He won the interim lightweight title by stopping Tony Ferguson in 2020, claimed the symbolic BMF title in 2023, and in 2026 won the interim belt again before beating Ilia Topuria to become undisputed lightweight champion.