Justin Gaethje
“The Highlight”
Professional record
Last 5: WWWLW
Profile
- Age
- 37 (born November 14, 1988)
- Born in
- Temucuicui
- Height
- 5' 11"
- Weight
- 155 lbs.
- Reach
- 70"
- Stance
- Orthodox
- UFC record
- 11-5
- Title fights
- 4
How the fights ended
Wins in the UFC11
- KO/TKO 7
- Decision 4
Losses in the UFC5
- KO/TKO 3
- Submission 2
UFC career stats
Striking
- Significant strikes landed per minute
- 6.29 top 4%
- Significant strikes absorbed per minute
- 6.83
Grappling
- Takedowns per 15 minutes
- 0.3 top 91%
- Submission attempts per 15 minutes
- 0.0
Next fight
In the record book
About Justin Gaethje
Born on November 14, 1988 in Temucuicui, United States, Justin Gaethje "The Highlight" competes as a lightweight mixed martial artist. At 5' 11", Gaethje has a 70" reach. Gaethje is the current UFC lightweight champion and #3 on the pound-for-pound list.
Gaethje's professional career began in 2011, debuting with Ring of Fire. Gaethje arrived in the UFC with a 17-0 record. Gaethje first fought in the UFC at The Ultimate Fighter: Redemption Finale in July 2017 and beat Michael Johnson by KO/TKO. Gaethje's UFC record stands at 11-5 after 16 fights. Gaethje first won a UFC title fight at UFC 249: Ferguson vs. Gaethje, beating Tony Ferguson, and has won 3 title fights in total.
A finisher on the feet, Gaethje has won 7 of 11 UFC fights by knockout. In the stats, Gaethje is more accurate with significant strikes than 98% of lightweights and lands more significant strikes per minute than 96% of lightweights. Notable wins include Ilia Topuria, Dustin Poirier and Tony Ferguson, all UFC title-fight winners.
The quickest UFC win of Gaethje's career took 1:27, against James Vick at UFC Fight Night: Gaethje vs. Vick. In UFC title fights, Gaethje is 3-1. Gaethje has fought Rafael Fiziev twice in the UFC (won, won). Gaethje's record outside the UFC includes 10-0 in WSOF and 3-0 in Rage in the Cage.
Gaethje's latest fight was at UFC Freedom 250 in June 2026, where Gaethje beat Ilia Topuria by KO/TKO.
UFC fight history
-
W
Ilia Topuria Title
KO/TKO · toCorner Stoppage · R4 5:00
Jun 14, 2026
91Str 0TD 0KD -
W
Paddy Pimblett Title
Decision - Unanimous · R5 5:00
Jan 24, 2026
144Str 3TD 2KD -
W
Decision - Unanimous · R3 5:00
Mar 8, 2025
72Str 0TD 1KD -
L
KO/TKO · Punch to Head At Distance · R5 4:59
Apr 13, 2024
103Str 0TD 0KD -
W
KO/TKO · Kick to Head At Distance · R2 1:00
UFC 291: Poirier vs. Gaethje 2
Jul 29, 2023
41Str 0TD 1KD -
W
Decision - Majority · R3 5:00
Mar 18, 2023
103Str 1TD 0KD -
L
Submission · Rear Naked Choke · R1 3:22
May 7, 2022
21Str 0TD 1KD -
W
Decision - Unanimous · R3 5:00
UFC 268: Usman vs. Covington 2
Nov 6, 2021
116Str 0TD 1KD -
L
Khabib Nurmagomedov Title
Submission · Triangle Choke From Bottom Guard · R2 1:34
Oct 24, 2020
29Str 0TD 0KD -
W
Tony Ferguson Title
KO/TKO · Punch to Head At Distance · R5 3:39
May 9, 2020
143Str 0TD 0KD -
W
KO/TKO · Punch to Head At Distance · R1 4:18
UFC Fight Night: Cowboy vs. Gaethje
Sep 14, 2019
40Str 0TD 1KD -
W
KO/TKO · Punch to Head At Distance · R1 2:30
UFC Fight Night: Barboza vs. Gaethje
Mar 30, 2019
20Str 0TD 1KD -
W
KO/TKO · Punch to Head In Clinch · R1 1:27
UFC Fight Night: Gaethje vs. Vick
Aug 25, 2018
7Str 0TD 1KD -
L
KO/TKO · Punch to Head In Clinch · R4 0:33
UFC Fight Night: Poirier vs. Gaethje
Apr 14, 2018
115Str 0TD 0KD -
L
KO/TKO · Knee to Head In Clinch · R3 3:59
Dec 2, 2017
122Str 0TD 0KD -
W
KO/TKO · Knees to Head In Clinch · R2 4:48
The Ultimate Fighter: Redemption Finale
Jul 7, 2017
104Str 0TD 0KD
Full MMA career
Justin Gaethje is 28-5 across 33 professional fights in 5 promotions, since a pro debut on August 20, 2011 (Ring of Fire). 17 of those fights were outside the UFC.
Pro wins28
- KO/TKO 21
- Submission 1
- Decision 6
Pro losses5
- KO/TKO 3
- Submission 2
- Finish rate
- 79% of wins
- Longest win streak
- 18
- Current streak
- 3 wins
Fights by promotion
| Promotion | Record | First fight |
|---|---|---|
| UFC | 11-5 | 2017 |
| WSOF | 10-0 | 2013 |
| Rage in the Cage | 3-0 | 2012 |
| Ring of Fire | 3-0 | 2011 |
| Bring the Thunder MMA | 1-0 | 2011 |
All professional fights
| Result | Opponent | Date |
|---|---|---|
| W | Ilia Topuria | Jun 14, 2026 |
| W | Paddy Pimblett | Jan 24, 2026 |
| W | Rafael Fiziev | Mar 8, 2025 |
| L | Max Holloway | Apr 13, 2024 |
| W | Dustin Poirier | Jul 29, 2023 |
| W | Rafael Fiziev | Mar 18, 2023 |
| L | Charles Oliveira | May 7, 2022 |
| W | Michael Chandler | Nov 6, 2021 |
| L | Khabib Nurmagomedov | Oct 24, 2020 |
| W | Tony Ferguson | May 9, 2020 |
| W | Donald Cerrone | Sep 14, 2019 |
| W | Edson Barboza | Mar 30, 2019 |
| W | James Vick | Aug 25, 2018 |
| L | Dustin Poirier | Apr 14, 2018 |
| L | Eddie Alvarez | Dec 2, 2017 |
| W | Michael Johnson | Jul 7, 2017 |
| W | Luiz Firmino | Dec 31, 2016 |
| W | Brian Foster | Mar 12, 2016 |
| W | Luis Palomino | Sep 18, 2015 |
| W | Luis Palomino | Mar 28, 2015 |
| W | Melvin Guillard | Nov 15, 2014 |
| W | Nick Newell | Jul 5, 2014 |
| W | Richard Patishnock | Jan 18, 2014 |
| W | Dan Lauzon | Oct 28, 2013 |
| W | Brian Cobb | Jun 14, 2013 |
| W | Gesias Cavalcante | Mar 23, 2013 |
| W | Adrian Valdez | Nov 16, 2012 |
| W | Drew Fickett | Oct 20, 2012 |
| W | Sam Young | Sep 29, 2012 |
| W | Marcus Edwards | Jun 2, 2012 |
| W | Donnie Bell | Dec 17, 2011 |
| W | Joe Kelso | Oct 1, 2011 |
| W | Kevin Croom | Aug 20, 2011 |
Full professional record from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Quick answers
What is Justin Gaethje's record?
Justin Gaethje's professional MMA record is 28 wins, 5 losses and 0 draws.
How old is Justin Gaethje?
Justin Gaethje is 37 years old, born on November 14, 1988.
How tall is Justin Gaethje and what is their reach?
Justin Gaethje stands 5' 11" with a 70" reach.
Who did Justin Gaethje fight last?
Justin Gaethje beat Ilia Topuria by KO/TKO at UFC Freedom 250 on Jun 14, 2026.
Photo: The White House, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
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