Justin Gaethje

“The Highlight”

Justin Gaethje (28-5) is a lightweight fighting out of Greeley, Colorado. Justin Gaethje's last fight was a win over Ilia Topuria by TKO at UFC Freedom 250 in June 2026.

Record28-5-0

DivisionLightweight

Height5'11"

Reach70"

Age37

Last FightJan 24, 2026

BornNov 14, 1988

BirthplaceSafford, Arizona, United States

Fighting out ofGreeley, Colorado

UFC Career Stats:

Sig. strikes landed / min6.29

Striking accuracy58%

Sig. strikes absorbed / min6.83

Striking defense51%

Takedowns / 15 min0.30

Takedown accuracy27%

Takedown defense73%

Sub attempts / 15 min0.00

16 UFC fights through Oct 31, 2026. Source: UFCStats

Fight History:

*Exhibition (EX.) fights included in history

Result	Opponent	Division	Method	Rnd / Time	Event	Date	Fight
W	Ilia Topuria	Lightweight	TKO (Corner stoppage)	R4 · 5:00	UFC Freedom 250	Jun 14, 2026	View
W	Paddy Pimblett	Lightweight	Decision (Unanimous)	R5 · 5:00	UFC 324: Gaethje vs. Pimblett	Jan 24, 2026	View
W	Rafael Fiziev	Lightweight	Decision (Unanimous)	R3	UFC 313: Pereira vs. Ankalaev	Mar 8, 2025
L	Max Holloway	Lightweight	KO/TKO (Overhand Right)	R5 · 4:59	UFC 300: Pereira vs. Hill	Apr 13, 2024
W	Dustin Poirier	Lightweight	KO/TKO (Head Kick)	R2 · 1:00	UFC 291: Poirier vs. Gaethje 2	Jul 29, 2023
W	Rafael Fiziev	Lightweight	Decision (Majority)	R3	UFC 286: Edwards vs. Usman 3	Mar 18, 2023
L	Charles Oliveira	Lightweight	Submission (Rear Naked Choke)	R1 · 3:22	UFC 274: Oliveira vs. Gaethje	May 7, 2022
W	Michael Chandler	Lightweight	Decision (Unanimous)	R3	UFC 268: Usman vs. Covington 2	Nov 6, 2021
L	Khabib Nurmagomedov	Lightweight	Submission (Triangle Choke)	R2 · 1:34	UFC 254: Khabib vs. Gaethje	Oct 24, 2020
W	Tony Ferguson	Lightweight	KO/TKO (Punches)	R5 · 3:39	UFC 249: Ferguson vs. Gaethje	May 9, 2020
W	Donald Cerrone	Lightweight	KO/TKO (Hooks & Uppercuts)	R1 · 4:18	UFC on ESPN+ 16	Sep 14, 2019
W	Edson Barboza	Lightweight	KO/TKO (Right Hook)	R1 · 2:30	UFC on ESPN 2	Mar 30, 2019
W	James Vick	Lightweight	KO/TKO (Punch)	R1 · 1:27	UFC Fight Night 135	Aug 25, 2018
L	Dustin Poirier	Lightweight	KO/TKO (Punches)	R4 · 0:33	UFC on FOX 29	Apr 14, 2018
L	Eddie Alvarez	Lightweight	KO/TKO (Knee & Punches)	R3 · 3:59	UFC 218: Holloway vs. Aldo 2	Dec 2, 2017
W	Michael Johnson	Lightweight	KO/TKO (Punches & Knees)	R2 · 4:48	The Ultimate Fighter 25 Finale	Jul 7, 2017
W	Luiz Firmino	Lightweight	KO/TKO (Doctor Stoppage (Swollen Eye))	R3 · 5:00	WSOF 34: Gaethje vs. Firmino	Dec 31, 2016
W	Brian Foster	Lightweight	KO/TKO (Leg Kicks)	R1 · 1:43	WSOF 29: Gaethje vs. Foster	Mar 12, 2016
W	Luis Palomino	Lightweight	KO/TKO (Punches)	R2 · 4:40	WSOF 23: Gaethje vs. Palomino 2	Sep 18, 2015
W	Luis Palomino	Lightweight	KO/TKO (Leg Kick & Punches)	R3 · 3:57	WSOF 19: Gaethje vs. Palomino	Mar 28, 2015
W	Melvin Guillard	Catchweight	Decision (Split)	R3	WSOF 15: Branch vs. Okami	Nov 15, 2014
W	Nick Newell	Lightweight	KO/TKO (Punch)	R2 · 3:09	WSOF 11: Gaethje vs. Newell	Jul 5, 2014
W	Richard Patishnock	Lightweight	KO/TKO (Punches)	R1 · 1:09	WSOF 8: Gaethje vs. Patishnock	Jan 18, 2014
W	Dan Lauzon	Lightweight	KO/TKO (Punches)	R2 · 1:40	WSOF 6: Burkman vs. Carl	Oct 26, 2013
W	Brian Cobb	Lightweight	Submission (Leg Kicks)	R3 · 2:19	WSOF 3: Fitch vs. Burkman 2	Jun 14, 2013
W	Gesias Cavalcante	Lightweight	KO/TKO (Doctor Stoppage (Cut))	R1 · 2:27	WSOF 2: Arlovski vs. Johnson	Mar 23, 2013
W	Adrian Valdez	—	KO/TKO	—	Unknown Event	Nov 16, 2012
W	Drew Fickett	Catchweight	KO/TKO (Punch)	R1 · 0:12	Unknown Event	Oct 20, 2012
W	Sam Young	—	Submission	—	Unknown Event	Sep 29, 2012
W	Marcus Edwards	Lightweight	Decision (Unanimous)	R3	ROF 43: Bad Blood	Jun 2, 2012
W	Donnie Bell	Lightweight	KO/TKO (Strikes)	R2 · 2:57	ROF 42: Who's Next	Dec 17, 2011
W	Joe Kelso	—	KO/TKO	—	Unknown Event	Oct 1, 2011
W	Kevin Croom	Catchweight	KO/TKO (Slam)	R1 · 1:01	ROF 41: Bragging Rights!	Aug 20, 2011

WIlia Topuria
Jun 14, 2026
UFC Freedom 250·Lightweight
TKO (Corner stoppage)·R4 · 5:00View
WPaddy Pimblett
Jan 24, 2026
UFC 324: Gaethje vs. Pimblett·Lightweight
Decision (Unanimous)·R5 · 5:00View
WRafael Fiziev
Mar 8, 2025
UFC 313: Pereira vs. Ankalaev·Lightweight
Decision (Unanimous)·R3
LMax Holloway
Apr 13, 2024
UFC 300: Pereira vs. Hill·Lightweight
KO/TKO (Overhand Right)·R5 · 4:59
WDustin Poirier
Jul 29, 2023
UFC 291: Poirier vs. Gaethje 2·Lightweight
KO/TKO (Head Kick)·R2 · 1:00
WRafael Fiziev
Mar 18, 2023
UFC 286: Edwards vs. Usman 3·Lightweight
Decision (Majority)·R3
LCharles Oliveira
May 7, 2022
UFC 274: Oliveira vs. Gaethje·Lightweight
Submission (Rear Naked Choke)·R1 · 3:22
WMichael Chandler
Nov 6, 2021
UFC 268: Usman vs. Covington 2·Lightweight
Decision (Unanimous)·R3
LKhabib Nurmagomedov
Oct 24, 2020
UFC 254: Khabib vs. Gaethje·Lightweight
Submission (Triangle Choke)·R2 · 1:34
WTony Ferguson
May 9, 2020
UFC 249: Ferguson vs. Gaethje·Lightweight
KO/TKO (Punches)·R5 · 3:39
WDonald Cerrone
Sep 14, 2019
UFC on ESPN+ 16·Lightweight
KO/TKO (Hooks & Uppercuts)·R1 · 4:18
WEdson Barboza
Mar 30, 2019
UFC on ESPN 2·Lightweight
KO/TKO (Right Hook)·R1 · 2:30
WJames Vick
Aug 25, 2018
UFC Fight Night 135·Lightweight
KO/TKO (Punch)·R1 · 1:27
LDustin Poirier
Apr 14, 2018
UFC on FOX 29·Lightweight
KO/TKO (Punches)·R4 · 0:33
LEddie Alvarez
Dec 2, 2017
UFC 218: Holloway vs. Aldo 2·Lightweight
KO/TKO (Knee & Punches)·R3 · 3:59
WMichael Johnson
Jul 7, 2017
The Ultimate Fighter 25 Finale·Lightweight
KO/TKO (Punches & Knees)·R2 · 4:48
WLuiz Firmino
Dec 31, 2016
WSOF 34: Gaethje vs. Firmino·Lightweight
KO/TKO (Doctor Stoppage (Swollen Eye))·R3 · 5:00
WBrian Foster
Mar 12, 2016
WSOF 29: Gaethje vs. Foster·Lightweight
KO/TKO (Leg Kicks)·R1 · 1:43
WLuis Palomino
Sep 18, 2015
WSOF 23: Gaethje vs. Palomino 2·Lightweight
KO/TKO (Punches)·R2 · 4:40
WLuis Palomino
Mar 28, 2015
WSOF 19: Gaethje vs. Palomino·Lightweight
KO/TKO (Leg Kick & Punches)·R3 · 3:57
WMelvin Guillard
Nov 15, 2014
WSOF 15: Branch vs. Okami·Catchweight
Decision (Split)·R3
WNick Newell
Jul 5, 2014
WSOF 11: Gaethje vs. Newell·Lightweight
KO/TKO (Punch)·R2 · 3:09
WRichard Patishnock
Jan 18, 2014
WSOF 8: Gaethje vs. Patishnock·Lightweight
KO/TKO (Punches)·R1 · 1:09
WDan Lauzon
Oct 26, 2013
WSOF 6: Burkman vs. Carl·Lightweight
KO/TKO (Punches)·R2 · 1:40
WBrian Cobb
Jun 14, 2013
WSOF 3: Fitch vs. Burkman 2·Lightweight
Submission (Leg Kicks)·R3 · 2:19
WGesias Cavalcante
Mar 23, 2013
WSOF 2: Arlovski vs. Johnson·Lightweight
KO/TKO (Doctor Stoppage (Cut))·R1 · 2:27
WAdrian Valdez
Nov 16, 2012
Unknown Event
KO/TKO
WDrew Fickett
Oct 20, 2012
Unknown Event·Catchweight
KO/TKO (Punch)·R1 · 0:12
WSam Young
Sep 29, 2012
Unknown Event
Submission
WMarcus Edwards
Jun 2, 2012
ROF 43: Bad Blood·Lightweight
Decision (Unanimous)·R3
WDonnie Bell
Dec 17, 2011
ROF 42: Who's Next·Lightweight
KO/TKO (Strikes)·R2 · 2:57
WJoe Kelso
Oct 1, 2011
Unknown Event
KO/TKO
WKevin Croom
Aug 20, 2011
ROF 41: Bragging Rights!·Catchweight
KO/TKO (Slam)·R1 · 1:01