Justin Ray Gaethje is an American professional mixed martial artist who currently competes in the lightweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).
As of October 5, 2020, he is #7 in the UFC men's pound-for-pound rankings and is the current interim UFC Lightweight Champion.
Born in Safford, Arizona, Gaethje began wrestling 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 All-American during his time at the University of Northern Colorado.
He began his amateur MMA career while in college, turned professional in 2011 and joined the World Series of Fighting (WSOF) in 2013, where he became Lightweight Champion. He defended his WSOF belt five times before vacating it to join the UFC in 2017.
Despite his wrestling background, Gaethje rarely looks for takedowns and is known for his aggressive stand-up fighting style. He has finished 19 of his 22 wins by knockout or technical knockout and has received five Fight of the Night and four Performance of the Night awards in his seven fights in the UFC.
