Justin Gaethje Record, Net Worth, Weight, Age & More!

Who is Justin Gaethje?

Justin Gaethje is a mixed martial artist who competes in the Ultimate Fighting Championship promotion.  Justin Gaethje fights in the lightweight division.  He is a former Interim UFC lightweight champion and is currently ranked #14 in the UFC's pound for pound rankings and #2 in the UFC's lightweight rankings.

Who is Justin Gaethje?

Justin Gaethje is a mixed martial artist who competes in the Ultimate Fighting Championship promotion.  Justin Gaethje fights in the lightweight division.  He is a former Interim UFC lightweight champion and is currently ranked #14 in the UFC's pound for pound rankings and #2 in the UFC's lightweight rankings.

What This Article Covers:

• Who is Justin Gaethje?
• How Old is Justin Gaethje?
• How Much is Justin Gaethje Worth?
• How Much Does Justin Gaethje Weigh?
• Justin Gaethje Fight List
• Justin Gaethje's Best Fight of All Time
• Justin Gaethje's Record

Justin Gaethje was born in Safford, Arizona.  His road to the UFC began when he was just four years old when he started wrestling.  Justin Gaethje would go on to become a two-time state wrestling champion representing Safford High School.  After graduating, Justin Gaethje would go on to be a NCAA Division I All American at the University of Northern Colorado.

Justin Gaethje instructional videos

While still in college, Justin would move closer to the UFC cage by beginning his amateur MMA career.  He would turn professional in 2011 and join the World Series of Fighting shortly after in 2013.  Justin Gaethje would become the lightweight champion during his tenure with the WSOF.  Justin would defend his lightweight championship belt 5 times before making the transition to the UFC in 2017.

Justin Gaethje and his striking coach Trevor Wittman have put together an instructional that will improve the striking and footwork skills of any athlete.  You can check out his instructional here.  

The footwork Blueprint by Trevor Wittman and Justin Gaethje

How Old is Justin Gaethje?

Justin Gaethje was born on November 14, 1988.  He is currently 33 years old.

mc striking instructional videos

Justin Gaethje Family

Justin Ray Gaethje was born in Safford, Arizona on Novemeber 14, 1988.  His mother's name is Carolina and is of Mexican descent hailing from Sonora Mexico.  Justin's father, John Ray Gaethje worked as a copper miner in Safford, carrying on the legacy of Justin's grandfathers who were also miners.  The striking apple did not fall far from the tree as Justin Gaethje's paternal father was boxer during his time in the United States Army.

Justin Gaethje has three siblings, a twin brother Marcus John Gaethje and two sisters.  Justin's brother worked in the mine like their father for a decade, while Justin only spent one brutal summer in the mine where he would work seven days a week for more than 12 hours a day.  During one particularly brutal week, Justin would work 96 hours.  

This time spent in the mine helped motivate Justin to work hard to be successful on the mats and at college.  His father would spend 36 years working in the mines.  Justin would take the path the UFC stage.

Movement as a Weapon by Stephen Thompson

How Much is Justin Gaethje Worth?

Justin Gaethje, the former Interim Lightweight Champion of the UFC, is said to be worth approximately $4 million dollars.  

How Tall is Justin Gaethje?

Justin Gaethje, the former lightweight Interim Champion of the UFC is 5 foot 11 inches tall.

How Much Does Justin Gaethje Weigh?

Justin Gaethje fights in the UFC's lightweight division.  He fights at 155 lbs.

Justin Gaethje Fight List

Justin Gaethje's competitive career began as a wrestler at age four.  He would compete and represent Safford High School.  Justin Gaethje would ultimately become a two-time state champion.

Justin still holds several wrestling records at his high school.  He would play both football and baseball in addition to his wrestling while in high school.

Justin Gaethje would graduate Safford High School with a 191-9 record as a wrestler.  He initially had plans to attend college close to his family, but would ultimately accept an offer from the University of Northern Colorado an NCAA Division I program.

As a freshman, Justin Gaethje would post an 18-9 record.  In his sophomore year at University of Northern Coloardo he would qualify for the 2009 Division I 157 lb championship.  That season he would finish with a 14-4 record and be named to the Western Wrestling All-Conference First Team.

As a junior, Justin Gaethje would earn 7th place at the 2010 Division I Championship at 157 lbs and also All-American status.  He would become the first University of Northern Colorado wrestler to achieve All-American status in 40 years.  

Gaethje would spend his senior year wrestling at the 149 lb weight class.  He would qualify again for the 2011 NCAA Division I Championship and finish the seasion with a 17-8 record.  It would be announced in June of 2020 that he would be named to the University of Northern Colorado Athletics Hall of Fame.

During his time at the University of Northern Colorado, Justin Gaethje's future in the UFC cage would be foreshadowed as he crossed paths with athletes like Georges St. Pierre, Clay Guida and future opponent Donald Cerrone on the wrestling mats.  

Justin Gaethje shared his interest in trying out the new sport with his coaches and with their blessing he secured his first amateur bout during his sophomore year.  He would win that fight via a knockout incurred from a slam of his opponent.

 After a 7-0 amateur run, Justin Gaethje would make his professional debut against a fellow future UFC fighter Kevin Croom.  Gaethje would again knock out an opponent with a slam after Croom caught Justin in a submission only to be slammed to the mat and knocked out.  He would follow up his 7-0 amateur run with a 7-0 professional run where he would cross paths with a UFC veteran Drew Fickett who he defeated by KO in 12 seconds.

As 2012 was coming to a close, Gaethje would sign with the World Series of Fighting where he would quickly rack up three straight stoppages against Gesias Cavalcante, Brian Cobb and Dan Lauzon.  The culmination of these three stoppages would earn him a title shot in the lightweight division where he would finish Richard Patishnock in the first round via TKO.

Justin Gaethje would be victorious in his first title defense against Nick Newell by TKO.  Next he would meet former training partner Melvin Guillard whom he would defeat by split decision.  Next up would be Luis Palomino who Justin would defeat via TKO in the third round.  This fight was named by the LA Times as the best fight of the year 2015.

Palomino would have a chance at the title again in their rematch in September of 2015.  Justin Gaethje was again successful in defending his title by defeating Palomino in the 2nd round via TKO.  He would next defend his title successfully against Brian Foster at World Series of Fighting 29 in March of 2016.

Gaethje would defend his title one last time before announcing that he had vacated the title and signed with the Ultimate Fighting Championship in May of 2017.

Justin Gaethje's road in the UFC would start off with the daunting task of taking on veteran Michael Johnson.  He would be victorious against the UFC vet via TKO.  The win would earn both Performance of the Night and Fight of the Night awards.  MMA publication Sherdog would name this the best fight of 2017 and go as far as to name the 2nd round of the fight as the best round of the year.

In the summer of 2017, Gaethje was chosen to coach a team during The Ultimate Fighter Season 26 against Eddie Alvarez.  In their fight at UFC 218, Gaethje would lose his first bout by KO in the third round.  Despite the loss, Gaethje would earn his second Fight of the Night award.  That year the World MMA Awards named this bout the Fight of the Year.

In his next fight in the UFC, Justin Gaethje would meet Dustin "The Diamond" Poirier.  Poirier would win the back and forth battle via TKO in the fourth round.  Again, Gaethje would win his third consecutive Fight of the Night Bonus award.  And yet again, this fight would earn best fight of the year (2018) from Sherdog.

Gaethje would be scheduled to fight Al Iaquinta at his next fight but Iaquinta withdrew and was replaced by James Vick.  Justin Gaethje would bounce back from his two straight losses to knock out James Vick in the first round and win another Performance of the Night award.  This award would be his 5th performance award in just four fights in the UFC.

Gaethje would next face Edson Barboza who he would knockout in Round One.  He would also earn another Fight of the Night award.  Next up would be Donald "The Cowboy" Cerrone who he would defeat via TKO in Round One.  And the performance bonus trend would continue with another Performance of the Night bonus.

GAETHJE VICTORIOUS OVER BARBOZA

For UFC 249, it was announced that Justin Gaethje would fight Tony Ferguson for an interim UFC Lightweight title.  The event was ultimately postponed until May 9, 2020 when Gaethje was able to stop Ferguson via TKO in the fifth round ending his opponent's 12 fight win streak.  This fight would earn him yet another Fight of the Night and Performance of the Night award.  With thoe bonuses, Gaethje became the first fighter in UFC history to earn at least one bonus in each of his first seven fights.

Gaethje would meet Khabib Nurmagomedov in October of 2020 in a unification bout.  He would find himself caught in a triangle submission in the second round.  This would be his first loss via submission in his MMA career.

Justin Gaethje's Best Fight of All Time

With so many Fight of the Night and Performance of the Night bonuses, it can be difficult to choose Justin Gaethje's best fight overall.  It can be argued that his fight against Eddie Alvarez though a loss via KO, would be a pivotal fight as it would be his first loss in his MMA career in front of the largest audience he had ever fought in front of.  He has stated in interviews that this experience was the "time of his life."

Who Did Justin Gaethje Lose To?

Justin Gaethje has lost to Eddie Alvarez, Dustin Poirier and Khabib Nurmagomedov via KO, TKO and triangle choke respectively.

Justin Gaethje's Record

Justin Gaethje currently holds a mixed martial arts record of 22 wins and 3 losses.  His three losses were to Eddie Alvarez, Dustin Poirier and Khabib Nurmagomedov.

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