Justin Gaethje "The Highlight"
Justin Gaethje, known as "The Highlight", is a mixed martial artist from the United States competing in the UFC Lightweight division. Justin Gaethje holds a professional record of 28-5-0, including 10-5-0 inside the UFC. Of those UFC wins, 6 came by knockout or TKO, 0 by submission and 4 by decision. Justin Gaethje stands 5'11", has a 70-inch reach, fights out of a orthodox stance, and is 37 years old. Justin Gaethje is currently on a 3-fight winning streak and is listed as Active.
Justin Gaethje profile
| Division | Lightweight |
|---|
| Professional record | 28-5-0 |
|---|
| UFC record | 10-5-0 |
|---|
| Division rank | C |
|---|
| Status | Active |
|---|
| Country | United States |
|---|
| Age | 37 |
|---|
| Date of birth | 1988-11-14 |
|---|
| Height | 5'11" |
|---|
| Reach | 70" |
|---|
| Leg reach | 40" |
|---|
| Stance | Orthodox |
|---|
| Last weigh-in | 155 lbs |
|---|
| Current streak | W3 |
|---|
| Total octagon time | 3h 22m |
|---|
Striking statistics
| Significant strikes landed per minute | 6.29 |
|---|
| Significant strikes absorbed per minute | 6.83 |
|---|
| Striking accuracy | 58% |
|---|
| Striking defense | 51% |
|---|
| Knockdowns per 15 minutes | 0.67 |
|---|
| Strikes to the head | 66% |
|---|
| Strikes to the body | 11% |
|---|
| Strikes to the legs | 23% |
|---|
Grappling statistics
| Takedowns per 15 minutes | 0.3 |
|---|
| Takedown defense | 73% |
|---|
| Submission attempts per 15 minutes | 0 |
|---|
| Average control time per fight (seconds) | 24.15 |
|---|
UFC finish breakdown
| UFC wins by KO/TKO | 6 |
|---|
| UFC wins by submission | 0 |
|---|
| UFC wins by decision | 4 |
|---|
Justin Gaethje UFC fight history
| Date | Event | Opponent | Result | Method |
|---|
| 2026-06-14 | UFC Freedom 250 | Ilia Topuria | win | Retirement (Corner Stoppage) · 5:00 · R4 |
| 2026-01-24 | UFC 324: Gaethje vs. Pimblett | Paddy Pimblett | win | Decision · Unanimous |
| 2025-03-08 | UFC 313: Pereira vs. Ankalaev | Rafael Fiziev | win | Decision · Unanimous |
| 2024-04-13 | UFC 300: Pereira vs. Hill | Max Holloway | loss | Overhand Right · 4:59 · R5 |
| 2023-07-29 | UFC 291: Poirier vs. Gaethje 2 | Dustin Poirier | win | Head Kick · 1:00 · R2 |
| 2023-03-18 | UFC 286: Edwards vs. Usman 3 | Rafael Fiziev | win | Decision · Majority |
| 2022-05-07 | UFC 274: Oliveira vs. Gaethje | Charles Oliveira | loss | Rear Naked Choke · 3:22 · R1 |
| 2021-11-06 | UFC 268: Usman vs. Covington 2 | Michael Chandler | win | Decision · Unanimous |
| 2020-10-24 | UFC 254: Khabib vs. Gaethje | Khabib Nurmagomedov | loss | Triangle Choke · 1:34 · R2 |
| 2020-05-09 | UFC 249: Ferguson vs. Gaethje | Tony Ferguson | win | Punches · 3:39 · R5 |
| 2019-09-14 | UFC on ESPN+ 16 | Donald Cerrone | win | Hooks & Uppercuts · 4:18 · R1 |
| 2019-03-30 | UFC on ESPN 2 | Edson Barboza | win | Right Hook · 2:30 · R1 |
| 2018-08-25 | UFC Fight Night 135 | James Vick | win | Punch · 1:27 · R1 |
| 2018-04-14 | UFC on FOX 29 | Dustin Poirier | loss | Punches · 0:33 · R4 |
| 2017-12-02 | UFC 218: Holloway vs. Aldo 2 | Eddie Alvarez | loss | Knee & Punches · 3:59 · R3 |
| 2017-07-07 | The Ultimate Fighter 25 Finale | Michael Johnson | win | Punches & Knees · 4:48 · R2 |
Sources and methodology
Career records and bout history are compiled from public event records. UFC performance metrics use published bout statistics; percentiles and derived metrics are calculated by Verdikt AI. Data can change after official corrections.
Read the methodology or report a correction.
Browse all UFC fighters