Fighter profile

Justin Gaethje

“The Highlight”

Lightweight · UFC record 11-5 · 16 detailed UFC fights · Last fight Sun 14 Jun 2026

Volume StrikerPower Striker

Fighter ratings

Ratings V2Rated

Striking (offense)87

Power90

Striking defense60

Takedown defense82

WrestlingProvisional measure62

Ratings V2 descriptive 0–100 scores (16 detailed fights; as of Sun 14 Jun 2026). Not win probabilities or rankings. Missing values stay unavailable.

Chin and Cardio · Frozen through October 17, 2026

R1 research scale

ChinEvidence: ESTABLISHED79.5

CardioEvidence: ESTABLISHED73.4

Source: R1 public_candidate_display · status: Research candidate · as of Sat 17 Oct 2026. Separate frozen research scale; fights after October 17, 2026 are not reflected.

About these ratings

Ratings are domain-specific descriptive scales. Equal point differences across different domains do not imply equal absolute skill differences.

Striking (offense) · Ratings V2: Ratings V2 striking-offense score built from recorded significant strikes landed per round, significant-strike accuracy and significant-strike differential.
Power · Ratings V2: Recorded knockdown and KO/TKO-win threat under the Ratings V2 contract (knockdowns per round, KO/TKO win rate); not literal measured punching force.
Striking defense · Ratings V2: Recorded strike avoidance (striking defense) and bounded absorption (strikes absorbed per round) under the Ratings V2 contract.
Takedown defense · Ratings V2: Recorded defense against incoming takedown attempts (takedown defense rate) under the Ratings V2 contract.
Wrestling · Ratings V2: Ratings V2 wrestling-offense score: recorded takedowns landed per round and takedown accuracy. Not ground control or complete grappling.
Chin · R1 research scale: Exposure-adjusted recorded knockdown resistance. This is not a direct biological measurement of chin, recovery, or injury resistance.
Cardio · R1 research scale: Recorded later-round striking activity and effectiveness retention. This is not a direct physiological fitness measurement.

Ratings V2 scores follow each fighter's latest recorded state; R1 research-scale scores are frozen through 17 Oct 2026. Recovery is separate metadata, not a rating. No combined rating exists.

Profile

Height: 180 cm (5'11")
Reach: 178 cm (5'10")
Stance: Orthodox
Age: 37

Last 3: L W W (most recent last)

Career statistics

Descriptive

16 detailed UFC fights · 45 rounds of recorded statistics. Exact totals from recorded UFC fights through Sun 14 Jun 2026; not opponent-adjusted and not model inputs.

Strikes landed28.2significant, per round

Strikes absorbed30.7per round

Striking differential-2.4per round

Takedown attempts0.33per round

Takedown defense73.3%of attempts stopped

Finish rate63.6%of UFC wins

Striking

Significant strikes landed per round: 28.2
Significant strikes absorbed per round: 30.7
Differential per round (landed − absorbed): -2.4
Striking accuracy: 57.6%
Striking defense (opponent strikes avoided): 50.7%
Knockdowns per round: 0.20
Target: head / body / leg: 66.2% / 10.9% / 22.9%
Position: distance / clinch / ground: 83.8% / 12.8% / 3.5%

Per-round figures divide recorded totals by rounds with statistics. Shares are of significant strikes landed.

Wrestling and grappling

Takedown attempts per round: 0.33
Takedowns landed per round: 0.09
Takedown accuracy: 26.7%
Takedown defense: 73.3%
Control time per round: 0:18
Submission attempts per round: 0.00
Reversals per round: 0.00

Attempts and landed takedowns are counted separately; accuracy is landed ÷ attempted.

Outcomes and durability

UFC record (W-L-D, NC): 11-5-0
Finish rate (wins by KO/TKO or submission): 63.6%
Wins by KO/TKO · submission · decision: 7 · 0 · 4
Losses by KO/TKO · submission · decision: 3 · 2 · 0
Knockdowns scored / suffered: 9 / 4
Average fight time: 12:49 (over 15 bouts)

Results as recorded by UFCStats. Fight time is elapsed time (completed rounds plus ending time) and includes draws and no-contests. These are outcomes, not biological measurements.

UFC fight history

Justin Gaethje — most recent UFC fights
Date	Opponent	Result	Method	End	Event
Sun 14 Jun 2026	Ilia Topuria	W	KO/TKO	R4 5:00	UFC Freedom 250
Sat 24 Jan 2026	Paddy Pimblett	W	U-DEC	R5 5:00	UFC 324: Gaethje vs. Pimblett
Sat 8 Mar 2025	Rafael Fiziev	W	U-DEC	R3 5:00	UFC 313: Pereira vs. Ankalaev
Sat 13 Apr 2024	Max Holloway	L	KO/TKO Punch	R5 4:59	UFC 300: Pereira vs. Hill
Sat 29 Jul 2023	Dustin Poirier	W	KO/TKO Kick	R2 1:00	UFC 291: Poirier vs. Gaethje 2

Show all 16 UFC fights

Justin Gaethje — earlier UFC fights
Date	Opponent	Result	Method	End	Event
Sat 18 Mar 2023	Rafael Fiziev	W	M-DEC	R3 5:00	UFC 286: Edwards vs. Usman 3
Sat 7 May 2022	Charles Oliveira	L	SUB Rear Naked Choke	R1 3:22	UFC 274: Oliveira vs. Gaethje
Sat 6 Nov 2021	Michael Chandler	W	U-DEC	R3 5:00	UFC 268: Usman vs. Covington 2
Sat 24 Oct 2020	Khabib Nurmagomedov	L	SUB Triangle Choke	R2 1:34	UFC 254: Khabib vs. Gaethje
Sat 9 May 2020	Tony Ferguson	W	KO/TKO Punch	R5 3:39	UFC 249: Ferguson vs. Gaethje
Sat 14 Sep 2019	Donald Cerrone	W	KO/TKO Punch	R1 4:18	UFC Fight Night: Cowboy vs. Gaethje
Sat 30 Mar 2019	Edson Barboza	W	KO/TKO Punch	R1 2:30	UFC Fight Night: Barboza vs. Gaethje
Sat 25 Aug 2018	James Vick	W	KO/TKO Punch	R1 1:27	UFC Fight Night: Gaethje vs. Vick
Sat 14 Apr 2018	Dustin Poirier	L	KO/TKO Punch	R4 0:33	UFC Fight Night: Poirier vs. Gaethje
Sat 2 Dec 2017	Eddie Alvarez	L	KO/TKO Knee	R3 3:59	UFC 218: Holloway vs. Aldo 2
Fri 7 Jul 2017	Michael Johnson	W	KO/TKO Knees	R2 4:48	The Ultimate Fighter: Redemption Finale

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