Justin Gaethje has finally captured undisputed UFC gold, defeating Ilia Topuria as a major underdog to become the UFC Lightweight champion at UFC Freedom 250.
Gaethje entered the main event as a 5-to-1 underdog but emerged with the undisputed title after beating Topuria and sending him to the hospital. The bout headlined UFC Freedom 250, staged on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C., as the UFC marked America’s 250th anniversary.
The new champion’s run to the belt came after earlier setbacks in undisputed title fights, where he was finished by Khabib Nurmagomedov and Charles Oliveira. He had also experienced a knockout loss to Max Holloway at UFC 300 in 2024.
Two years after 2024, Gaethje handed Paddy Pimblett his first UFC loss and later defeated Topuria, sending both men to the hospital during that stretch on his way to the championship.
Gaethje’s résumé is packed with bonuses and violence. He has had 16 UFC fights and earned 17 post-fight bonuses, holds the most "Fight of the Night" bonuses in UFC history with 11, and is the only fighter in UFC history to win a post-fight bonus in each of his first seven UFC bouts. He is tied for the third-most knockouts in UFC Lightweight history with seven.
Nicknamed "The Highlight" and a former "BMF" titleholder, Gaethje has been described as fighting with extreme willingness to take damage in every bout and as one of the most exciting and consistently thrilling fighters in MMA history.
