“When I sat down and knew I was going to go to the UFC, I thought of Edson Barboza and I almost had a panic attack. And then right away I called my manager Ali Abdel-Aziz. I said, 'Ali, that's the fight I want.' I think it's the worst fight in the lightweight division for me, the scariest.”

American professional mixed martial artist, active since 2011

Justin Gaethje is an American professional mixed martial artist, active since 2011, who competes in the lightweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He has held the UFC Lightweight Championship and is known as the first fighter in UFC history to win the interim lightweight title twice. Before joining the UFC, Gaethje fought in the World Series of Fighting, where he became the promotion’s first and only Lightweight Champion. He also held the UFC’s "BMF" title. His public profile is built around high-level lightweight competition and a record of championship success across major organizations.