Gaethje has never fought outside the UFC top 15 in nearly 10 years

Throughout his UFC career spanning nearly a decade, Justin Gaethje has faced exclusively top-15 opponents, giving him one of the most elite opposition records in the promotion's history. Even James Vick, often cited as the outlier on his résumé, arrived at their fight with a 9-1 UFC record and five finishes. Gaethje now brings that wealth of high-level experience into his lightweight title fight against Ilia Topuria.