At UFC Freedom 250, Justin Gaethje finally completed his 9-year odyssey for undisputed 155lbs gold, shocking the MMA world by dethroning Ilia Topuria in the main event. The American not only snapped Topuria’s perfect 17-0 record but forced the champion’s corner to stop the fight after the fourth round, earning a TKO victory via corner stoppage. Commentator Jon Anik described the triumph as a career-defining capstone for Gaethje, and there is certainly a lot of merit in that statement.
After previously capturing two interim lightweight titles and the BMF belt, Gaethje’s journey to the undisputed championship stands as one of the most remarkable stories in UFC history. The victory has also reignited debate about where ‘The Highlight’ ranks among the greatest lightweights the sport has ever seen. If you ask Kamaru Usman, the answer is clear.
The former welterweight champion believes Gaethje has surpassed Khabib Nurmagomedov, BJ Penn, Charles Oliveira, and even Islam Makhachev as the most decorated lightweight in UFC history. Speaking on the Pound 4 Pound podcast alongside Henry Cejudo, Usman said, “I’m going to go out on a limb and say it right now, the most decorated UFC lightweight.”
Usman was quick to clarify that he was not calling Gaethje the greatest lightweight of all time, but rather the most accomplished based on the totality of his achievements. He said, “I’m not saying he’s the best lightweight ever. I’m not saying he has the most wins. I’m not saying all that. I’m saying the most decorated. What I mean by that is Justin Gaethje has a title from a different organization (WSOF). He came in with the title. Not only a title, had a title from a different organization, defended it multiple times, to where he came into the UFC undefeated with that title.”
He further added, “Every fight he’s been in, he’s had a bonus. On top of that, the first two-time interim champion in UFC history. That’s two different belts right there, two different titles. Also, let’s put a BMF title on top of that. And now, let’s put an undisputed belt on top of that. The most decorated lightweight we’ve ever seen.”
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There is certainly plenty of merit to Usman’s argument. Fans often forget that Gaethje made his UFC debut against then-No. 5-ranked Michael Johnson in 2017. Since that night, he has exclusively faced ranked contenders, former champions, or title challengers. His resume now includes victories over Ilia Topuria, Dustin Poirier, Michael Chandler, Tony Ferguson, and Donald Cerrone, while also producing memorable battles against legends such as Khabib Nurmagomedov and Max Holloway.
Few fighters in UFC history have consistently competed against such elite opposition. The statistics further strengthen Gaethje’s case. His seven knockout victories in UFC lightweight competition are tied for the third-most in divisional history, trailing only Drew Dober (11) and Dustin Poirier (9). Across his professional career, 23 of his 28 victories have come by stoppage.
In addition, Gaethje has earned an astonishing 17 post-fight bonuses in just 16 UFC appearances. Those 17 bonuses are the most earned by any fighter in the promotion since his debut in 2017 and the most ever recorded in UFC lightweight history. His 11 Fight of the Night awards remain the most in company history, and he became the first fighter ever to earn Fight of the Night honors in four consecutive UFC bouts. Gaethje also became the first fighter in UFC history to receive multiple post-fight bonuses on three separate occasions. Now, with an undisputed lightweight title added to an already stacked collection of accomplishments, Usman’s claim that Gaethje is the most decorated lightweight the sport has ever seen becomes increasingly difficult to dismiss.
Kshitiz Kumar Singh is a UFC Writer at NY Fights with over three years of experience in sports journalism and content creation. Known for his sharp storytelling and passion for combat sports, he has written in-depth features on stars like Brock Lesnar, Randy Couture, and Ilia Topuria. Before joining NY Fights, Kshitiz worked as a UFC Editor at EssentiallySports while currently serving as a WWE Editor at FirstSportz. His admiration for legends like Georges St-Pierre continues to inspire his detailed and engaging MMA coverage. Whether he’s covering the Octagon or the squared circle, Kshitiz is committed to delivering accurate, high-quality content. Outside the world of sports, he’s a dedicated cinephile, often found practicing monologues from his favorite Al Pacino films, combining his love for cinema with storytelling.