Every fighter can probably recall a moment that was more subdued than their first title or knockout. For Justin Gaethje, it might have been two coworkers telling him he would return shortly while he stood at the edge of a copper mine in Morenci, Arizona. that he wouldn’t be able to attend college. that, just as it had drawn everyone in, the mine would draw him back. He never returned.
Gaethje enrolled at the University of Northern Colorado, a Division I wrestling program that wasn’t particularly well-known among recruiters. It’s possible that the majority of people outside of Colorado wrestling were completely unaware of UNC’s program. However, Gaethje wasn’t pursuing prestige, so that’s kind of the point. It was more difficult to identify what he was pursuing. Perhaps simply the desire to disprove those two miners.
He had an 18-9 record his freshman year. Not exceptional, but decent. He finished third in the Oregon Wrestling Classic after winning five of his last six fights. Looking back, it seems like this was a young athlete still discovering his true potential. Even though his inclusion on the Western Wrestling All-Conference First Team was significant, he was still looking for a ceiling.
A reality check came during the sophomore year. At 157 pounds, he qualified for the 2009 NCAA Division I Championship, where he finished 0–2. Wrestling in front of coaches and scouts who were already making judgments had to hurt those defeats. That season, he finished 14-4, was named to the All-Conference once more, and quietly moved on. The thing about Gaethje is that she usually just moves forward without showing signs of panic.
Everything changed during junior year. At the 2010 NCAA Championship, he went 5-2, placing seventh at 157 pounds and being named an All-American. The historical significance of that moment—he was the first wrestler from Northern Colorado to be named a Division I All-American since Larry Wagner in 1970—made it truly noteworthy. Forty years. It’s not easy to carry that.
The challenges of senior year were different. He struggled with the transition, lost a lot of weight, and dropped to 149 pounds. Despite going 1-2 and finishing 17-8, he managed to qualify for the 2011 NCAA Championship. It’s difficult to ignore how that season, with its flaws, hardships, and discomfort, perfectly reflects the type of fighter he developed into in his professional career. In every room, Gaethje has never been the most technically proficient man. He is the one who perseveres.
After graduating with a degree in criminal justice and a 191-9 high school record, he went on to rewrite records during his collegiate career at a school that most MMA fans couldn’t find on a map. He was inducted into Northern Colorado’s Athletics Hall of Fame in June 2020, ten years after the event, as is customary for those who do things quietly and correctly.
In the end, Gaethje’s college years don’t provide a neat origin story. It’s more honest and messy than that. A young man from a family of copper miners who was told he didn’t belong, who lost his first national tournament 0–2, and who wrestled through the agony of a weight cut his senior year—all of which he overcame. All the focus is on the UFC octagon. However, the real Justin Gaethje was being put together somewhere in Greeley, Colorado, inside a wrestling room that most likely smelled like old rubber mats and sweat.
