Justin Gaethje, over the years, has become one of the most popular fighters in the UFC, not only in his division but in the entire promotion. Fighting in the stacked lightweight division, he has stood out as one of the best the 155-pound weight class has ever seen, and a pretty violent one at that. ‘The Highlight’ will be returning to action at UFC 313 to try to get back to his winning ways in an impromptu rematch against Rafael Fiziev.

Gaethje started his training in wrestling at a very early age, at four years old. As he grew older, he became a two-time state champion; he gained an All-American status and later turned to MMA after wrestling former UFC fighters during a training session at the University of Northern Colorado. But where did Gaethje start his martial arts training? Let’s have a look at that front.

Details on the gym and coach of Justin Gaethje

Justin Gaethje got his first taste of MMA training under renowned coach Trevor Wittman. ‘The Highlight’ came to the latter’s notice during a fight he had under the Ring of Fire banner in 2011. Wittman went on to introduce himself to Gaethje, and at that time, the UFC lightweight star was still actively competing in wrestling tournaments for his university. The 50-year-old coach would subsequently invite Gaethje to his gym, Grudge MMA, to start his MMA training.

However, it wasn’t until after Justin Gaethje graduated that he started full-time training in MMA with Trevor Wittman. But that partnership was short lived. In 2016, the renowned MMA coach had to shut down his gym so that he could spend more time with his family. This led Gaethje to find another gym to train at and found the Elevation Fight Team, where he still trains to this day. However, he still splits time to work with Wittman independently as well. Now, let us take a look at fighters who are Gaethje’s teammates.

‘The Highlight’s MMA teammates

Being a world-class fighter himself, Justin Gaethje has some great fighters as teammates. Since he trained under Trevor Wittman, some of the 50-year-old’s students like former champions Rose Namajunas and Kamaru Usman became his teammates. When it comes to his teammates from the Elevation Fight Team, ‘The Highlight’ has Cory Sandhagen, Neil Magny, and Curtis Blaydes, who all fight in the UFC.

Despite his own success in the UFC, Justin Gaethje remains a team player by supporting his fellow fighters. When he’s not in the octagon, he can often be found lending a hand during public workouts or at the gym, especially with Kamaru Usman. Training alongside elite athletes has undoubtedly contributed to Gaethje’s growth as a fighter.

The work Justin Gaethje had put in with his team helped him earn the BMF title against the formidable Dustin Poirier. But that momentum was derailed when he suffered a last-second knockout at UFC 300. What do you think will transpire at UFC 313?