Justin Gaethje went from 80 cents to not touching his UFC title paycheck

Justin Gaethje has come a long way from the days of scraping by on fight purses, but his early career struggles left a lasting impression that shaped how he views money today.

When Gaethje made his television debut in 2013 under the World Series of Fighting banner, a simple administrative error nearly ruined his first taste of financial security. He was supposed to receive $4,000 to show and $4,000 to win, but the promotion mistakenly cut him a $10,000 check instead. At the time, Gaethje had just 80 cents in his bank account. Excited about his newfound wealth, he flew to New York City to celebrate with his family—their first time visiting the city. The celebration came to an abrupt halt on Sunday when he attempted to withdraw cash at an ATM and discovered his account had been frozen due to the payment error, leaving him stranded without money until Monday morning.

The incident proved formative. After the account was unfrozen, Gaethje found himself in a recurring cycle: he would feel temporarily wealthy after receiving a paycheck, spend it almost entirely on food within a month, go broke again, and repeat the process multiple times over. That financial instability remained a constant throughout his early fighting career.

Now a UFC lightweight champion following his historic title-winning victory over Ilia Topuria at UFC Freedom 250, Gaethje has achieved a level of success that has fundamentally changed his relationship with money. Speaking with UFC Hall of Famer Demetrious Johnson, the champion revealed that he still hasn't touched the paycheck from his title-winning performance—a stark contrast to the days when he would blow his entire earnings on immediate expenses within weeks of receiving them.