Nick Newell, who faced Justin Gaethje in a 2014 WSOF title fight, reflected on what makes Gaethje uniquely difficult to stop. Newell noted that despite audibly hearing Gaethje labor through fatigue, his power, output, and forward pressure never diminished — a quality Newell said he has only ever seen in two fighters, the other being Dricus Du Plessis.
Nick Newell has opened up about the lasting impression Justin Gaethje left on him from their 2014 WSOF title fight, describing the lightweight champion as a fighter whose forward pressure and output simply cannot be neutralized — regardless of how much he may be hurting.
Newell, now 40 and carrying a professional record of 14-2, recalled audibly hearing Gaethje labor through fatigue during their contest, yet watching him continue to pour forward with undiminished power and volume. That rare combination, Newell said, is something he has encountered in only one other fighter: Dricus Du Plessis. The comparison speaks to just how elite a club Gaethje occupies in Newell's view.
Gaethje, 37, holds the lightweight championship and a record of 28-5. His numbers back up everything Newell described — the Arizona native lands 6.48 significant strikes per minute at a 58 percent accuracy rate, among the most efficient high-volume outputs in the sport. He is six-foot-one in height at 180 cm, with a 70-inch reach and an orthodox stance.
Du Plessis, the fighter Newell draws his comparison to, is ranked second in the middleweight division and seventh pound-for-pound at just 32 years old. The South African operates out of a switch stance, stands at six-foot-one with a 76-inch reach, and lands 5.18 significant strikes per minute at 48 percent accuracy. He also adds a takedown threat at 2.22 per 15 minutes, rounding out a well-rounded, relentless skill set.
Why it matters
- Newell's firsthand account adds rare fighter-perspective detail to what analysts already see in Gaethje's statistical profile: elite striking volume paired with exceptional accuracy.
- The Du Plessis comparison puts two fighters from entirely different weight classes into the same conversation around an almost untameable forward pressure and engine.
- Both Gaethje and Du Plessis sit near the top of their respective divisions, making the framing relevant to title picture discussions in two weight classes.
