Nick Newell reflected on his 2014 WSOF title fight against Justin Gaethje, which Gaethje won by TKO, saying the only way to stop Gaethje is to knock him completely unconscious. Newell noted that Gaethje maintains the same output, power, and pressure even when clearly exhausted, and named him and Dricus Du Plessis as the only two fighters he has observed who do not change their game under fatigue.
Nick Newell has opened up about his 2014 World Series of Fighting lightweight title fight against Justin Gaethje, offering a firsthand account of what makes the current UFC lightweight champion one of the most uniquely durable fighters in the sport.
Newell, now 40, carries a professional record of 14-2 and fought out of a southpaw stance throughout his career. He faced Gaethje in a WSOF championship bout that ended by TKO, and the experience left a lasting impression. Speaking in a recent interview, Newell described Gaethje as virtually impossible to stop through attrition alone, saying the only realistic path to defeating him is a clean knockout that renders him fully unconscious.
The observation carries weight given what the numbers say about Gaethje. Now 37 and the reigning UFC lightweight champion with a record of 28-5, "The Highlight" lands an extraordinary 6.48 significant strikes per minute at 58 percent accuracy — numbers that reflect the relentless offensive output Newell described experiencing in person.
Newell went further, placing Gaethje in rare company. He identified Dricus Du Plessis as the only other fighter he has observed who refuses to alter his approach when visibly gassed. Du Plessis, the number-two-ranked UFC middleweight at 32 years old, backs that reputation with 5.18 significant strikes landed per minute and adds a meaningful wrestling dimension, averaging 2.22 takedowns per 15 minutes. The South African, who holds a 23-3 record, also operates out of a switch stance, adding further complexity to what opponents must manage deep into a fight.
Why it matters
- Newell's firsthand account adds rare credibility to the widely held view that Gaethje cannot be worn down tactically
- Grouping Gaethje and Du Plessis together highlights a shared trait — sustained aggression under fatigue — that has defined both fighters' rise
- The comparison puts Du Plessis's championship-level toughness in a cross-divisional context as he remains a top contender at middleweight
