Khabib Nurmagomedov names UFC opponent who 'hits like a truck' - and it's not Conor McGregor
Sarah Richards
Updated on April 07, 2026
Khabib Nurmagomedov has named Justin Gaethje as the hardest puncher he ever faced.
The retired MMA legend shared the Octagon with heavy hitters such as Conor McGregor, Dustin Poirier, Edson Barboza, and Michael Johnson during his career.
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However, he ranks Gaethje above them all after facing off against ‘The Highlight’ in a lightweight title unification fight at UFC 254 in October 2020.
“I think it was Justin Gaehtje, he hit like a truck,” Nurmagomedov said when Patrick Bet-David asked him to name the biggest puncher he’s faced.
‘The Eagle’ believes the way he reacted to being hit extraordinarily hard ultimately led to him picking up a second-round technical submission win over Gaethje.
“He hits like a truck, but it was one thing that broke him,” Nurmagomedov added.
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“When he hit me, I remember it was a right uppercut and left hook. It was his best shot and I told him, ‘Brother, is this everything you have?’
“I like Justin Gaethje and I was talking to him. After this combination, I told him, ‘This is everything you have.’ And at the end of the first round, he started to get tired.
“I told him, ‘This is jetlag because you came to Abu Dhabi one week before the fight. I am here one month.’ I know where I was after one week because it is desert, and you have to be there at least a couple of weeks before the fight.
“Inside the cage I told him, ‘Brother, you have jetlag.’
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After putting Gaethje to sleep, Nurmagomedov announced his shock retirement from fighting at just 32 years old.
Despite Dana White’s best attempts to persuade him to reconsider, the 29-0 Russian hasn't fought since and has no plans to do so after walking away from MMA entirely last year when he gave up coaching.
Nurmagomedov guided his protégé, Islam Makhachev, to lightweight gold before announcing he wants to spend more time with his young family.
Makhachev will defend his 155lb belt in a rematch with Charles Oliveira at UFC 294 in October and will have to rely on a different head coach in the absence of Nurmagomedov.
