Not Khabib Nurmagomedov or Dustin Poirier, Justin Gaethje Reveals Fighter With “Most Effective” Shot He Faced in UFC

Kevin Binoy
|Published Feb 17, 2024 07:31AM UTC

Justin Gaethje ensures pure violence every time he steps into the octagon. Thus far, in his UFC career, Gaethje has never been involved in a ‘boring’ fight. This is one of the traits that has made him extremely popular and loved among fans. During the course of his career, Gaethje has fought some of the toughest fighters in the UFC lightweight division, such as Michael Chandler, Charles Oliveira and Khabib Nurmagomedov. However, his answer for the hardest puncher he has faced is something that fans might have not expected. In a recent Q&A prior to UFC 298, Justin Gaethje was asked who has hit him the hardest in the UFC thus far.

Gaethje replied, saying,

“I think the best shot that landed on me was from [Charles] Oliveira. It’s that same shot 100 times, you don’t see it one time and it’s so much more effective. That was the case that night, he caught me off guard, by surprise. It hurt.”

Over the course of his career, Gaethje has faced hard hitters such as Dustin Poirier, Eddie Alvarez and Edson Barboza among others. He took on Charles Oliveira for the title in May 2022 at UFC 274. Gaethje lost the fight via a rear-naked choke in the very first round of the fight.

Charles Oliveira is not particularly known for his knockout power. Oliveira has secured 10 of his 34 wins via knockout which is just a bit under 10%. Oliveira is more prolific in getting people to the ground and securing submissions. Therefore, Gaethje picking Oliveira as the hardest hitter he has faced will surely surprise many fans.

Justin Gaethje to get pipped by Charles Oliveira for a title shot?

Gaethje is taking on Max Holloway for the BMF belt at UFC 300. If he secures a win, he will be on a two-fight win streak. ‘The Highlight’ will want a shot at the title if he secures a win at UFC 300. However, that will depend on the result of the fight where Charles Oliveira will take on Arman Tsarukyan just before Gaethje vs Holloway.

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If Oliveira secures a win, he will most definitely get a rematch against Islam Makhachev later this year. However, if Oliveira falls short against Tsarukyan, Gaethje will get his third shot at the UFC lightweight title. Regardless of who gets the title shot, fans are in for an exciting title fight at 155-pounds.

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About the author

Kevin Binoy

With more than two years of devoted experience in the Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) industry, Kevin Binoy is an accomplished MMA journalist. His love of combat sports and his deep knowledge of the tactics and background of mixed martial arts (MMA) enable him to analyze fights and present his readers a distinct viewpoint. Throughout his writing career, Kevin has contributed to a number of reputable outlets.