Justin Gaethje reflects on Khabib Nurmagomedov title fight in stark assessment

Justin Gaethje claims nobody could beat Khabib Nurmagomedov after father’s death

Sharing the cage with the undefeated Russian five years ago in a trip to ‘Fight Island’, then-interim champion Gaethje was stopped in one-sided fashion by Hall of Fame star, Khabib Nurmagomedov.

Succumbing to a second round triangle as Nurmagomedov choked him unconscious, Gaethje consoled the emotional champion who retired post-fight off the back of his father, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov’s sad passing.

Reflecting on the pairing five years down the line, Gaethje claims whomever shared the Octagon with ‘The Eagle’ that night, they would have suffered a similar fate as he did.

“No man on earth was beating Khabib (Nurmagomedov) that night, he was fighting for something far greater…,” Gaethje posted on X.

“I lost the fight so I was very upset,” Gaethje said. “I understood what he was going through. Everything was very public, I knew his father had just passed away in the last month or two. I can imagine how emotional that could be. …I went to him and said, ‘I think you just made your dad pretty happy.'”

Justin Gaethje reveals his scariest UFC opponent

Sharing the Octagon with the who’s who of the lightweight division since his UFC rise back in 2017, Gaethje has prevailed against notable names.

Avenging a loss to the now-retired Dustin Poirier, Gaethje also brought an end to the record-breaking winning spree of fellow former interim gold holder Tony Ferguson.

And even sharing the Octagon in a barnburner with Michael Chandler, Gaethje revealed none of those trio come as the scariest opponent he has faced in the sport.