Dustin Poirier details the strongest fighter he faced during UFC career

Dustin Poirier has identified Khabib Nurmagomedov as the physically strongest opponent he ever faced in his UFC career, a memorable experience that left a lasting impression on the former interim lightweight champion. The two locked horns at UFC 242 in Abu Dhabi in 2019, during Nurmagomedov's penultimate fight.

Poirier acknowledged uncertainty about whether Nurmagomedov's dominance stemmed purely from raw strength or a lethal combination of elite grappling technique and power. "[Khabib] was the strongest guy I've ever felt," Poirier said on "The Fight with Teddy Atlas" podcast. "And I'm not sure if it was actual brute strength or it was a mixture of strength and technique that just made him feel like he weighed a 1000 pounds."

Although Nurmagomedov controlled much of the fight, Poirier had his moments—landing a hard strike in round two and locking in a tight guillotine choke in the third. Nurmagomedov escaped and finished with a rear-naked choke to force the tap. The Russian went on to defend his title once more against Justin Gaethje before retiring undefeated in 2020. Poirier made two subsequent unsuccessful title bids against Islam Makhachev and Charles Oliveira before retiring last year following a loss to Max Holloway.