Nick Newell Record: 16-4-0

WSOF run and the Gaethje title fight

Newell signed with World Series of Fighting and kept finishing, submitting Keon Caldwell and Sabah Fadai by guillotine in 2013. That set up the defining night of his career: in July 2014 at WSOF 11, Newell challenged undefeated lightweight champion Justin Gaethje live on network television, the first time a congenital amputee fought for a title in a nationally broadcast promotion. Gaethje stopped him by strikes in the second round, the first loss of Newell's career, but the fight cemented his standing as a genuine main-event draw. He bounced back with decision wins over Joe Condon and Tommy Marcellino before stepping away from the sport in 2015.

Comeback years

Newell ended his retirement and returned in March 2018, submitting Sonny Luque in the first round at LFA 35. His bid for a UFC contract came that July on Dana White's Contender Series, where he lost a decision to unbeaten Alex Munoz. He kept fighting into the Bellator era, submitting Corey Browning with a first-round arm-triangle in a home-state appearance at Bellator 225 in 2019, while also dropping decisions to Manny Muro and Bobby King against tough competition. In January 2023 he competed in a grappling match against John Howard that ended in a decision draw.

Fighting style

Newell is a submission specialist in the purest sense: 11 of his 16 wins have come by tap-out, with rear-naked chokes, guillotines, armbars, a heel hook and an arm-triangle all on his ledger, good for an 81% finish rate. His wrestling base – honed across a full college career – lets him dictate where fights take place, and once the bout hits the mat his chain of attacks is relentless. He developed knockout power as well, scoring two finishes by strikes including a knee. The honest read is that his four losses came against elite competition and three went the distance, suggesting that the fighters who beat him generally had to grind out decisions rather than dominate him.

Career highlights

• National-TV title challenger — fought Justin Gaethje for the WSOF lightweight title on network television, in a landmark moment for adaptive athletes.
• 11 submission wins — finished the vast majority of his opponents on the mat, building an 81% career finish rate.
• Resilient comebacks — returned from retirement to win in LFA and Bellator, including a first-round submission at Bellator 225 in his home region.