'He laid me out twice'… Tyron Woodley and Robbie Lawler overlooked as UFC veteran names hardest-hitting opponent

01/21/2025 10:12 AM

It’s a given that any professional fighter can hit hard, especially with good technique and shot placement.

Some fighters are markedly tougher than others; think Jon Jones and his uncrackable chin or Francis Ngannou’s devastating power. Some fighters are fortunate enough to face favorable opposition, but for others, like those who are anytime-anywhere fighters, they don’t have the luxury.

Such is the case with 45-fight MMA veteran Jake Shields, who fought Tyron Woodley and Robbie Lawler in their primes. However, Shields doesn’t rank ‘The Chosen One’ or ‘Ruthless’ as his hardest-hitting opponent.

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Jake Shield ranks Dan Henderson as his hardest-hitting opponent

Speaking on the Overdogs Podcast, Shields got onto the topic of his toughest opponents and concluded that Dan Henderson takes the spot.

“Man I fought so many tough dudes,” Shields remarked. “[Tyron] Woodley in his prime, [Dan] Henderson in his prime, that was the hardest I’ve been hit. He laid me out twice in that first round, thank god I had a good referee. . . . I got up twice and dominated the rest of the fight.

“[…] That was an insane moment from a tough dude. . . . Yeah I did not have a padded record.”

Dan Henderson’s savage knockouts

Henderson is recognized for having one of the most powerful right hands in all of MMA. In his prime, ‘Hendo’ developed the technique known as the ‘H-Bomb’ – a right hand that would knock an opponent down before delivering a crushing forearm strike. Most notably, Henderson showcased this technique against Michael Bisping in their first encounter at UFC 100.

Henderson also scored highlight reel knockouts over Hector Lombard, Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Hua, Wanderlei Silva, and Fedor Emelianenko.