But you could not wipe the smile off his face straight afterwards, following his side's 25-15 win on Saturday night.
Dixon said the match was as brutal and as tough as it looked.
"I was pretty spent, about the 60th, 70th-minute mark, but the crowd got in behind us and we managed to score a couple of tries. We were trying to go for that bonus point but it was just a bit too far away,'' he said.
"The first 30 minutes we were trying to stick to a game plan of kicking the ball back to them and see what they could do with it. Then in the last 40 we wanted to see what we could do with it and play with the ball. Those guys coming on with the fresh legs really helped us.''
The match was played at a hectic pace as befits a New Zealand derby.
There was also plenty of niggle and some ferocious defence from both teams.
The Chiefs led 7-5 at the break and might have expected to pull away in the second half as the Highlanders travel factor came into play given the team returned from Argentina only last Tuesday.
But Dixon said the big home crowd helped.
"The travel factor was not too bad. If you think you're tired then you will be tired. You get out in front of 22,000 people, in what is pretty much a quarterfinal for us, then you're not tired.
"It was a bit tough getting that second wind. We were pretty happy with that. Just to soak it all up. We just wanted to be close at halftime. Then you get six forwards back into the game [from the bench] pretty quickly and it really helps the boys go forward.''
Dixon said the side did not worry the points were not coming despite having plenty of possession and territory.
"We knew if we kept on doing what we wanted to do, then get around the corner quickly we would get some gaps open up and we managed to get through for a couple [of tries].''
The Chiefs scored early as winger Toni Pulu burrowed over.
The Highlanders though dominated most of the first half. No8 Luke Whitelock was ruled to have not grounded the ball when he drove over the line while a Waisake Naholo try was ruled out for a clear shepherd.
Naholo though eventually dived over in the corner just before the half hour mark.
With forwards Mark Reddish, Josh Hohneck and Dan Pryor coming on at halftime, the Highlanders kept going forward and penalties from Lima Sopoaga put the home side in front.
Pryor then finished off a 70m move involving backs and forwards to give his side an eight-point buffer.
Chiefs winger James Lowe butchered a try on 62 minutes and, when Sopoaga scored a try after the Highlanders attacked down the left, the gap was 10 points and too far for the ChiefsBest for the Highlanders were fullback and captain Ben Smith.
Malakai Fekitoa was tough in defence while up front flanker James Lentjes had a strong first half and lock Alex Ainley was into everything.
Highlanders v Chiefs
The scores
Highlanders 25
Waisake Naholo, Dan Pryor, Lima Sopoaga tries; Sopoaga 2 con, 2 pen
Chiefs 15
Toni Pulu, Lachlan Boshier tries; Damian McKenzie con, pen
Halftime: 7-5 Chiefs
Crowd: 23,336
