5 flawless striking displays by UFC fighters 

The evolution of the striking realm in MMA has been fascinating to watch since the inception of the UFC in 1993. The sport was dominated by wrestlers for the longest time as kickboxing, karate and Muay Thai specialists struggled to implement their game inside the cage.

Today, striking specialists ensure that their takedown defense and grappling prowess are up to par before joining the big-time MMA leagues.

Israel Adesanya is a prime example of this. 'The Last Stylebender' put together a 75-5 kickboxing record while simultaneously training in MMA. When he fights opponents with a wrestling background and sub-par striking, the gap in skill is as clear as day in the stand-up exchanges. His TKO victories against Derek Brunson and Rob Wilkinson are testament to this fact.

Having said that, we thought we’d rank the five most flawless striking displays by UFC fighters.

Conor McGregor’s 13-second KO of Jose Aldo, Francis Ngannou’s 20-second KO of Jairzinho Rozenstruik and Jorge Masvidal’s five-second KO of Ben Askren were hugely efficient striking displays. However, we’re looking at bouts where a fighter systematically dismantles their opponent before ultimately finding a finish.

Let’s get on with the list.

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#5. Alexander Gustafsson vs. Glover Teixeira – UFC Fight Night 109

At UFC Fight Night 109, Alexander Gustafsson and Glover Teixeira squared off in the main event at the Ericsson Globe in Stockholm, Sweden. Gustafsson, the hometown hero, was looking to make amends after suffering a TKO loss to Anthony 'Rumble' Johnson in his previous headliner in his native country.

The fight turned out to be a barnburner, winning the 'Fight of the Night' honors on the night. The Swede's striking was several steps ahead of Teixeira's as he picked apart the MMA veteran throughout the bout.

In the fifth round, Gustafsson unleashed a vicious combination of uppercuts that noticeably stunned Teixeira. Realizing that his opponent was clearly compromised, 'The Mauler' uncorked a powerful right hook to finish the bout.

During his interview with Dan Hardy, Gustafsson delivered one of the most memorable post-fight moments in UFC history. The Swede proposed to his partner inside the octagon, sending the crowd in attendance into a frenzy.

Watch the touching moment below:

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#4. Israel Adesanya vs. Paulo Costa – UFC 253

Israel Adesanya's best performance in the UFC came in his second title defense. The Nigerian-born New Zealander took on Paulo Costa in the main event of UFC 253 on Fight Island, Abu Dhabi.

Going into the bout, UFC president Dana White claimed on numerous occasions that the fight would be a 'Fight of the Year' contender. Both Adesanya and Costa were undefeated stand-up fighters and there was a ton of bad blood between them as well. The matchup had all the makings of an instant classic.

However, Adesanya seemingly didn't get the script and absolutely demolished Costa in under two rounds.

'The Last Stylebender' picked apart the powerful Brazilian with surgical precision en route to a comfortable TKO victory. His vicious leg kicks rendered his opponent immobile as 'Borrachinha' barely landed a strike on the champion.

Adesanya's flawless performance led many to say that he would remain the middleweight champion for many years to come. His reputation as one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world skyrocketed, so much so that he earned a direct shot at the light heavyweight title soon after the victory over Costa.

Watch the full fight below:

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#3. Valentina Shevchenko vs. Jessica Eye – UFC 238

In her first flyweight title defense, Valentina Shevchenko took on Jessica Eye in the co-main event of UFC 238. 'Bullet' repeatedly kicked Eye's body throughout the first round and the damage to the midsection was clearly mounting. In the second round, Shevchenko landed a few more body kicks before throwing a perfectly placed head kick.

With Eye anticipating another blow to her body, she dropped her hands, which was the last voluntary action she took in the fight.

Shevchenko's win over Jessica Eye set the tone for her championship reign. 'Bullet' went on to defend the title against Liz Carmouche, Katlyn Chookagian, Jennifer Maia, Jessica Andrade and Lauren Murphy.

She is still the champion at 125 lb and her stunning head-kick KO victory over Eye remains the most memorable win of her reign so far.

#2. Conor McGregor vs. Eddie Alvarez – UFC 205

Conor McGregor's incredible rise in the UFC featherweight division between 2013 and 2015 saw the Irishman emerge as the biggest star in the sport. In two years, 'Notorious' had gone from being a relatively unknown prospect to the face of MMA.

After capturing the featherweight strap with a sensational 13-second KO victory over long-reigning champion Jose Aldo, McGregor seemingly had the whole world eating out of his hands. At UFC 205, he took on then-lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez at Madison Square Garden in New York as he looked to become the first fighter in promotional history to hold two divisional belts simultaneously.

Many believed it would be a competitive affair as Alvarez was renowned for his durability and toughness. However, the bout that ensued saw McGregor's stock skyrocket beyond imagination. He dominated Alvarez from pillar to post, knocking him down three times in the first round.

At one point in the second, McGregor even put his hands behind his back while advancing towards Alvarez.

Two minutes into the second round, McGregor unleashed a vicious combination of precise strikes, all of which connected cleanly on Alvarez. Seeing that the American was clearly done for the night, the referee mercifully called a halt to the action.

McGregor's performance remains one of the most masterful displays of striking ever seen in the octagon.

Watch the full fight below:

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#1. Anderson Silva vs. Forrest Griffin – UFC 101

At the height of his powers, Anderson Silva was renowned for his ability to finish his opponents. Upon joining the UFC in 2006, Silva went on a 16-fight win streak comprising 14 finishes. His incredible run between 2006 and 2012 saw 'The Spider' cement his legacy as one of the greatest fighters of all time.

In 2009, Silva ran out of challengers for his middleweight title. For the second time in his championship reign, the legendary Brazilian moved up to light heavyweight. He fought former 205 lb champion Forrest Griffin at UFC 101.

Silva was a slight betting favorite going into the bout. However, many fans believed Griffin had the right combination of skill, size, relentlessness and heart to drag the pound-for-pound great into deep waters.

Throughout the opening exchanges, Silva dodged nearly every attack Griffin threw his way. He kept his hands down by his sides during most of the fight and made his opponent look like an amateur.

After knocking down the former champion once, Silva seemingly decided that play time was over. As a frustrated Griffin recklessly charged in with a barrage of punches at the back-pedaling Silva, 'The Spider' met him with a retreating jab. The jab didn't even have any wind-up or body weight behind it, but it was precise enough to render his opponent done for the night.

To this day, Anderson Silva's KO victory over Forrest Griffin remains one of the most dominant individual performances in combat sports history.

The sheer disregard for Griffin's skills, coupled with his incredible movement straight out of The Matrix, ensured that Silva's legacy as one of the all-time greats was set in stone.

Watch highlights from the Silva vs. Griffin fight below: