5 MMA fighters that scare the living daylights out of their opponents

LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 9: Mark Hunt punches Brock Lesnar during the UFC 200 event at T-Mobile Arena on July 9, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images)
The Super Samoan Mark Hunt doesn’t back down

#2 Anthony Johnson

LAS VEGAS, NV - AUGUST 20:  Anthony Johnson celebrates his first-round knockout win over Glover Teixeira in their light heavyweight bout at the UFC 202 event at T-Mobile Arena on August 20, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada.  (Photo by Steve Marcus/Getty Images)
Anthony Johnson is one of the most fearsome strikers in the UFC today

Anthony ‘Rumble’ Johnson (22-5) is one of the scariest fighters to ever compete in the sport of MMA. His MMA base is kickboxing and wrestling, and he is well-known for having one-punch KO power in both hands

His Dutch kickboxing style roundhouse-head-kicks are lethal and precise. Johnson has competed in the Welterweight, Middleweight, Light-Heavyweight and Heavyweight divisions in his MMA career.

He also has an excellent chin and has proved his ability to eat punches from the best in the world right from 170 to 265+ pounds.

Rumble’s head-kick KOs over Kevin Burns, Charlie Brenneman and Jake Rosholt are a few examples of his excellent usage of Dutch kickboxing manoeuvres that he has further refined after training under the tutelage of highly-respected Dutch kickboxing coach Henri Hooft.

Besides, Rumble has excellent boxing offence and defence with an immaculate sense of timing and distance. Rumble’s KO of lanky Swedish-kickboxer Alexander Gustaffson is a great example of his excellent boxing and great KO power.

Furthermore, Rumble’s clean boxing in his one-punch KO wins over Jimi Manuwa and Glover Teixeira in his most recent fights inside the Octagon, tell us that Rumble’s power stems from technique just as much as it does from raw strength.

The most significant and recent illustration of the fear Rumble instils into his opponent’s mind is his UFC on FOX main event matchup against athletic wrestle-boxer Ryan Bader. Bader was visibly disturbed by the very thought of striking with Rumble, which in turn, lead to Bader shooting in for a takedown on Rumble from halfway across the Octagon.

Rumble saw it coming from a mile away, easily sprawled and a few ground-and-pound shots later, Bader was asleep.

Rumble’s hand speed and footwork are considered to be one of the best in MMA and when coupled with his superb technique and natural KO power, he makes for an intimidating presence inside the cage.

Many past and present Rumble opponents have confessed that his scary finishing power serves to intimidate and mentally defeat his opponents well before they enter the cage. Rumble’s otherworldly KO power and lightning-fast movement has landed him the 2nd spot on our list.

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