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The sport of Mixed Martial Arts has always been characterized by some of the most effective and beautiful martial arts techniques, as well as fight game-plans which truly are works of art, as they help one combatant systematically dissect the other.
However, another thing that has, for long, remained a constant in the world of MMA, is the pure violence which characterizes most fights. The aforementioned aspect -- that of violence -- has always been a rather grey area in the realm of professional combat sports competition.
However, it's undeniable that human beings are after all an evolved form of animals, and with that in mind, our primal instincts still urge us toward fighting for survival. Just like UFC President Dana White often says, fighting is something that's in the genes of every human being.
Ergo, it isn't unfathomable that the vast majority of Mixed Martial Arts fans are primarily attracted to the violence which characterizes this wonderful sport. Today, we take a special look at some of the most violent fighters in UFC history. Bear in mind, that this list includes a now-retired KO artist as well...
#5 Anthony Johnson
Anthony "Rumble" Johnson may very well be one of the scariest fighters to have ever graced the UFC's famed Octagon. The terrifyingly powerful former MMA fighter had God-given knockout power in his strikes and could render his foes unconscious with punches, elbows, kicks, knees, and even by simply slamming them to the mat.
After all, who could forget Johnson's fight with current Bellator Light-Heavyweight Champion Ryan Bader, as the two stalwarts locked horns in the UFC, only for "Rumble" to slam the latter's head into the mat, daze him, and knock him out with a few well-placed ground strikes.
Johnson's most deadly attribute was his punching power, which was further amplified by his excellent boxing skills. Love him or hate him, he'll forever be remembered as one of the most violent fighters in UFC history...
#4 Yoel Romero
"The Soldier of God" is regarded by the vast majority of fans and experts alike, as one of the most violent combatants not only in the MMA dominion but also in the combat sports industry as a whole.
Yoel Romero is a former Olympic silver medalist and is considered by many as one of the best wrestlers to have ever competed in the UFC. He's well known for utilizing his grappling skills to get his foe to the mat, and from there onward, Romero's top-control and ground-and-pound abilities are truly legendary.
Furthermore, in case his opponents happen to possess excellent takedown defence, Romero is more than capable of striking with the best of them -- more often than not, knocking elite strikers out with his technically-precise punches, elbows, knees and kicks.
We ought to note here, that Romero's punches and knees are generally regarded as his most dangerous weapons on the feet, as evidenced by his brutal KO wins against Luke Rockhold (punches) and Chris Weidman (knees) respectively...
#3 Cris Cyborg
Cris Cyborg is hailed by many as one of, if not the, greatest female fighter of all time. Be it grappling with elite grapplers, or striking with boxing and kickboxing veterans; Cyborg has time and again proved that she can duke it out with her opponents and dominate them no matter which sphere of fighting they happen to be battling in.
Cyborg is known for her excellent Muay Thai skills and is capable of knocking her opponents senseless with a vast array of punches, elbows, kicks and knees. However, it's rather intriguing to note that her boxing has truly ascended to the next level as of late; largely due to her work with famed boxing coach Jason Parillo.
It's no secret that Cyborg's terrifying striking happens to be more than enough in order to get her the "W" against most fighters, however, her BJJ and wrestling skills are marvellous too! All in all, Cyborg is known for savagely dominating and finishing her opponents, not only on the feet, but also on the mat...
#2 Robbie Lawler
Following one of the most exciting UFC title reigns of all time, Robbie Lawler found himself on the receiving end of a brutal KO loss at the hands of current UFC Welterweight Champion Tyron Woodley. Ever since losing the UFC 170 pound title to Woodley, Lawler has been on a rough streak, so to speak.
However, most experts attribute Lawler's apparent decline to the fact that the countless wars he was involved in over the years, in promotions such as EliteXC, PRIDE, Strikeforce, and the UFC, have finally taken a toll on his body. Well, to be honest, that may very well be the case, especially because his reflexes seemed to have slowed down in recent fights.
Nevertheless, we simply cannot deny the fact that during his prime, Lawler was indeed one of the most violent fighters in all of Mixed Martial Arts. Lawler's boxing skills and heavy hands are what truly made him stand out from the rest of the pack, and his finishes of fighters such as Adlan Amagov, Scott Smith, Melvin Manhoef, and Rory Macdonald, prove just how deadly "Ruthless" Robbie is...
#1 Cain Velasquez
Cain Velasquez is regarded by many as one of the most violent fighters in combat sports history. In fact, his trilogy fight against Junior Dos Santos at UFC 166 in Houston, Texas, saw him finish a bloodied up JDS in the 5th and final round of their fight.
The aforementioned fight resulted in several fans and experts branding said fight, which took place in Texas, as the "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" -- a form of wordplay on the "Texas Chainsaw Massacre". Such was the sheer brutality and unmissable chaos of the fight.
Furthermore, not many could have forgotten his bloody dismantling of Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva in their first fight at UFC 146. Now that fight truly resembled something that was straight out of a horror movie -- with Velasquez relentlessly attacking Silva, and the latter lying in a pool of his own blood.
Which UFC fighters do you think are the most violent of all time? Sound off in the comments!
