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Every fight in the UFC begins on the feet. When striking, the jab is the most effective tool. It's a shot that reads distance, tells reaction, and sets up the follow-up shots. Fighters are often told to fight behind their jab, for it's the safest and smartest approach to slinging leather. The jab is a straight punch from the lead hand. It gets to the target quickly and retracts back fast in order to return to a defensive position.
While it's the safest and best punch to utilize, it's not as powerful as other strikes. Typically, the power shots come from the rear hand and hooks, but these are set up from the calculations made by the jab.
This doesn't mean that a jab cannot pack a punch. Jabs have dropped multiple fighters in the past and will continue to do so as the sport moves forward. It's a piercing shot that, if done correctly, has the effect of running into a brick wall.
Here are five UFC fighters who were dropped by a jab:
#5. Kamaru Usman vs. Gilbert Burns
Friends turned ephemeral rivals, Gilbert Burns worked his way up the welterweight ranks, and the only person in the way of his championship conquest was teammate Kamaru Usman. There was no real bad blood, rather the mutual desire to be the best in the world, so the friendship was set aside, and the bout commenced.
Despite some early success with his powerful shots, 'Durinho' seemed to be a solved puzzle as the champion was able to snuff out the offensive onslaught via his improved striking courtesy of coach Trevor Wittman. A textbook jab that now seems to be one of Usman's best weapons landed repeatedly.
'The Nigerian Nightmare' emphasized his growth in the striking department in this performance. Formerly criticized for his 'less-exciting' approach to fights, Usman often used his wrestling to smother opponents and win decisions. The Burns fight showed that he's not a one-trick pony.
Not once but twice was the UFC welterweight champion able to put the Brazilian down with his jab. The first was timed perfectly off his opponent throwing a low kick. The second, however, was as perfect a jab as could've landed. Usman's shot sat Burns down, and the subsequent strikes were enough for the referee's intervention.
#4. Jairzinho Rozenstruik vs. Allen Crowder
In his sophomore UFC performance, Jairzinho Rozenstruik was slated against Allen Crowder, a fighter who showed great durability in his previous bout against Greg Hardy. After weathering the storm that was Hardy, 'Pretty Boy' began to take over, even challenging his opponent to strike him. Unfortunately, Hardy threw an illegal knee and lost via disqualification.
'Bigi Boy' came in holding a perfect 7-0 record with six wins via first-round knockout. This bout was one that fans were looking forward to as it was the newcomer taking on a fighter who just put on a great performance to spoil Hardy's run.
The action started and ended almost immediately. Allen plotted forward as the two fighters met in the center and lunged in with a slow jab. To counter this, Rozenstruik flicked out a piercing jab of his own, which found his opponent's chin. 'Pretty Boy' went down and was unconscious after the first follow-up shot. This bout only lasted a total of nine seconds.
#3. Todd Duffee vs. Tim Hague
When the physical specimen that is Todd Duffee entered the UFC, he was riding a five-fight win streak with five knockouts. Many were curious about whether the hype was real with Duffee or not. He looked the part, but could he compete against the most talented fighters in the world?
Enter the late Tim Hague. In his second appearance in the company, he was given the opportunity to fight Duffee. 'The Thrashing Machine' performed well in his debut, finishing Pat Barry via submission.
As the bout started, it was another fight that didn't see much action at all. Duffee ducked under his opponent's lead hook and fired a jab down the middle while doing so. This jab floored the surging Hague, and he didn't last much longer as the subsequent blows stopped this contest just seven seconds in.
#2. Khamzat Chimaev vs. Gilbert Burns
Here we not only have a 'Fight of the Year' contender but yet another instance where a fighter was dropped with a jab. Gilbert Burns may have bad luck when dealing with jabs, but to be fair, he takes on the best in the world; it's possible to get caught sometimes when doing so.
Chimaev entered this fight with an air of invincibility around him. 4-0 in the UFC and 10-0 in total, 'Borz' had run over every opponent in his way. This track record warranted a significant leap in competition, and 'Durinho' was apparently the only top-ranked welterweight up for the challenge.
Pure chaos ensued as the bout began. While the 27-year-old was able to find success multiple times through the fight, his Brazilian adversary made him look human. As the first round was nearing its end, Chimaev stepped into his jab, utilizing all of his body weight for this strike. It certainly found the mark and dropped his opponent. While the rest of the fight was incredible, this jab was one of the most impactful strikes through the fifteen minutes of action.
#1. Anderson Silva vs. Forrest Griffin
Never has a jab been so effortless but simultaneously so effective. When Anderson Silva took on Forrest Griffin, he put on a career-best performance against the former light heavyweight champion.
'The Spider' used his playful but distracting hand movements and jerking body feints to overload Griffin's senses. An apprehensive opponent is a much easier fight, let alone for striking mastermind Anderson Silva.
To earn the Brazilian's respect, Griffin charged forward only to be met with what seemed like the most lackadaisical strike thrown in the UFC. While moving backward, 'The Spider' fired a jab from his hip, making it harder to see it coming. The strike landed and rendered Griffin a dropped and defeated fighter, leaving fans and analysts in shock and awe regarding Silva's impeccable striking ability.
