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It’s not just about how hard you hit, it’s also about how much you get hit. In the UFC, fighters often put offense first, bursting into fights firing on all cylinders. While it can lead to highlight reel-worthy knockouts on their foes, it can also lead to the opposite (just look at Jose Aldo at UFC 194).
Sometimes killer offense is not enough. To truly excel in the octagon, and have any hope of longevity, avoiding too much punishment is of supreme importance. Knowing how to block, dodge, duck, slip and whatever else it takes to keep that chin safe is paramount.
The following five fighters are all, in their own ways, very difficult to land significant strikes on. From slippery footwork masters to domineering pressure fighters, these five have proven themselves hard to knock time and again.
In all of the following cases, getting the knockout is a tall and daunting order. Here are five current UFC fighters who are hard to hit.
#5. Former two-time UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz
If ever you wondered why Edmond Tarverdyan kept screaming “head movement” during Ronda Rousey’s UFC battles, look no further. Dominick Cruz is a master boxer in the octagon, utilizing rapid head movement and crisp footwork to keep his opponents guessing.
Of the mere three losses he has suffered in his career, just one came by knockout. A series of injuries drastically slowed down the former UFC bantamweight kingpin between 2017 and 2018. After more than three years away from the octagon, Cruz returned for a bantamweight title showdown with then-champion Henry Cejudo.
Cejudo managed to do what no one else has ever pulled off by ousting Cruz with strike. The Olympic gold medallist rocked Cruz with a knee and followed it up with punches for the second-round TKO victory. ’The Dominator’ made a return to winning form at UFC 259 with a split decision victory over Casey Kenny.
At 23-3, the 36 year-old Cruz will likely continue to improve his record and get back into bantamweight title contention.
That is, of course, if his body can hold up this time.
#4. Current UFC interim heavyweight champion Ciryl Gane
The UFC heavyweight division’s fastest rising star is undefeated at 10-0. At UFC 265, the Muay Thai maestro dismantled Derrick Lewis over three rounds. Using his masterful striking and impressive agility to full effect, the unstoppable Gane landed 98 significant strikes compared to Lewis’ 16.
At 6’4” and around 250lbs, the freakishly powerful Gane has a long reach, good use of the eight limbs of Muay Thai and solid defensive reflexes. By the brutal standards of the heavyweight scene, Gane’s defense and quickness is top tier. With every fight ‘Bon Gamin’ takes, he seems to go from strength to strength, improving his abilities at a prodigious rate.
Gane's brisk technical striking ability and defense is going to be absolutely essential in his next fight. Current UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou doesn’t have striking defense as impressive as Gane’s. He makes up for it by being the hardest puncher in the world.
If Gane is to oust his former MMA Factory teammate from the top of the heavyweight mountain, he’ll need to move fast. Just one major shot from ‘The Predator’ can be a night ender as he’s shown consistently over the past three years. Gane’s strike avoidant ways are going to have to get even better than they were at UFC 265 if he’s to become the undisputed heavyweight champ.
#3. Current UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski
‘The Great’ may sound like a slightly arrogant nickname, but Volkanovski just about pulls it off. The current UFC featherweight champion trains extensively in boxing. He even took a professional boxing bout back in April 2015, scoring a unanimous decision win over Dillon Bargero at super welterweight.
The former ‘Hulk’ uses his penchant for pugilism expertly in the octagon. The speed with which the former rugby player slips and counters is high octane enough to give viewers fits.
Arguably the finest counter-striker in the featherweight division today, Volkanovski is also a Greco-Roman wrestling aficionado. When he’s not jumping in and out at a lightning pace on the feet, he’s able to slow his opponents down and keep them grounded. In turn, he makes it next to impossible to land any significant strikes from the mat.
He’s going to need his speed and upper body reflexes in fine form come UFC 266. There, he will be making his second defense of the featherweight gold against Brian Ortega. As Ortega demonstrated at UFC 222 against Frankie Edgar, he packs one hell of a punch should Volkanovski’s defense not be up to scratch.
#2. Current UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya
The current UFC middleweight champion is arguably the finest striker in the sport today. The former professional kickboxer boasts an elite level stand-up game comprised of several disciplines. From boxing to hints of taekwondo, Adesanya’s limbs are some of the deadliest and most versatile on Earth.
Not only is Adesanya’s offense ruthless, his defense is also masterful. ’The Last Stylebender’ is light on the feet and able to switch stances at any moment. His dancing background ensures he’s limber and agile at all times. His head movement is also blink-and-you’ll-miss-it quick.
The importance of high quality feints can also not be stressed enough in regards to throwing off his foes. Adesanya has lost just once in his time in the UFC. His sole defeat came via unanimous decision at UFC 259 against Jan Blachowicz. ‘Polish Power’ smartly slowed the fight down and relied primarily on his grappling to get the better of Adesanya.
On the feet, the middleweight kingpin borders on untouchable. As if his striking defense wasn’t enough, Adesanya also boasts exceptional takedown defense. Furthermore, as witnessed by his performance at UFC 263 against Marvin Vettori, Adesanya’s ground game is improving quickly as well.
At this rate, it’ll be hard to land any kind of offense on the Naruto megafan.
#1. UFC lightweight rising star Islam Makhachev
The UFC lightweight division’s most intimidating combatant has not lost a fight since 2015. At UFC 192, Makhachev got rocked by a skull-rattling shot from Adriano Martins in the first round.
It’s safe to say the former sambo competitor learned his lesson. Makhachev hasn’t lost a fight since and has come a long way from that setback. Thanks to his ferocious grappling and commitment to pressure fighting, Makhachev rarely gives his opponents the breathing room to throw any major strikes.
His most recent fight was a submission win over Thiago Moises last month. Makhachev secured the win with a rear-naked choke in the fourth round. Makhachev landed a respectable 61 significant strikes compared to Moises’ less than stellar 13.
Makhachev’s current eight-fight winning streak has seen him shoot up in the lightweight rankings. His fearsome ground game and takedowns have left many fighters looking the other way when he’s looked for new opponents. Don’t be surprised to see him potentially lift lightweight gold in 2022.
According to the UFC’s current records, Islam Makhachev has the lowest number of significant strikes absorbed per minute. His rate is 0.77 making him officially the hardest UFC fighter to significantly hit going today.
