5 UFC fighters who have been indomitable in 2019

Jon Jones; Jorge Masvidal
Jon Jones; Jorge Masvidal

The UFC is the largest MMA promotion in the world. Over time, it has gained millions of followers across the globe and has a sterling roster of talent in each of their weight divisions.

While each year sees UFC fighters put on some amazing fights that go down in history, this year has been particularly fantastic for some of the fighters as they have showcased their talent inside the Octagon in quite the spectacular manner.

While some of them have won the title that they had been chasing for a while, others have showcased their talent in such manner as to not leave any doubt regarding their ability. In this article, we are going to take a look at 5 fighters who have had quite the immense 2019.

It should be noted that I am not including Khabib Nurmagomedov in this list, as he has fought only once in 2019.


#5 Henry Cejudo

UFC Fight Night Cejudo v Dillashaw
UFC Fight Night Cejudo v Dillashaw

A fighter that fans love to make fun of, Henry Cejudo has such an attitude that no one would think him to be a serious fighter. 'Cringe' Cejudo has become a gimmick that he lives with day to day, making sure that he fives the fans something new to make fun of in a regular basis -- be it dancing with the title or sleeping with it in his bed.

However much Cejudo might like to joke around outside the Octagon, once he enters the cage, it is a separate matter entirely. The good-natured joker disappears and is replaced by a ruthless fighter who has proved himself quite well this year.

Heavy was the burden that lay on his shoulder heading into this year. With rumors of UFC shutting down the UFC Flyweight Division rampant, Cejudo had the responsibility of shutting down any such new.

He did this with quite the emphatic statement. After TJ Dillashaw made his way down to the Flyweight Division for a Championship fight, which he claimed would shut down the division for good, he was soundly beaten by a dominant Cejudo.

Seconds into their fight at UFC Fight Night: Cejudo vs Dillashaw, he had dropped the erstwhile favorite three times. The referee called a halt to the fight and he won in 32 seconds. On top of that, months later, Dillashaw tested positive for adverse substances and ended up with a 2-year suspension.

If that fight might have been considered a fluke, then Cejudo dismissed such a possibility. He went to the Bantamweight Division, challenged Marlon Moraes for the vacant title, and defeated him via TKO in the third round of their fight. Thus, Cejudo is now a double Champion and quite the solid fighter leading two divisions.

The reason he is not number one in this list is the unfortunate shoulder injury he suffered, which means that he will be out of action for the rest of the year.

#4 Jorge Masvidal

UFC 239 Masvidal v Askren
UFC 239 Masvidal v Askren

If there is one man in 2019 who appears to be the king of the MMA world, it's Jorge Masvidal. After years of slogging in the division, far from any title fight, he has solidified his place in the headlines this year.

He managed to pull off this incredible feat by making sure that his high profile opponents suffered clear losses. He faced Darren Till in March and managed to end the fight in the second round by knocking out Till.

Since then, he had the fight that made sure he stayed in the headlines and made a name as a top candidate. He faced Ben Askren, the previously undefeated fighter in just his second UFC fight.

There was a lot of trash talk leading up to the fight, but on top of that, things became worse for Askren when he entered the Octagon. Immediately upon the fight starting Masvidal ran up to Askren and hit him with flying knee to the head. That was all it took, and Askren was done. With the 5-second win under his belt, he is scheduled to face Nate Diaz in an incredibly hyped bout at UFC 244.


#3 Francis Ngannou

UFC Fight Night Blaydes v Ngannou 2
UFC Fight Night Blaydes v Ngannou 2

A heavyweight like none other, Francis Ngannou is out for revenge. He wants to defeat Stipe Miocic, the man who put his winning run to a stop in January of last year. While he might be disappointed in that respect, his 2019 has certainly been one of the best that could be expected.

Currently ranked as the #2 Heavyweight in the UFC, Ngannou's 2019 has been all about shutting down top opponents. After getting back to winning ways last year by knocking out Curtis Blaydes in 45 seconds, he has since defeated Cain Velasquez. Velasquez made his return against Ngannou and crumpled in seconds as the Heavyweight took him out in 26 seconds.

Finally, he faced Junior Dos Santos recently and destroyed him in 1 minute and 11 seconds to win yet another fight.

#2 Jon Jones

UFC 239 Jones v Santos
UFC 239 Jones v Santos

Jon Jones is known for being one of the most controversial and strongest fighters currently signed to the UFC. His strength and ability apparently know no bounds... neither does the controversy that comes with him.

Putting aside that aspect of things, Jones has had a fantastic 2019.

Not only did his fight last year against Alexander Gustafsson in December last year ensure that he had made a solid return since he has returned has defeated two other solid names in the UFC right now -- Anthony Smith, and also despite some difficulty, Thiago Santos.


#1 Israel Adesanya

UFC 236 Holloway v Poirier 2
UFC 236 Holloway v Poirier 2

If there is one young fighter deserving of every accolade in the world, it is none other than Israel Adesanya. After a fantastic 2018, where he not only made his debut but also defeated 4 top fighters on the drop, his 2019 has been nothing short of legendary so far, with the possibility of it becoming even more so.

In 2019, he took on and defeated, the UFC legend Anderson Silva. It was a Decision win and the respect he had for 'The Spider' Silva showed that he was about more than trash-talking and understood the importance of respect in MMA.

He then defeated Kelvin Gastelum to become the Interim UFC Middleweight Champion. The 'interim' word may not last for long in front of this latest achievement, as at UFC 243, he takes on the current Champion, Robert Whittaker. With Whittaker returning after a long time away from the Octagon, it remains to be seen how that fight will go.

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Edited by Amar Anand