5 unbreakable UFC chins that finally broke

Dan Henderson, Tony Ferguson, and Dan Hooker
Dan Henderson, Tony Ferguson, and Dan Hooker

#4. Dan Hooker

Dan Hooker has been a staple in the UFC lightweight division for years. Standing 6 feet tall, 'The Hangman' is one of the largest lightweights in the world. He is, perhaps, too large to be fighting in the 155lbs weight class given how his height would render him even among the tallest welterweights.

However, at his peak, there were no signs of diminishing returns for Hooker when it came to his weight cut to make the 155lbs weight limit.

youtube-cover

For years, Dan Hooker was considered impossible to knock unconscious. Yair Rodriguez, an extremely powerful kicker, failed to do so when Hooker tried to ply his trade in the UFC featherweight division, where he was diminished by the weight cut.

Similarly, the power-punching Gilbert Burns was unable to knock Hooker out. Even Edson Barboza, arguably the most powerful kicker in the UFC, only managed to finish Hooker by savagely assaulting the New Zealander's body.

Even the life-altering beating that 'The Hangman' suffered at Babroza's hands was not enough to enable Dustin Poirier, a powerful combination-puncher, to knock him unconscious despite the 5-round war they had.

Alas, the damage accumulated throughout the years caught up to Hooker, and his next bout with Michael Chandler finally shattered his chin as Hooker lost via 1st round KO. Three fights later, he suffered the second knockout loss of his career against Arnold Allen.


#3. Vicente Luque

At UFC on ESPN 40, Vicente Luque suffered the first knockout loss of his career in a matchup with Geoff Neal. The Brazilian's fighting style relies heavily on his granite chin.

As a pressure fighter by nature, Luque often brings himself into the line of fire. More than that, however, his choice to use his left hook as his trademark weapon renders him even more hittable than other UFC fighters.

To be in a position to land a left hook, a fighter must also be in a position to be countered by their opponent's left hook due to the punch's short, tight arc. While 'The Silent Assassin' mitigates this by keeping his shoulders squared and his chest slightly open - cutting the distance his left hook needs to travel, allowing him to land the blow before his foe - it is not a foolproof solution.

Due to his overzealous nature, Luque allows himself to be countered anyway. But his chin always shielded him, allowing him to fight the likes of Mike Perry and Tyron Woodley, two very powerful fighters, without suffering a knockout loss.

Even Stephen 'Wonderboy' Thompson, despite dropping Luque multiple times with perfectly timed counters, which are often the strikes that knock fighters unconscious, could not knock him out. Geoff Neal, however, finally did.

Quick Links

App download animated image Get the free App now