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Action fighters are a spectacle in the UFC. Their performances are as eyecatching as any as every single one of their bouts is punctuated by a desire to fight in a manner as thrilling as they possibly can. Whether they're on the losing end of a fight or emerging victorious, they are the backbone of successful MMA cards.
Sometimes, these fighters compete in such a thrilling manner due to a personal desire to put on a show for the fans. At other times, these UFC fighters are regarded as exciting due to the design of their specific fighting styles. These are not fighters who disguise their inaction with antics and gestures in the cage.
These are fighters who spend every minute of every round committing to the action of a fight. In their unique approach, they've never had boring fights, whether they win or lose, and whether they're active or retired.
This list compiles five UFC fighters who have never had boring fights.
#5. Donald Cerrone – former UFC lightweight and welterweight
Before the peak of Charles Oliveira, Donald Cerrone held the promotion's record for the highest number of finishes in UFC history. Furthermore, prior to his loss to Jim Miller, 'Cowboy' also owned the record for the most-ever wins under Dana White's banner.
Unfortunately, the image that new fans have of the retired legend is one of a fighter whose career ended with seven-fight winless streak. All of 'Cowboy's final losses were entertaining affairs, but during his heyday, he was the pre-eminent action fighter in the UFC. In the past, Donald Cerrone was known for fighting as much as possible.
Not only did the former kickboxer fight more frequently than anyone, every bout was a barnburner. His well-rounded skill-set enabled him to finish his fights in a number of ways, be it via TKO/KO or submission. His win over Rick Story is widely known to have featured one of the greatest-ever combinations in the promotion.
#4. Dustin Poirier – Former interim UFC lightweight champion
Dustin Poirier is one of the few fighters who has never had a boring fight. The Louisianan's fighting style is not built for a conservative approach. The former interim lightweight titleholder can be defined as a mixed martial artist who shifts from southpaw to orthodox mid-combination.
In recent years, Dustin Poirier has used his reputation as a combination puncher to create openings for takedowns. Any time his foes try to counter him as he shifts from closed guard to open guard, he ducks under their punches for a takedown as he did against Conor McGregor.
Throughout his career, 'The Diamond' has earned 10 post-fight bonuses for Performance of the Night and Fight of the Night honors against the likes of Justin Gaethje, Conor McGregor, Eddie Alvarez, Dan Hooker, Anthony Pettis and Jim Miller.
#3. Conor McGregor – Former UFC featherweight and lightweight champion
The UFC's first-ever double champion is as entertaining as can be. Conor McGregor's approach to fighting is defined by the amount of importance he attributes to knockouts and TKOs. The Irishman always fights to finish his opponents via TKO or KO.
This approach has led to stunning wins, such as his 13-second knockout against José Aldo and his two-round domination over Eddie Alvarez. Even when 'The Notorious' loses a bout, the fight remains entertaining. His losses to Khabib Nurmagomedov and Dustin Poirier were thrilling affairs, as was his shocking upset loss against Nate Diaz in their initial bout.
Even his failures at finishing his foes don't take away from the value his bouts have as a spectacle, as evidenced by his decision wins over Max Holloway and Nate Diaz. There is nothing quite like a Conor McGregor matchup, and very few fighters can stir a crowd like 'The Notorious' can.
#2. Charles Oliveira – Former UFC lightweight champion
Long before he ever captured UFC gold, Charles Oliveira was a source of guaranteed entertainment inside the octagon. The Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt rounded out his skill-set to include a smothering, pressure-based Muay Thai game designed to fluster and overwhelm his foes.
Every fight 'do Bronx' has had has been a barnburner, even when he makes it a point to impose a more grappling-centric gameplan, which fans typically bemoan in most cases. The former lightweight kingpin is the record-holder for the most finishes and submissions in the promotion's history.
Furthermore, the Chute Box fighter holds the record for the most Performance of the Night bonuses and is tied with legendary action fighter Donald Cerrone for the most post-fight bonuses in UFC history. Whether he's striking or grappling, 'do Bronx' is all offense.
#1. Justin Gaethje – Former interim UFC lightweight champion
Justin Gaethje's career has been defined by an extremely reckless fighting style that will either knock his foes unconscious or lead to his own knockout loss. While he has refined his skills and overall approach in recent years en route to becoming more calculating, his spirit remains.
'The Highlight' is the recipient of countless Fight of the Year honors from several MMA publications. His wars with Michael Johnson, Dustin Poirier, Michael Chandler and Eddie Alvarez are legendary. Under Dana White's banner, Justin Gaethje has earned six Fight of the Night honors and four Performance of the Night bonuses.
The former interim lightweight champion has never had a boring fight, as he tries to behead his opponent to such an extent that Trevor Whitman advised him to withdraw some of the power from his punches when he faced Tony Ferguson in his finest-ever performance.
