Top Ten Fighters: Most Significant Strikes in UFC History

Most Significant Strikes in UFC HistoryThis is the top ten Most Significant Strikes in UFC History ranked from highest to lowest. The legendary ‘Blessed’…

Most Significant Strikes in UFC History

This is the top ten Most Significant Strikes in UFC History ranked from highest to lowest. The legendary ‘Blessed’ Max Holloway dominates the competition.

Most Significant Strikes in UFC History

Top Ten UFC Fighters Significant Strikes Landed of All Time - Infographic
Most Significant Strikes in UFC History

1. Max Holloway – 3,378

Max “Blessed” Holloway tops the list with an astounding 3,378 significant strikes landed. Active from 2012 to the present, Holloway has consistently showcased his volume striking, most notably in his record-breaking performance against Calvin Kattar in 2021, where he landed 445 significant strikes in a single fight. Easily topping the list of Most Significant Strikes in UFC History.

2. Sean Strickland – 2,069

Sean Strickland, active from 2014 to the present, has amassed 2,069 significant strikes. Known for his high-pressure style. The former middleweight champion gets the number two spot for Most Significant Strikes in UFC History.

3. Angela Hill – 2,036

Angela “Overkill” Hill has landed 2,036 significant strikes since her UFC debut in 2014. Her high-volume striking style has made her a staple in the women’s strawweight division.

Angela Hill
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – AUGUST 24: (L-R) Angela Hill kicks Tabatha Ricci of Brazil in a strawweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on August 24, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

4. King Green – 1,869

Bobby King Green has landed 1,869 significant strikes since joining the UFC in 2013.

5. Rafael Dos Anjos – 1,818

Former lightweight champion Rafael Dos Anjos has landed 1,818 significant strikes since joining the UFC in 2008. His versatile striking skills have served him well across two weight classes.

6. Frankie Edgar – 1,801

Frankie “The Answer” Edgar, active from 2007 to 2022, landed 1,801 significant strikes in his decorated career. His quick footwork and boxing combinations made him a formidable striker in multiple weight classes.

7. Joanna Jedrzejczyk – 1,754

Former strawweight champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk accumulated 1,754 significant strikes between 2014 and 2022. Her technical Muay Thai striking made her one of the most feared strikers in women’s MMA.

Jessica Andrade claims Joanna Jedrzejczyk is open to UFC return, BMF title rematch
Mandatory Credit: Jeff Bottari – Zuffa LLC

8. Dustin Poirier – 1,752

Dustin “The Diamond” Poirier has landed 1,752 significant strikes since his UFC debut in 2011. His boxing-heavy style and durability have made him a fan favorite and a perennial top contender.

9. Donald Cerrone – 1,748

Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone, who competed in the UFC from 2011 to 2022, landed 1,748 significant strikes. His diverse striking arsenal and high activity rate contributed to this impressive total.

10. Jessica Andrade – 1,730

Jessica Andrade rounds out the top 10 with 1,730 significant strikes landed since 2013. Her aggressive style and power punching have made her a force in multiple women’s divisions.

Top 4: Max Holloway Knockouts – Must-See Stunning UFC Knockouts from the BMF

Max Holloway Knockouts max holloway vs justin gaethjeThese Max Holloway Knockouts have been some of the finest moments in the history of the UFC. His most…

Max Holloway Knockouts max holloway vs justin gaethje

These Max Holloway Knockouts have been some of the finest moments in the history of the UFC. His most recent KO victory was Max Holloway vs. Justin Gaethje was an unforgettable moment to capture the BMF title at UFC 300. But the career of ‘Blessed’ Holloway has been decorated with some stunning knockouts, of which we could down the top four below ahead of his title challenge at UFC 308.

The Best Max Holloway Knockouts

4. Max Holloway vs. Jose Aldo

Brazil’s Jose Aldo is one of the greatest strikers in the history of the sport. With a strong Muay Thai base, incredible kicks, knees, and punches, Aldo was able to become a WEC and a two-time UFC champion with a whopping seven title defenses.

Max Holloway was a young up-and-comer who had just earned the interim featherweight title. Against the reigning undisputed champion Aldo, Holloways came into their fight in 2017 at UFC 212 a big underdog. Ultimately, it would become a major shift in the history of the sport. The Hawaiian striker not only beat Aldo but dominated him with a combination of punches and flurries that never seemed to end. This fight earned him the undisputed title and it became one of the best Max Holloway Knockouts in UFC history.

3. Max Holloway vs. The Korean Zombie

In a battle of MMA striking veterans, Holloway took on Chan-sung Jung, better known as The Korean Zombie. Live from Singapore, it was the main event and a matchup of two experts. Combined, these two athletes entered the match with 55 total MMA fights. Holloway began his career in 2010 and the Korean Zombie started in 2007, this fight went down in 2023.

It was a dominant performance from the Hawaiian athlete. The Korean-born athlete was not able to keep up with the combinations and flurries that poured from Holloway. It became a retirement match for The Korean Zombie and one of the most memorable Max Holloway Knockouts in MMA history.

Max Holloway Knockouts Korean Zombie

2. Max Holloway vs. Brian Ortega

To defend his featherweight title, Holloway took on the US-Mexican athlete Brian Ortega. The Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt ‘T-City’ Ortega had never tasted defeat in his entire career up to this point and was set to be a major test for the Hawaiian champion.

However, it instead became one of the best performances from the champion and nearly the best Max Holloway Knockouts we’ve ever seen. Over their 20-minute bout, Holloway landed over 300 strikes on his opponent en route to a stoppage victory. It was a brutal performance.

1. Max Holloway vs. Justin Gaethje

To the surprise of no one, Max Holloway vs. Justin Gaethje is ranked number one as the absolute best of Max Holloway Knockouts. At UFC 300, Holloways went up in weight to face the perennial top-ranked contender and hard-hitting slugger Justin Gaethje. The two were set to duke it out for the BMF title.

After five rounds of back-and-forth action, ‘Blessed‘ pointed to the mat in the final seconds of the bout, and the point would become iconic. The two stepped into the pocket and began trading flurries. Holloway landed an overhand that put down his opponent and left him stiff. Max Holloway vs. Justin Gaethje is an iconic knockout, simply an unforgettable moment.

Max Holloway vs. Justin Gaethje

Top 5 Most Iconic Moments in Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Career

Top 5 Most Iconic Moments in Khabib Nurmagomedov's CareerIn the eyes of many, Khabib Nurmagomedov is one of, if not the greatest mixed martial artists of all…

Top 5 Most Iconic Moments in Khabib Nurmagomedov's Career

In the eyes of many, Khabib Nurmagomedov is one of, if not the greatest mixed martial artists of all time.

Walking away from the sport in 2020 amid an impressive 29-0 run and a UFC lightweight world title reign, ‘The Eagle’ has continued to have a significant impact in the sport through those he trains — most notably the UFC’s current 155-pound champion, Islam Makhachev. Nurmagomedov has also helped his cousins, Usman and Umar Nurmagomedov achieve greatness in the cage.

The former is the reigning Bellator lightweight champion while the latter is the UFC’s No. 2 ranked bantamweight and is the odds-on favorite to challenge new titleholder Merab Dvalishvili.

But we’re not here to talk about their accomplishments. Today, we look back at the five greatest moments of Khabib Nurmagomedov’s illustrious career.

No. 5 – ‘The Eagle’ Makes his Debut at UFC 148

When talking about the best moments in Nurmagomedov’s career, it’s probably best to start at the very beginning. On July 7, 2012, ‘The Eagle’ introduced himself to fight fans at UFC on FX 1 against WEC veteran Kamal Shalorus.

Nurmagomedov put on a relentless pace from the get-go and dominated the ‘Prince of Persia’ before finishing things just past the two-minute mark of the third round with a rear-naked choke. It was just the first of 13 total fights Nurmagomedov would win inside the Octagon, including seven finishes.

No. 4 – Khabib Chokes out ‘The Diamond’

After securing a successful defense of the UFC lightweight championship 11 months prior, Nurmagomedov returned to headline UFC 242 against a streaking Dustin Poirier at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi — otherwise known as Fight Island. The Diamond’ went into the bout riding a massive wave of momentum, earning wins over Anthony ‘Showtime’ Pettis, Justin Gaethje, Eddie Alvarez, and Max Holloway.

Many thought that Poirier’s impeccable boxing skills would get the job done against the Dagestani’s grapple-heavy attack. Unfortunately for fans of Poirier, that was not the case.

Khabib dominated the fight with his relentless pressure and smothering top game before finally forcing the Lafayette, Louisiana native to tap out before the halfway point of the third round. With Poirier walking into the bout as the interim lightweight champion, ‘The Eagle’ successfully unified the belts and further established himself as one of the P4P best in the world.

khabib nurmagomedov dustin poirier ufc 242 18

No. 3 – Dominating Michael Johnson

Though it was his eighth career fight inside the Octagon, Khabib Nurmagomedov had not quite reached superstar status — until this fight.

At the time, Johnson had established himself as a formidable foe going 5-2 in his last seven fights, including wins over Joe Lauzon, Gleison Tibau, Edson Barboza, and Dustin Poirier. However, he was no match for the Dagestani. As Johnson tried to let his hands go, Nurmagomedov took ‘The Menace’ down swiftly and completely overwhelmed the American on the mat.

While in top control, ‘The Eagle’ infamously yelled at Dana White cageside, lobbying for a UFC title fight in the middle of a scrap. Nurmagomedov’s ability to nullify an elite striker while simultaneously negotiating with the promotion’s CEO made the undefeated star must-see TV overnight.

No. 2 – Nurmagomedov Retires Undefeated

Nurmagomedov’s final career fight came against one of the UFC’s most celebrated strikers, Justin Gaethje. ‘The Highlight’ earned his shot via a five-round shellacking of former interim titleholder Tony Ferguson at UFC 249. Gaethje hoped to deliver a similar performance, but ‘The Eagle’ had other plans.

Despite carrying the heartache of losing his father three months prior, Nurmagomedov was on top form during their UFC 254 headliner in Abu Dhabi.

As he’d done so many times before, Nurmagomedov’s relentless pressure right out of the gate put Gaethje into survival mode early. 94 seconds into the second round, things came to an end after ‘The Eagle’ seamlessly transitioned into a triangle choke and put Gaethje to sleep.

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Following the win, an emotional Nurmagomedov announced to the world that he was officially retiring from the sport, vowing to never fight again following the loss of his father. He walked away with a perfect 29-0 record and three title defenses against three of the absolute best fighters the lightweight division has ever seen.

No. 1 – Khabib Throws Down with Conor McGregor

This one should come as no surprise.

Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Conor McGregor was without a doubt the most anticipated fight in UFC history. It was just a battle between the two biggest names in the lightweight division — it was a clash of larger-than-life superstars who had completely dominated the competition up to that point. Adding to the intrigue of their matchup was the all-too-real hatred between the two combatants.

Long before the two titans stepped into the Octagon at UFC 229, McGregor and Nurmagomedov made headlines after the Irishman and his entourage infamously attacked a bus they believed was carrying the Dagestani. McGregor launched a dolly into one of the vehicle’s windows, shattering a glass that caused both injury and trauma to fighters onboard, including ‘Thug’ Rose Namajunas and Michael Chiesa.

Once the two were locked inside the cage, it was clear that Nurmagomedov was levels above the former two-division titleholder. ‘The Eagle’ dominated the action from the opening bell up until the moment he forced ‘Mystic Mac’ to tap out via a rear-naked choke at the 3:03 mark of round four. Of course, the fight was far from done.

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Immediately after winning, Nurmagomedov hopped the fence and went after McGregor’s corner — specifically the Irish megastar’s BJJ coach, Dillon Danis, who had been talking trash to Nurmagomedov from the sidelines.

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McGregor vs. Nurmagomedov had everything. Drama, chaos, technical mastery, and the highest of stakes. That’s why their iconic clash in Las Vegas is still one of the highest gates in UFC history and the hottest-selling pay-per-view of all time, securing 2.4 million buys.

Alistair Overeem: Body Transformation Timeline – From Overeem to Ubereem – Infographic

Alistair Overeem Eras Timeline Alistair Overeem NowThe body of Alistair Overeem has been the subject of much discussion and awe. His very fantastic body has…

Alistair Overeem Eras Timeline Alistair Overeem Now

The body of Alistair Overeem has been the subject of much discussion and awe. His very fantastic body has gone through various eras; from Overeem, to Ubereem, to Alistair Overeem now as Vegetareem. We’ve created a timeline of eras outlining the before and after of ‘The Dutch Demolition Man.’

Alistair Overeem – Body Transformation Timeline Infographic

Alistair Overeem before and after Alistair Overeem Now

Alistair Overeem Before and After

Overeem – 2000 – 2007

It all began with a young Overeem competing in PRIDE FC’s 205 lb division. He was a top-ranked fighter and dangerous, trading with fighters such as Chuck Liddell, Vitor Belfort, and Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua. With a skilled guillotine or sharp knees, he was giving top fighters issues.

Overeem 2007

Ubereem – 2010 – 2011

Overeem decided to move up to heavyweight and put on an incredible physique. He bulked up and won titles in K-1 and Dream, powering through the competition with the strength of horse meat coursing through his Dutch veins. He also competed in Strikeforce and earned a victory against the former UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar.

Overeem 2010 Ubereem

Econoreem – 2012 – 2021

While competing in the UFC, heightened levels of testosterone and a suspension forced a slight change to his physique. Now, he was less focused on powering through his opponents but instead used his cardio. He competed for the UFC heavyweight title and nearly won it during this time.

overeem 2016

Oldereem – 2021 – 2022

After leaving the UFC, Overeem ventured into kickboxing to defeat his long-time rival Badr Hari. Originally, he earned a unanimous decision victory but was overturned to a No Contest as he tested positive for a banned substance.

Overeem 2022

Alistair Overeem Now: Vegetareem – 2023 – Current Day

Now in retirement, Overeem is showing a much leaner physique. His focus now includes developing new health-related projects. The horse meat is long gone. He has stated that he made this change as part of a broader focus on health and wellness following his retirement from competitive fighting. Overeem mentioned that he no longer has the desire to eat meat and believes that it negatively affects his health.

Alistair Overeem Now
Alistair Overeem Now

Top 5: Best Sean O’Malley Knockouts in the UFC

Sean O'Malley KnockoutsUFC champion ‘Sugar’ Sean O’Malley has stood out due to his impressive striking power. Let’s downtown the top Sean…

Sean O'Malley Knockouts

UFC champion ‘Sugar’ Sean O’Malley has stood out due to his impressive striking power. Let’s downtown the top Sean O’Malley Knockouts ahead of his title match at UFC 306. Upcoming, he will face Merab Dvalishvili live from The Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Top 5: Best Sean O’Malley Knockouts

The US-born ‘Sugar’ Sean O’Malley has earned many impressive knockouts in the UFC since making his promotional debut back in 2017. Let’s countdown the very best of his precise work.

5. Sean O’Malley vs. Alfred Khashakyan

This smooth knockout put O’Malley on the map. It was an impressive highlight reel finish in just the first round. But, having Urijah Faber and Snoop Dogg freak out on commentary made this rear-straight knockout iconic.

4. Sean O’Malley vs. Eddie Wineland

Eddie Wineland was an MMA veteran who had competed at the highest levels of the bantamweight divisions, including being a title contender. He was meant to be a stiff test for ‘Sugar’ Sean. But instead, O’Malley knocked him out in less than two minutes. This was one fo the most impressive of Sean O’Malley Knockouts.

3. Sean O’Malley vs. Raulian Paiva

Brazil’s Raulian Paiva was an experienced MMA fighter who was putting together a nice streak in the division. O’Malley knocked him out in the first round and then served up the iconic photo of him shooting a basketball. One of the best images after Sean O’Malley Knockouts.

O Malley Sean UFC Knockout

2. Sean O’Malley vs. José Alberto Quiñónez

After some short time away, ‘Sugar’ Sean needed to get a win in the octagon. He faced the skilled José Alberto Quiñónez and was able to knock him out with an impressive head kick and punches.

1. Sean O’Malley vs. Aljamain Sterling

‘Sugar’ Sean O’Malley was able to win the bantamweight title with a stunning knockout against the highly skilled Aljamain Sterling. Sterling dashed in and O’Malley was able to land a perfectly timed and placed punch to earn UFC gold.

Sean O’Malley’s Hair Timeline: UFC Champions Hairstyles Through the Years – Infographic

Sean O'Malley's hair Infographic TimelineSean O’Malley’s hair has been a central talking point for MMA fans since he made his UFC debut many…

Sean O'Malley's hair Infographic Timeline

Sean O’Malley’s hair has been a central talking point for MMA fans since he made his UFC debut many years ago. The UFC world champion ‘Sugar’ Sean has been able to grab headlines with his impressive hairstyles. Ahead of UFC 306, we take a look at Sean O’Malley’s hair through the years.

Sean O’Malley’s Hair Timeline

 UFC Sean O'Malley's hair Infographic Timeline

Sean O’Malley’s Hair

In 2017, Sean O’Malley made his debut on Dana White’s Contender Series followed by a feature on the Ultimate Fighter Finale. All the while, Sean O’Malley’s hair was just brown, puffy, and curly. At UFC 222, in 2018, was the last time we would see brown hair on the MMA fighter.

UFC 250, in 2020, ‘Sugar’ Sean brought out the iconic rainbow haircut. Some fans were embarrassed, while others were impressed. The Ecuador flag colors adorned the doo of O’Malley at UFC 252 to taunt his opponent Marlon ‘Chito’ Vera.

UFC 260 would see a muted rainbow color style, but it’s still fresh. UFC 264 had Sean O’Malley’s hair mixing light pink and purple. UFC 276 saw O’Malley roll out a bold hot pink style.

For a title eliminator at UFC 280 against Petr Yan, ‘Sugar’ Sean sported bright red. UFC 292 he knocked out then-champion Aljamain Sterling with a mix of yellows and other colors. His title defense at UFC 299 saw a bold pick with a mix of bright purple and blue.

Merab Dvalishvili sean omalley

O’Malley’s hair is styled by his wife, who does haircare professionally. We still have yet to see what hairstyle Sean will wear at UFC 306 when he faces Merab Dvalishvili at The Sphere.

Discussing his hair, O’Malley explained:

“The fans love it, the media, it’s something to talk about. The last time I did it, the whole fight week was about my hair. It’s something to talk about and just showing some love … Win, lose, draw, whatever, I’m here to fight and I’m here to put on a show.”

For UFC 306, ‘Sugar’ Sean predicts:

“The way he blitzes in, the ways [Merab is] loppy. He is slow. It is not going to end well for him. I do not understand where the confidence comes from… He’s never fought anyone like me.”