I’ve got my shortlist of those UFC fighters with iron chins. Simply put, they can get hit and hit, but they simply won’t go down!
Obviously there is more to being a UFC legend than just the ability to smash your opponent’s face in. You also need to be able to take a punch. Commonly referred to as having a good ‘chin’ this ability to stay standing after getting smacked is essential and so here are 10 candidates for having the best chin in the UFC.
Khabib Nurmagomedov
This fearsome fighter has an unbeaten 29-0 record and much of this is down to his ability to absorb some fearsome strikes. Check out his bouts against Al Iaquinta and Michael Johnson for some great examples of this.
Max Holloway
Many have tried, but nobody has quite managed to KO Max Holloway just yet. The current UFC BMF champion has a true granite chin that has stopped many formidable opponents such as Richardo Lomas.
Yoel Romero
You only have to check out Romero’s fight against Robert Whittaker at UFC 225 to see that this Cuban star has a true iron chin. Not only that but at the ripe old age of 47, Romero is still going strong and features in the UFC betting odds at all good sportsbooks.
Jon Jones
A true superstar of the MMA scene, Jones has shown that he can take all manner of brutal attacks and look completely unfazed. In fact the only loss he suffered was when he threw an illegal elbow early in his career.
Nate Diaz
Diaz is the UFC star who famously choked out Conor McGregor at UFC 196 and is arguably one of the all-time greats of the UFC. The fact that the Californian star has an iron chin will definitely explain how he’s been knocked-out just once in his illustrious career.
Robbie Lawler
Think of Robbie Lawler and you will probably think of blood – lots of it. After all, the star went down in MMA folklore thanks to his bloodbath of a fight against Rory MacDonald in UFC 189. A true granite chin.
Georges St Pierre
OK, so GSP got a nasty KO against Matt Serra, but if you forget that, then you’ll see how the Canadian star has a pretty impressive chin. Check out his fight against the brutal Johny Hendricks if you don’t believe me.
Jim Miller
Anyone who has managed to get the most UFC wins of all-time is going to have a pretty good chin and Jim Miller won’t let you down here. Plus he’s a pretty nice guy too, unlike some other MMA stars I can think of.
Jorge Masvidal
This fearsome star managed to have a 20-year fighting career and only suffered one KO loss. That came at the hands of Kamaru Usman and I’m guessing that it hurt like hell.
Benson Henderson
Sure, everyone thinks that Benson Henderson is a nice guy, but he can also take a hell of a punch. Remember that fight against Frankie Edgar and you’ll see a guy who won’t even flinch at the most fearsome of attacks.
Conclusion – Who will have the best chin in the future?
Of course, UFC fighters are getting tougher and tougher as the competition gets even more intense. I’m guessing that the strength of chin is only going to get more important and so you should check back here to see if the likes of Shavkat Rakhmonov will feature in my shortlist in the future.