Likewise, nothing gives fighters more pleasure than a clean punch to the opponent’s chin that turns off their lights. But knockouts can be hard to come by, especially against fighters known for their ability to take all the punches their opponents can throw.
This list is for active UFC fighters who have never been knocked out and have taken a massive amount of punches. Therefore, there are no dominant fighters who have not lost.
No. 5. Petr Yan, UFC bantamweight
Former UFC bantamweight champion Petr Yan was at one point considered the best boxer in the promotion. The cold-blooded Russian fighter has a patient style of giving up in the first round to study his opponents before going wild after they run out of steam.
Unfortunately, this propensity to be inactive in the first round makes him vulnerable to strikes. Although he often uses high defense to block hits, when he advances he takes more hits than he should. Despite this fighting style, Jan was never knocked out despite fights like Corey Sandhagen and Jose Aldo.
#4 Calvin Kattar, UFC Featherweight
Calvin Kattar is a fighter with a legendary degree of toughness. He has taken part in many award-winning Fight of the Night fights, his most recent fight being against Gigi Chikaze. The Boston Bomber was never eliminated.
The only time Kattar lost via no decision or submission was due to a knee injury he suffered against Arnold Allen. His fight with former UFC featherweight champion Max Holloway at UFC Fight Island 7 is the greatest testament to his iron chin. The big Hawaiian broke the record for significant strikes in this fight. Kattar was able to stand in the line of fire and fire back with his punches all night long, despite absorbing an alarming amount of damage.
No. 3. Marvin Vettori, UFC middleweight
Marvin Vettori has faced several fighters who are more than capable of finishing a fight with a knockout or a technical knockout. But for some reason it never fell. It will be difficult for fans to name at least one fight in which the Italian was even knocked down, not to say knocked out.
Israel Adesanya, one of the greatest counter-punchers in MMA history, couldn’t knock him out. Likewise, Robert Whittaker landed countless combinations of a right cross and a right to the head that never damaged the Italian’s thick skull.
Paulo Costa, who has overwhelming power, couldn’t do anything either. The same goes for Kevin Holland, known for his fast and powerful punches. Whoever Marvin Vettori faced, no one could topple him.
#2 Brian Ortega UFC Featherweight
Despite his background in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, two-time UFC featherweight title contender Brian Ortega isn’t afraid of the punches. Every time he enters the octagon, he charges regardless of the attack, unleashing his own strikes.
However, he not only possesses natural knockout power, but also otherworldly durability. Prior to the fight with Max Holloway at UFC 231, the submission specialist was an unbeatable star. He absorbed an insane amount of damage against Holloway but didn’t even fall.
Against Alexander Volkanovski, he also soaked up massive amounts of damage, but never faded. Ortega has been beaten more than any other fighter, but he never knew what a knockout was.
No. 1. Max Holloway, UFC Featherweight
Joe Rogan once called Max Holloway the best featherweight fighter in MMA history. While fans have since re-evaluated that statement following the Hawaiian’s trilogy of losses to Alexander Volkanovski, one thing no one can ever take away from the former featherweight titleholder is his supernatural strength.
Conor McGregor knocked out every featherweight he faced during his run in the division except for Max Holloway. Jeremy Stephens, one of the toughest punchers in divisional history, also failed to knock him out. All-time great MMA fighter Jose Aldo failed to do so despite two chances to break Holloway’s chin.
Dustin Poirier, another strong fighter in the above weight class, beat Holloway like no other, but even he couldn’t knock him out. Alexander Volkanovskiy was also unable to do so in three different cases. Among the promotion’s active fighters, there’s no chin like Max Holloway.
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Source: Sport
I am Ashley Ortiz and I am a professional journalist working for Athletistic. My specialty is in sports journalism, particularly boxing. I have written articles for some of the most renowned publications on the subject, and my work has been featured across both print and digital media platforms.
