Best Strikers in UFC history: Ten fighters with skillful mastery of stand up fighting
Here are some of the most popular and efficient fighters in the UFC who are the best in stand up fighting.

Best UFC strikers (Image via: Instagram)
The UFC is the premier MMA promotion in the world. They have the best fighters from all the nooks and corners of the world. It is one of the reasons why it is the best MMA promotion in the world. The fighters have different bases in martial arts. However, it is the ones with very good striking that have achieved more popularity among the fans. The UFC has some of the best MMA strikers in the world.
The UFC has an abundance of fighters who are elite strikers. Strikers have entertained fans with devastating knockouts inside the octagon. Fighters like Alex Pereira and Israel Adesanya, among others, have a background in the sport.

The criteria of the best strikers remains the best utilization of punches and kicks. Hence, fighters like Max Holloway, Dustin Poirier, Conor McGregor, and others come under the best boxers list. Here are some of the best strikers in the UFC.
Honorable mentions
Many elite strikers missed out on the top 10 list. Current strawweight champion Zhang Weili and former two-time champion Rose Namajunas could not make the cut. Alexander Volkov is another great striker who missed out on the rankings. Light heavyweight titans Jamahal Hill, Jiri Prochazka, and Aleksandar Rakic just missed out.

Jared Cannonier, Robert Whitaker, Rafael Fiziev, Dan Hooker, Charles Oliveira, Edson Barboza, and Yair Rodriguez came agonizingly close to making the top 10 rankings. Moreover, legendary fighters like Mirko Crop Cop, Mauricio Rua, Lyoto Machida, and Anderson Silva could not make the list due to their status as retired fighters.
10. Ian Garry
Ian Garry is undefeated in professional MMA. Garry made his UFC debut with a first-round TKO at UFC 268. His striking has improved considerably since then. He is also the first and only fighter to finish Daniel Rodriguez via strikes. Moreover, in his latest bout against Neil Magny, he displayed devastating leg kicks to win the fight dominantly.

Due to his striking capabilities, Garry is in the top 10 of the division. He lands in excess of 6 significant strikes per minute and absorbs only less than 4. Moreover, he has 57% striking accuracy and a 75% takedown defense. Considering his improvements, Garry has the potential to move up in the list
9. Ciryl Gane
Ciryl Gane is the former interim UFC heavyweight champion. He is one of the new breed of dynamic explosive heavyweights. The French fighter began his career through Muay Thai, where he is undefeated. He has only lost to Francis Ngannou and Jon Jones in professional MMA, and it is only due to his deficiency in wrestling.

Gane’s proficiency in his striking won him many bouts. He is a puzzle to the slower heavyweights. Gane lands his strikes at an impressive 61% accuracy. He only absorbed close to 2 significant strikes per minute and landed more than 5. With improved takedown defense, Gane can further elevate his striking and win the undisputed title.
8. Justin Gaethje
Justin Gaethje is the human highlight reel. He is the favorite fighter to watch for many UFC fighters. Gaethje is an NCAA Division I All-American. However, he made his name in MMA with his devastating leg kicks and chaotic punching. He has only fought 12 times in the UFC and has already won 12 post-fight bonuses.

He knocked out Dustin Poirier with a head kick to win the BMF belt in his latest fight. Moreover, Gaethje has a striking accuracy of 60% and lands and absorbs close to 7 strikes per minute. Thus showing his all-action style. More than his technique, Gaethje’s willingness to stand and bang got him a place on the list.
7. Alexander Volkanovski
Alexander Volkanovski is the former pound-for-pound king. He is a well-rounded fighter with no apparent weakness. He outsruck Max Holloway, one of the best boxers in the UFC. Moreover, he even finished the dynamic striker Yair Rodriguez.

With a 57% striking accuracy, Volkanovski lands more than six significant strikes per minute and absorbs just 3. He also has great wrestling, which further opens up his striking game. He used leg kicks to win the tile from Max Holloway and used his boxing to defend the title in his trilogy bout with Holloway.
6. Jon Jones
Jon Jones is the arguable GOAT of MMA. Jones is one of the most innovative fighters in the UFC. During his reign as the light heavyweight champion, Jones used elbows, knees, and oblique kicks to destroy his opponents.

Jones’ impeccable wrestling also made his striking more effective. He landed 57% of his significant strikes at the rate of 4 per minute. Moreover, he is also defensively sound in striking with close to just two significant strikes absorbed per minute.
5. Stephen Thompson
Stephen Thompson is one of the best kickboxers to ever compete in MMA. Before his UFC career, Thompson had an undefeated kickboxing career. Opponents always employ offensive wrestling to defeat Thomspon. Thompson also has some of the best highlight reel finishes on his resume.

Thompson has a 46% significant strike accuracy, with four significant strikes landed per minute to 3 absorbed. The stats do not tell the full story, as he employs a lot of movements and feints. Whenever an opponent chose to stand and trade with him, Thomspon showed his wide array of striking skills. Only lack of MMA accomplishments puts him at number 5.
4. Leon Edwards
Leon Edwards, the welterweight champion, has not lost a fight in 8 years. He is the only fighter to knock out Kamaru Usman, one of the best welterweights ever. Edwards is one of the best precision strikers in the sport. He uses front kicks, jump kicks, knees, and elbows to full effect in his fights.

Edwards’ stats do not provide the full story, as he places more significance on precision than volume His victories over Usman, Nate Diaz, Gunnar Nelson, and Rafael Dos Anjos show his technical striking brilliance. Edwards has one of the fastest knockouts in UFC history against Seth Baczynski. Nevertheless, the highlight of his career is the head-kick KO of Usman.
3. Israel Adesanya
Israel Adesanya was the first fighter in the UFC to rely heavily on his striking to have a long title reign. Adesanya defended the title more frequently than any other champion when he was the champion. After a long Kickboxing career, he transitioned smoothly to MMA.

In the UFC, he continued his long-standing rivalry with Alex Pereira. Adesanya knocked out Pereira in their latest meeting. Adesanya is one of the best counter-strikers that the UFC has ever seen. His feints and leg kicks make him impenetrable to opponents.
2. Valentina Shevchenko
Valentina Shevchenko began her career with Muay Thai, where she is a multiple-time world champion. She was also the long-reigning flyweight champion and is also in the GOAT discussions of Female MMA. Shevchenko made fights miserable for opponents with her counterpunching and variety of kicks.

She has one of the best non-telegraphed kicks in MMA. Moreover, she also has speed and finesse in her strikes. She employs all her striking tools to full advantage. Her striking even got her victories even against heavier women in the bantamweight division.
1. Alex Pereira
Alex Pereira is one of the most accomplished combat sports athletes of all time. He is the only two-division champion in two different combat sports. He is also one of the only three kickboxers in the Glory Kickboxing Hall of Fame. Moreover, he is 2-0 and 1-1 against Israel Adesanya in kickboxing and MMA, respectively.
Pereira has knockout victories over three former or current champions in the UFC already. He has only fought seven times in the UFC, and he is already a two-division champion. Pereira’s left hook is one of the most devastating attacks in combat sports history. He also has a powerful straight right hand. Moreover, he also has powerful high kicks and jumping knees to knock opponents out cold.

Many tout Pereira to have the best chance to become a three-division UFC champion. His personality and performance have made him a lot of fans worldwide. With his impressive resume in striking, it will take a monumental effort from somebody to displace Pereira from the top of the rankings.
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