MMA is widely regarded as the most complex combat sport and UFC fighters as the finest athletes. But is this true? Are UFC fighters the best and most capable fighters out of all?

When it comes to the sport of MMA, people unanimously agree that the UFC has the most talented and successful fighters in the world. Since the UFC is the best MMA organization in the world, they attract the best MMA fighters who seek to prove they are the best in the world.

As such the majority of the best and most talented fighters are a big part of the UFC roster. Other promotions like Bellator or ONE FC also have top-level fighters, but the strength of the roster in these promotions and level of competition is nowhere near the UFC.

Does UFC Have The Best Fighters In All Of The MMA?

UFC is the leader in the MMA industry and home to the best fighters and largest events. In a nutshell, you can look at the UFC as an NBA league where only the finest players are gathered while other promotions are an NCAA or European league. This doesn’t mean that every single top-level fighter is a part of the UFC roster. No, there are talented fighters who compete in other promotions as well. 

Though it may sound odd, not all MMA fighters are interested to fight for the UFC. Some of them are content with their status in other promotions, are paid well there, and do not seek to sign with the UFC where they would have to fight to work their way up again. One such fighter is the former PRIDE FC champ, Fedor Emelianenko who is considered the greatest heavyweight of all time.

But in modern times, the majority of talented fighters end up in the UFC at some point in their career. Each MMA fighter who wants to become the best in the world has to join the UFC to achieve that. They can win belts in Bellator or PFL, and this would bring them money and fame. But winning the UFC belt matters the most and means that you are the best in the world and that you did it against the best opponents.

Simply put, a champion in Bellator is not viewed as equal to a UFC champion simply because the quality of the opponents is not the same.

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Are There Better MMA Fighters Than UFC Fighters?

When it comes to the sport of MMA, UFC fighters are widely regarded as the best. But at the same time, there have been a number of top fighters from other promotions who have made a transition to the UFC and managed to do well against top-level fighters in their debut. The best examples are Michael Chandler and Jiri Prozhazka, and how quickly they shot to fame upon joining the UFC with their fighting performance. 

Chandler joined the UFC as a former Bellator champ, and in his debut, he knocked out Dan Hooker who was a top 5 lightweight at the time. In his next fight, Chandler got the chance to fight for the title and he nearly finished Charles Oliveira in the first round before Oliveira knocked him out in the second.

Prochazka signed with the UFC as a RIZIN FF champion and he went on to demolish Volkan Oezdemir, who was considered a top 5 fighter at the time, in his debut. He then knocked out the #2 ranked Dominick Reyes in his next fight. This is a great example and a reminder that there are fighters in other promotions who can come in and beat the top UFC fighters.

Are UFC Fighters The Best Hand-to-Hand Fighters In The World?

MMA is the most complex combat sport and its fighters are often seen as the “Ultimate Fighters”. On paper, they have all the skills and weapons to beat fighters from any other combat sport in a street fight. But again, this really depends on which factors you take into consideration.

UFC fighters are among the finest athletes out of all sports. In an ideal street fighting scenario with two fighters similar in size and skill, UFC fighters would win against boxers, kickboxers, or wrestlers most of the time. They simply have more weapons at their disposal and have an all-around set of skills.

However, they can’t switch over to other combat sports and dominate. No, it has been proven many times that boxing is for boxers and wrestling is for wrestlers. Most UFC fighters would get demolished inside the ring against a skilled boxer, or on the mats against skilled wrestlers. Boxing adventures of top UFC stars Tyron Woodley, Ben Askren, and Conor McGregor and their losses inside the ring are great examples.

In terms of martial arts and self-defense, MMA covers most aspects and trains you how to fight on the feet, inside the clinch, and on the ground. But on the flip side, it is not as versatile as other self-defense combat systems like Krav Maga or Combat Sambo. These systems include weapon-based training, dirty tactics, and many other elements that you won’t find in MMA but are very effective on the streets.

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Who Is The Best Fighter Not In The UFC?

Throughout MMA history, there have been a number of great fighters who, despite never fighting for the UFC, were considered the greatest of all time. One of the best examples is the great Fedor Emelianenko who is widely regarded as the best heavyweight fighter in history. When it comes to present days, you can find skillful fighters in just about every promotion, and here are some of the names:

• Robert Soldic — is a champion in KSW which is a leading promotion in the European market. Soldic is so dominant that he is a champion in two separate weight classes and is widely regarded as the best 170-pound fighter outside the UFC. 
• Patricio Freire — is the most dominant Bellator fighter of all times, and one of the most violent 145 pound fighters on the planet. Despite winning titles in two separate weight classes and beating all the top opponents from his era, Freire never considered fighting for the UFC, and he probably never will.
• Adriano Moraes — is a ONE FC flyweight champion who became a global star after he finished the great Demetrious Johnson in 2021. He is also the former Shooto Brazil flyweight champ.

Which Country Produces The Best UFC Fighters?

America is the pound-for-pound king when it comes to countries that have the best UFC fighters. This is not a big surprise considering that modern MMA emerged in the US and that the biggest promotion, the UFC, is located and holds most of its events in the US. Here are some interesting numbers that show how dominant America is in MMA. 

Out of around 600 UFC athletes on the UFC roster, more than 300 come from the US, around 100 from Brazil, and less than 50 from Russia or former Soviet Republics. 

That being said, it’s not a surprise that most UFC champions come from the US. According to a study done by “Cageside Press” in 2019, 63 Americans have won the UFC title in total while the second country is Brazil with 15 champions. 

Even if you look at which country produces most UFC champions in comparison to population, the US is still first with 63 champions on 327 million people, Canada is second with 3 champions on 37 million people, and Brazil third with 15 champions on 210 million people.

Next, out of 50 states in the US, 24 have produced UFC champions with California being first with 15 champions, Ohio second with 8, and Washington and New York with 5 champions each. 

How Tough Are UFC Fighters?

There is no precise formula how to measure toughness. But when it comes to MMA, every single fighter who has reached the UFC level is tough both mentally and physically. MMA is so physically and mentally demanding that you can’t succeed without being tough.

First, fighters go through brutal training sessions multiple times a day. Pro fighters need to train up to three times a day and be experts in multiple martial arts to cover all the aspects of the sport. In a single week, they spend hours wrestling, rolling in BJJ sessions, doing boxing and Muay Thai sessions, and sparring. Like that is not enough work, they need to work on their strength, follow a strict diet, find time to rest, fight through bad days, injuries, tiredness, losses, pain, and tears just to elevate their game and succeed.

They might look happy in front of the camera wearing expensive suits and enjoying their celebrity status wherever they go. But in reality, their everyday life is so busy and intense that most average people would give up that lifestyle after 2 days.

Things go to another level when they have to step inside the cage to fight against the opponent who is trying to hurt them. You need mental toughness to deal with the pressure, put emotions aside, and stay focused. UFC fighters are so mentally tough that they have to overcome the fear of getting hurt, being knocked out, or being embarrassed on the biggest MMA stage in the world. In other words, fighters must manage their fight anxiety in order to fight in the cage and this is never an easy feat.

When I walk to the Octagon, I look like I’m, it’s impossible for me to fail and I look very confident, like I’m going to kick ass for sure. But the truth is, deep down inside, I’m scared as hell…

Former UFC Fighter Georges St-Pierre

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Can a Normal Person Beat a UFC Fighter?

Unless they land a lucky punch or cheap shot from behind, it’s highly unlikely that an average person with an average set of fighting skills would beat a trained UFC Fighter. This is the same as thinking that an average person can beat an NBA player in a 1 on 1 match on the court. Statistically, it is possible. But is it realistic, no. Here is the main reason why.

First, trained fighters are conditioned to stay calm in a stressful situation and fighting is in their second nature. You won’t intimidate them with mean words, or scare them by being the first to throw a strike. Even if you are lucky enough to land a clean shot, that doesn’t mean anything because they are trained to absorb clean shots and know how to deal with them. They won’t panic if you break their nose, teeth or if the blood starts pouring out. UFC fighters have dealt with physical injuries a countless number of times in the gym and there is nothing that an average person can do to surprise them even if you inflict injury first.

Next, pro fighters have trained automatic reactions, are very fast, technical, and powerful. Once the fight breaks out, they would be at least a few steps strategically ahead of the average people and see it all coming in advance. The difference in skill, speed, power, and fight IQ is so big that it would be foolish to even think that an average person could beat a trained UFC athlete.

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Can UFC Fighters Compete Outside Of The Organization?

No, as long as their contract with the UFC is active, fighters are not allowed to compete in other MMA promotions. They can do this only if the UFC organizes a cross-promotional bout where their top fighter would face a top fighter from the other promotion. This happened a couple of times in the past. But in modern days, it’s highly unlikely that any promotion would do that again.

Once their contract ends, athletes can choose whether they want to continue their career with the UFC by signing another contract or go test the market and sign with the other promotion like Bellator or PFL. There is also a scenario where the UFC releases the fighter despite a couple of fights left in the contract. In that case, a fighter becomes a free agent and is allowed to sign a contract and fight wherever they want to.

What Are The Other Big MMA Promotions Outside The UFC?

Although the UFC is the absolute leader in the industry, there are many other promotions that put on high-quality events and fights. Here are top three:

• Bellator — is widely regarded as the second best MMA promotion. It was founded in 2008 by Bjorn Rebney and is owned by “ViacomCBS”. 
• KSW – is one of the leading European promotions. It was founded in 2004 by Martin Lewandowski and Maciej Kawulski and is located in Poland. KSW events include top production, visually look spectacular and the strength of their roster is solid.
• Professional Fighters League (PFL) – is an MMA league founded in 2018 by Donn Davis. The format is built in such a way that fighters compete in a regular season where they win points, post-season (elimination) and championship.
• ONE FC – is an MMA promotion founded in 2011 in Singapore. Apart from MMA matches, ONE FC also includes Muay Thai, Kickboxing and submission grappling matches. 

If you are a spectator of a UFC bout and the decision is made that the fight is a ‘no contest,’ you may be a little confused as to what this outcome means! Is the match a draw? Is there a winner? What does a ‘no contest’ outcome mean in a UFC bout?

A ‘no contest’ decision in a UFC fight can be declared if one or both fighters is injured accidentally, or by an unintentional illegal action, or if there is interference in the fight from the referee or another non-combatant. A fighter’s dishonest action or drug use can also have this result.

A couple of possible UFC match outcomes may leave some doubt in a spectator’s mind about the meaning of the match outcome. A ‘no contest’ outcome and a ‘no decision’ are two such outcomes that have some confusion about their meaning. We will give you the meaning of a ‘no contest’ and how it differed from a ‘no decision’ outcome, and what it means for the fighters.

What Does ‘No Contest’ Mean In The UFC?

There are many possible outcomes in a UFC bout, some of which result in a clear winner, a draw, or disqualification. However, some bout outcomes can leave some doubt in people’s minds about what the outcome means.

Some of the more common fight outcomes are a submission, a knockout, technical knockout, forfeit, judges’ decision win, and judges’ decision draw. Judges’ decision wins and draws have several sub-categories as well, but this is a topic for another time.

A ‘no contest’ decision signals the end of the match, and the bout will not continue. Several scenarios can result in a ‘no contest’ decision.

Essentially, a ‘no contest’ outcome is when the fight is halted due to a reason that is outside of one or both of the fighters’ control. If a ‘no contest’ is called, neither fighter is the winner or loser. This does not mean the fight is a draw, but rather the fight is declared null and void.

The bout goes on both fighters’ records as a ‘no contest’ bout, and the reason for the decision is also recorded. A fight can be deemed a ‘no contest’ after the fight, and the original outcome overturned should evidence come to light that warrants the decision.

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What Causes a ‘No Contest’ In UFC?

What circumstances surrounding a UFC fight will result in the fight being declared a ‘no contest’? Several situations both during the fight or after the fight can result in a bout being rendered a ‘no contest’ event.

If a fighter accidentally delivers an illegal blow, which results in the opponent being unable to continue the fight, the fight will be called a ‘no contest,’ and the bout will end. The decision of whether the illegal blow is intentional or not will be at the sole discretion of the judges.

Generally, if the illegal blow is deemed to be intentional, the offending fighter will be disqualified, and the other fighter declared the winner.

A fight will be stopped and declared a ‘no contest’ if there is interference in the fight by a referee or a third party who is not part of the fight.

Accidental injury to one or both fighters during the bout will also result in the fight being declared a ‘no contest’ bout.

Structural problems with the ring, unruly spectators, and other ring-related issues that make it impossible for a fair fight will result in a ‘no contest’ match.

Dishonest behavior, such as match-fixing, or positive drug tests of one or both of the UFC fighters, can result in the match being declared a ‘no contest.’ This can occur even if the evidence of this comes to light after the match has taken place and a fighter has been declared the winner.

Do UFC Fighters Get Paid For No Contest?

Whether it is a no-contest or not, fighters will be paid a contractual amount as long as they compete on the card. If the fight turns out to be a no-contest during the fight, there will not be a winning bonus.

So far, there has been no word on the UFC’s efforts to recoup the winning bonus paid to the winner of the fight that later turned out to be a no-contest.

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Is A No Contest Considered A Draw?

A UFC bout declared as a ‘no contest’ is not considered to be a draw. A draw is where the fight continued to the end of the allotted time, and there was no clear winner since the fighters were evenly matched.

A draw is usually called when there is no knockout, and the judges’ scorecards show no clear winner on points. Depending on the judges’ scorecard tally, this can be a unanimous draw or a majority draw.

A ‘no contest’ match is not a draw since the bout is essentially abandoned due to the circumstances that resulted in the decision.

What Happens To Betting On A Fight If There’s No Contest Fight?

Sports betting houses have different rules regarding the outcome of a fight. The bets will usually be null and void since a ‘no contest’ outcome is generally the same as an abandoned fight.

Most betting houses will return your money to you if the bout you bet on was declared a ‘no contest,’ but you should check the rules for your betting agent on this matter.

What Is The Difference Between ‘No Decision’ And ‘No Contest’?

A ‘no decision’ declaration is an outcome of a fight that is used in certain fighting disciplines to stop a fight specifically due to accidental injury to one or both fighters.

It is similar to a ‘no-contest’ ruling, but his ruling has a broader range of circumstances that can result in the match resulting in this outcome. 

What Are Some Famous No Contests Fights In UFC Or Other MMA?

There have been several ‘no contest’ fights recorded for various reasons. Taking a look at some of these fights can help to illustrate some of the circumstances where a fight can be declared to be a ‘no contest.’ 

An example of a fight declared a ‘no contest’ due to the drug test failure of both fighters is the 2015 UFC middleweight fight between Anderson Silva and Nick Diaz.

The fight went the distance, and Silva was declared the winner on a unanimous points decision. The fight result was later overturned and declared a ‘no contest’ when the pre-fight drug tests came back with Silva testing positive for steroids and Diaz testing positive for marijuana.

Another famous example where both fighters were injured and could not continue was the 2007 bout between Rob Emmerson and Gary Maynard. Emmerson was injured when Maynard slammed him to the canvas with a body slam, but at the same time, Maynard’s head hit the canvas, and he was rendered temporarily unconscious.

Consequently, the bout was declared a ‘no contest’ due to accidental injury, and neither fighter could continue the fight.

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What Is No Contest In Boxing?

The different boxing governing bodies have different rules regarding declaring a fight a ‘no contest,’ but the basic principles across the boxing organizations are similar.

If one or both fighters cannot continue due to accidental injury or dishonest behavior from a fighter or his corner, a fight can be declared as a ‘no contest’ bout.

Historically, when boxing was illegal, the fight was declared to be ‘no contest’ if the police intervened and stopped the fight.

The referee of the fight can also declare a boxing match as a ‘no contest’ where the fight was too slow due to a lack of aggression from both fighters.

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Conclusion

A ‘no contest’ fight result is when officials overturn the result of a fight if evidence of dishonesty or drug use by either fighter comes to light after the fight. It can also result from one or both fighters suffering an accidental injury during the fight or from interference in the bout by a third party.

A fight declared as a ‘no contest’ outcome is not a common occurrence in the ring, but several fights have been decided this way after positive drug tests coming to light after the fight.

Fighters do not like having these fight outcomes on their record and will generally try to avoid this type of result. These decisions are also not popular with the fans and generally reduce a fighter’s popularity.

If you ever wonder about UFC heavyweight division, it seems logical to think that UFC heavyweights should not have any weight limits because the heavyweight division is created for the heaviest fighters. But, contrary to popular belief, UFC heavyweight division has a weight limit. There are actually good reasons why there’s a weight limit in the heavyweight division.

The weight limit rule for UFC heavyweight fighters was put in place to ensure the safety of heavyweight fighters by forcing them to stay in shape, which leads to better performance when they compete in the octagon.

The upper weight limit for the UFC heavyweight division is 266 pounds (non-title fights), or 265 pounds if the title is on the line.

Fighters who weigh near 300 pounds or more, in most cases, have a lot of body fat, bad cardio, and are prone to injuries. On top of that they look slow, are less skilled than lighter heavyweights, and tend to gas quickly. Allowing 300+ pound fighters to compete would lead to a lot of freak show fights that are not entertaining to watch and won’t generate huge pay-per-view sales. In fact, these fights might even have a negative impact on the image and reputation of the company in the long run.

Why Does UFC Heavyweight Division Have A Weight Limit?

The UFC is a leading combat sports promotion that wants to portray its product as a high-level sport that is home to only the finest athletes. Therefore, the upper weight limit of 265 pounds is there to force overweight fighters to lose weight, get in shape, and work on their conditioning.

This doesn’t mean that they are going to look athletic and muscular. No, fighters like Mark Hunt, Tai Tuivasa, or Derreck Lewis would still look chubby. But the 265 lbs limit forces them to cut extra weight and get in good shape, which has a positive impact on how they perform on fight night. Or in other words, the limit improves the quality of the matches and here is one good example how.

Most modern heavyweights are capable of going through a 3 round war. Some of them can also fight a high pace fight for five full rounds, like Stipe Miocic and Daniel Cormier did at UFC 252. On the other side, fighters who weigh 300 pounds or more would likely gas out after just a couple of minutes. And when you have two of them fighting each other, you get a pure freak show in most cases.

Most fighters who are above 265 pounds and over 300 pounds do not have great conditioning, look unathletic, and do not last long in a fight. On top of that, carrying that much weight makes you slow, less explosive, and with that, less skillful than fighters who stay at a reasonable weight. 

For last, fighters who weigh more than 300 pounds are, in a lot of cases, not as healthy. Carrying this amount of weight impacts your overall health and these fighters are not reliable and are more prone to injuries.

Why Does It Have To Be a 265lbs Limit? Why Not Raise It?

The reason why the athletic commission set the upper weight limit to 265 pounds is not clear. But, it is most likely because this specific weight represents an ideal balance between different factors. First, this weight limit is large enough so that most big heavyweights can go through weight cuts and make the weight without negatively impacting their health or performance on fight night.

If the fighter can’t drop down to 265 pounds, they are most likely out of shape, overweight, and unhealthy. 265 pounds is the weight where most big fighters still feel strong and have good cardio. 

Why Is There No Super Heavyweight Division In The UFC?

There are two most likely reasons why the UFC doesn’t have the super heavyweight division.

1) Quality of Fights:

Heavyweight fighters weighing close to 300 pounds or more are not as healthy as the fighters who maintain, let’s say 265 pounds. These fighters who weigh more than 265lbs are likely much slower, less explosive, and overall, less skilled, and if you combine that with the lack of conditioning, you get freak shows that do not have a lot of to offer in terms of entertainment value. Even if they don’t get tired, these fighters would not amaze the crowd with a high level of technique simply due to the lack of athleticism.

2) Lack of Skilled Super Heavyweights:

There are potential super heavyweight fighters who look like monsters and can put on a great show for the fans, but not enough. If the UFC adds super heavyweight division, they would need at least 15-20 talented fighters to fulfill their roster, and there are simply not enough top-level super heavyweight fighters out there.

The UFC is always looking for ways to improve the quality of its product and increase talent. But adding a super heavyweight weight class won’t help them much in achieving this goal.

What Is The Minimum Weight For A UFC Heavyweight?

Yes, the minimum weight for the heavyweight division in the UFC is 205 pounds. Fighters who compete in the heavyweight division must weigh from 205 pounds to the upper weight limit which is 265 pounds. They are not allowed to weigh less than 205 pounds, because in that case, they belong in the light heavyweight division which ranges from 186 pounds to 205 pounds. And, they can’t go above 265 pounds because the UFC doesn’t include the super heavyweight division. They must weigh anywhere between 205 and 265 pounds.

What Is The Maximum Weight For A UFC Heavyweight?

The heaviest you can step on the scale in the UFC is 266 pounds for the heavyweight division, and that is the case only if it is a nontitle match. If a championship is on the line, then both fighters need to weigh 265 pounds or less during the official weighing-ins a day before the fight.

But, you can weigh more on the fight night after you make weight for a weigh-in. Some big heavyweights like Greg Hardy go through a weight-cutting process to hit the scale at 265 pounds on weighing ins. But, they have around 24 hours left until the fight starts and they can use this time to gain the lost weight back. So once they enter the cage on fight night, these fighters could weigh 280 pounds or even more than that. 

Has A UFC Heavyweight Ever Missed Weight?

Yes, the first ever heavyweight fighter who failed to weigh at the upper limit of 265 pounds was Justin Tafa who is one of the biggest heavyweights. A day before his bout against Harry Hunsucker at UFC Vegas 45, Tafa stepped on the scale weighing 267 pounds. The commission gave Tafa an extra hour to cut just 1 pound, but he failed to do so. This way, Tafa became the first heavyweight fighter to miss the weight.

The fight was still on, however, as Hunsucker agreed to a catchweight fight at 267 pounds. But, Hunsucker ended up being knocked out with a wild head kick in the second minute of the fight.

The other fighter who nearly missed weight was the former NFL star, Greg Hardy. Leading up to his bout against Maurice Green at UFC Vegas 12, Hardy missed the weight in his initial attempt. But he used an extra hour to cut the extra weight and meet the 265 pound limit in the second attempt.

What Happens When UFC Fighters Miss Weight?

When a UFC fighter misses weight, the commission overlooking the event would give him/her an hour to cut extra weight and meet the upper limit for that specific weight class. Although this is a grueling process, an hour is often enough for a fighter to cut 1 or 2 extra pounds. There have been many fighters who used this extra hour to make weight in the second attempt.

If they fail in their second attempt, this doesn’t mean that the fight is canceled straight away. No, the UFC would in that case ask their opponent to agree to a catchweight fight, and the athletic commission needs to approve that. If both the opponent and commission agree, the fight is still on. But, a fighter who missed weight would be fined 20% of their purse, or even 30% if they missed the weight by a lot. And this amount of money would be awarded to the opponent who made weight and agreed to fight at catchweight.

But losing 20% or 30% is not the only bad thing about missing weight. This is very unprofessional and it has a negative impact on fighters’ relationship with the UFC. The UFC would start looking at them as unreliable, and with that, give them fewer opportunities in the future.

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Do Bellator MMA, One Champinship, And PFL Have Heavyweight Limits?

Yes, most other MMA promotions like Bellator, ONE Championship, and PFL have the same upper weight limit for the heavyweight division as the UFC. In fact, the super heavyweight division has never been endorsed by any major promotion. One minor promotion that has super heavyweight weight class is “King of the Cage”.

In the past, promotions like DREAM and PRIDE FC had open weight divisions where there was no upper weight limit for a heavyweight weight class. Even the early days of UFC used to hold open weight matches back in the early 90s.

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Related Questions

Do UFC Fighters Get Paid If The Fight Is Canceled?

UFC fighters do not get paid their show money if their fight gets canceled, according to UFC president, Dana White. If the fight falls apart a month or a couple of weeks before the event, fighters won’t get paid. However, the story is a bit different if the fight gets canceled a day before the event because one of the fighters missed weight. In that case, the UFC is known to pay the fighter who made weight but can’t fight. But how much money the fighter gets paid in that situation is not clear as the exact amount is not released to the pubic.

But what happens if the fight gets canceled weeks before the event?

If one of the fighters pulls out weeks before the fight, fighters won’t get paid. Instead, UFC would offer them a replacement or try to rebook the fight in the future.

How Do UFC Fighters Cut Weight?

UFC fighters start the weight cutting process in training camp, a month or two before the fight. But, they lose the majority of their weight, close to 20 pounds, in the last week before the fight. Here is a brief look at the entire process of weight cutting.

Fighters start the fight week by carefully decreasing the water consumption because this is the fastest way to lose a lot of weight. In the last two days before the weighing ins, they would barely drink any fluid at all, which is why fighters look drained standing on the scale. It’s also important to decrease sodium intake because this helps fighters flush the water out more efficiently.

Next, they would also reduce the number of carbs per day to around 50 grams, and also avoid eating fruit, sugar, and starches. Instead, they are allowed to eat food rich in protein like meat or eggs, and vegetables like broccoli or cauliflower, but not much.

Like that’s not hard enough, fighters need to stay active, take hot baths, sit in the sauna, and even run on the treadmill. According to many fighters, cutting weight is much harder than fighting inside the cage.

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Why Don’t UFC Fighters Fight At Their Normal Weight?

There are two main reasons why UFC fighters don’t fight at their normal weight. First, fighting below their normal weight gives them a big size advantage. The second factor you need to consider is that, in modern MMA, every single fighter is going through a weight-cutting process. What is the point of cutting weight if everybody is doing it?

Well, if you decide to fight at your normal weight, let’s say 170 pounds, you would compete against fighters who weigh close to or even more than 190 pounds on fight night. These fighters would cut the weight to hit the scale at 170 pounds and then gain 15 or 20 pounds back in less than 24 hours. Once you enter the cage, you would have to compete against an opponent who is physically bigger and 20 pounds heavier than you are.

So as long as the weight cutting exists in MMA, fighters would continue to cut weight. Let’s take the UFC fighter, Paulo Costa, as an example here.

Costa is a fighter who walks at around 220 pounds. If he decides to fight at his normal weight, he has to compete in a heavyweight division. Here, Costa would have to deal with much bigger and stronger opponents who are 260+ pounds in weight, and in most cases, get destroyed. It would be really hard for him to deal with the fighters like Francis Ngannou. He might get a win or two, but would never enjoy the same success as in the 185-pound division where he is likely to have a size advantage over other 185 pound fighters.

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How Heavy Is Brock Lesnar?

Brock Lesnar weighs around 286 pounds (130kg) and is 6″3′ tall (191), all solid muscles. He is a mountain of a man and probably the most intimidating heavyweight fighter in the history of MMA. Back when he was fighting in the UFC, he was one of those big fighters who needed to cut weight down to 265 pounds. However, after the weighing-ins, he would have 24 hours left until the fight, and he used this time to gain some weight back. So on fight night, Lesnar would probably enter the cage weighing around 280 pounds or more.

MMA is the most versatile combat sport where fighters use all types of spectacular techniques. That said, one of the flashiest moves in modern cage fighting is a popular “Superman Punch”. An advanced striking technique that is very effective for both MMA fighting and real combat. 

Superman punch is an unorthodox striking technique that requires a fighter to slightly jump off the ground to execute a straight punch (cross). The origin of the superman punch is not clear, but the superman punch became known during the 1960s when it was used by pro boxers and Muay Thai fighters.

It is called “Superman Punch” because it resembles the Superman pose from the popular action movie. Keep reading this article to learn more about the history of the superman punch and how to use it in a fight.

History of Superman Punch

Superman punch is a very popular technique that has origins in various martial arts like Sanda, Lethwei, and pro wrestling. The true origin of the superman punch technique is not exactly clear, but the superman punch came into existence during the 1960s when it was used by pro boxers and Muay Thai fighters. It is called “Superman Punch” because it resembles the Superman pose from the popular action movie.

The man who first introduced the superman punch to the world of Mixed Martial Arts(MMA) is Bas Rutten. Bas was the first fighter who landed a superman punch in an MMA fight, and he did it at UFC 20 on May 7 1999, against Kevin Randleman. Though this was a fight in which Rutten became a UFC champ, it also marks the birth of the Superman punch technique in MMA fighting. In some way, Rutten showed the world that the superman punch is a practical move, and more fighters would start using it thereafter. 

One of the fighters who truly put this technique on the map was the former UFC champ, Georges St. Pierre (GSP). Though Rutten was the first one to use it in an MMA fight, GSP showed the world the full effectiveness of this technique.

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How Do You Execute A Superman Punch?

Superman punch is an advanced striking technique and it takes a lot of time and practice to master it. Since this specific technique has origins in various martial arts, there are also many variations of how you execute this move. Here is a simple explanation of the most common way used in MMA fighting.

Superman punch is not a simple technique like a jab that you can throw whenever you want to. No, to make it work and be effective, you must set it up first by faking a kick. Most fighters do this by landing a couple of leg or body kicks first. 

Once you landed a couple of leg kicks, the key is to read the opponent’s reaction before executing a superman punch. This is crucial because it all happens in milliseconds. As you are lifting your leg to land another kick, you must stay focused and look at what the opponent is doing. Fighters like GSP would even fake a kick to the groin despite this being an illegal kick just to get the reaction from the opponent. In most cases, the opponent would expect another kick and go for a check while slightly dropping their guard, and this is what you want to see.

Stop the kick halfway, switch your weight forward, and do not pivot with the grounded foot. Instead, take the small jump (a couple of centimeters) with your grounded foot and follow with a cross down the middle to hit the opponent’s face. There is also a quicker variation where the grounded leg stays on the ground.

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How Do You Defend Against A Superman Punch?

When you take a closer look at it, superman punch is “just” a kick faint with a cross that comes behind it. The main trick is to always keep your hands up, and check the kicks without dropping your guard. Even if you bite on the faint and try to check the kick, just keeping your hands up in the guard is more than enough to defend against the superman punch. The key is to pay attention all the time, stay focused and keep your defense tight.

But on the other side, superman punch is a versatile strike and the reason why it is so hard to defend against this punch is a combination of different factors:

Positioning – most fighters get blasted with the superman punch while moving forward and walking down their opponent. You will rarely see fighters getting caught with this shot while moving backward. This is because, as you are following the opponent, you have less reaction time to move away, dodge a strike or counter the attack.

Perfect set up – skilled fighters would never throw a superman punch out of nowhere. In most cases, they would set it up by landing a couple of hard leg or body kicks with the same leg. Once they lift their leg up for another one, your initial reaction would be to check another kick, right? But this time around, they would wait for you to bite on the faint before they blast you with a hard cross. This unorthodox transition from a kick to the flying punch is what catches you off guard. 

Unpredictability – as a skilled fighter, you can always see a hook, or a kick coming at you because you are drilling these common moves all the time. Or in other words, you have developed automatic reactions to block these strikes and counter them without even thinking about it. But a superman punch is one of those techniques you don’t practice that often in the gym, which catches up on you on fight night.

Element of surprise – you will never see a top MMA fighter throwing more than 2 superman punches per fight. In most cases, fighters good at it would throw it just once per fight, and it is very hard to predict when that would happen.

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Who Made The Superman Punch Popular?

A Dutch MMA fighter, Bas Rutten, would use Superman Punch for the first time in MMA/UFC history. He did it at UFC 20 in a title fight against a skilled wrestler, Kevin Randleman, to win the UFC crown. However, bear in mind that superman punch had remained an unpopular move used every now and then inside the MMA cage.

But this would change with the rise of Canadian star, George St. Pierre. GSP is a man who deserves a lot of credit for making the Superman Punch very popular in MMA as this was his trademark move. He was a master in catching his opponents off guard with it and doing big damage. The best example of him landing superman punches was his fight against Matt Hughes at UFC 129.

Is The Superman Punch Effective In MMA?

When set up and executed the right way, it’s a very effective technique in MMA because it’s a very powerful punch and it’s very hard to see this punch coming.

A fighter who knows how to time it and place it well can generate a lot of force and even knock the opponent out cold as Anthony Pettis did at “UFC on ESPN+ 6” against Stephen Thompson. Though it looked like a “soft” punch, the force behind was huge and more than enough to knock Thompson out cold. Bear in mind that Thompson is a fighter with an iron chin and that this was the first time he got KO’d like that in his career.

And as mentioned, the second reason why superman punch is so effective is the fact that the opponent, in most cases, doesn’t see it coming at all. When set up the right way, the opponent would look down and drop their guard expecting to receive another kick. They do not expect and are not prepared to take a full-blown flying punch to the head, and the punches you don’t see coming are usually the ones that hurt the most or knock you out.

MMA Fighters Who Have Utilized Superman Punches

Throughout MMA history, there have been many great fighters whose trademark move was a superman punch. One of the most famous ones is, of course, Bas Rutten who pioneered this move in MMA. Here are some of the others:

• Georges St. Pierre
• Anthony Pettis
• Tony Ferguson
• Josh Thompson

Can You Use The Superman Punch In Street Fighting?

Yes, you can apply superman punch in street fighting, and this move can help you stay safe and get out of trouble. But bear in mind that pulling such a move is not easy, notably in street fighting where there are many variables and different scenarios. In short, the crucial aspect is the place of the fight.

First of all, you need a bit of space to pull this move. If you are in a closed space like a room or a bar, timing and setting up the superman punch won’t be easy. In fact, jumping and throwing a punch in this scenario could only create more problems. A much better option would be to go for a basic boxing combo, or a grappling move if you are close.

But things are a bit different if the fight is in an open space like a street or a parking lot. Here, you would have enough space to move around and set up the superman punch the right way. This won’t be hard to do against average people who are not trained fighters. Even if they are, no one expects to see their opponent exploding with a flying punch. This element of surprise is often more than enough to destroy the attackers’ confidence, and in the best-case scenario, the assailant’s nose as well.

And for last, bear in mind that this is an advanced move. It would be hard and even dangerous to throw a superman punch if you are not a trained striker. It takes time to learn how to set it up the right way, and develop timing. The margin for error is so small that you can easily get yourself into more trouble with it because you can easily lose your balance, fall, or miss the target.

What Is The Actual Origin Of The ‘Superman Punch’ Used In MMA and Kickboxing?

The exact origins of the Superman Punch are not clear. This technique is present in various martial arts like Boxing, Muay Thai, Lethwei, and many others. For instance, it is a very popular move in Thai boxing where they call it “reaching punch”. It is also present in western boxing, but of course, the way you set up and execute this punch differs a lot between these martial arts.

Can You Use The Superman Punch In Boxing?

Yes, boxing has its variation of the superman punch and it is called a “reaching punch”. However, bear in mind that this technique is not as effective as in MMA for instance. This is because there are no leg kicks in boxing, or in other words, you can’t set up the superman punch by faking a leg kick, no one would react to this faint. Without a proper setup and kick faint, superman punch is not an effective technique and it’s very easy to defend against it. 

This is the main reason why boxers rarely use it in a fight. It takes a lot of time to deliver this flying punch, a time the opponent might use to catch you coming in with a hard counter shot. 

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Can You Do a Spinning Punch In Boxing?

No, throwing a spinning punch is considered illegal in boxing, and boxers are not allowed to use it. According to rules, boxers must throw punches with a clenched fist, and they can strike only the upper body area above the waist. Landing with the inside of the glove, back of the wrist, forearm, or elbow is illegal.

And on the other side, spinning punches are not as effective in boxing as in other combat sports like MMA or Muay Thai. Throwing a spinning punch requires a lot of body movement, and time to deliver. On top of that, it’s very easy to put yourself off balance as you are doing it, which creates an ideal opportunity for the opponent to counterattack.

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