5 current UFC fighters who are equally deadly with striking and submissions
Back in its earliest days, the UFC’s stars tended to use a single fighting style inside the octagon, whether that was wrestling, striking or grappling.
These days, the UFC is filled with well-rounded fighters who are dangerous in all areas, but there still aren’t too many stars who are equally deadly with both striking and submissions.
How many submissions?
Oliveira ties Royce Gracie for most submissions in UFC history. #UFC225 https://t.co/ET94sPOuZL
Due to the talent levels now competing in the octagon, it’s getting even harder for fighters to put their opponents away before the final buzzer, meaning fighters who can stop foes with strikes and submissions should be even more celebrated.
With that in mind, here are five current UFC fighters who are equally deadly with both strikes and submissions.
#5. Brian Ortega – UFC featherweight contender
Brian Ortega might’ve failed in his quest to become UFC featherweight champion when he was defeated by Alexander Volkanovski in their titanic clash last September, but ‘T-City’ is definitely still one of the deadliest fighters on the roster.
What makes Ortega so deadly is the fact that he can seemingly finish an opponent from any possible area at any time. When he first entered the octagon, back in 2014, he did so as a widely respected grappler with a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
Early on, at least, he lived up to that reputation, submitting Mike de la Torre and Diego Brandao, and dominating Thiago Tavares on the ground.
However, he showed a glimpse of his striking skills when he knocked out Clay Guida with a knee with just seconds remaining in their bout. He then stunned everyone by becoming the first man to knock out the iron-chinned Frankie Edgar with an uppercut in 2018.
OH MY LORD!!!!
@BrianTCity becomes the FIRST MAN to finish Edgar!!!!! WOW!!!!! #UFC222 https://t.co/el22yunJJg
Since then, ‘T-City’ has continued to demonstrate his dangerous skills in all areas, as he used a much-improved technical stand-up game to defeat Chan Sung Jung in 2020, even if he failed to finish him. He then had Volkanovski in all sorts of trouble on the ground when they faced off last year.
Essentially, while Volkanovski and Max Holloway remain the best two featherweights competing in the octagon right now, it’s definitely arguable that it’s actually Ortega who is the most deadly finisher on the roster at 145 pounds.