hero-image

5 great UFC fighters who struggle to finish their opponents

Leon Edwards' lack of finishes in the octagon may have contributed to him being overlooked by the UFC at times
Leon Edwards' lack of finishes in the octagon may have contributed to him being overlooked by the UFC at times

UFC president Dana White often tells his fighters not to leave their fights in the hands of the judges. However, it’s easier said than done to finish an opponent inside the octagon.

Over the years we’ve seen a number of truly brilliant UFC fighters who, try as they might, simply weren’t all that great at finishing their foes off before the final buzzer.

Former welterweight kingpin Georges St-Pierre, for instance, came under constant criticism for his lack of finishes, despite being widely recognized as the greatest fighter of all time.

Georges St-Pierre Highlight - A Legend Retires - GSP Dedication 2014 - H...: youtu.be/ksP1Tv9J8Yk vía @YouTube

The promotion’s current roster also has a number of fighters who, like GSP before them, often struggle to finish their opponents despite displaying some excellent talent. Whether this will change in the future is hard to say, but for now, it seems that they cannot help but let the judges get involved in their fights.

Here are five current UFC fighters who struggle to finish their opponents.


#5. Carla Esparza – UFC strawweight

Carla Esparza's recent finish of Yan Xiaonan was her first in the octagon since 2014
Carla Esparza's recent finish of Yan Xiaonan was her first in the octagon since 2014

From what Dana White has said in recent weeks, it looks like Carla Esparza will face off against Rose Namajunas for the UFC strawweight title at some point in 2022. Given that she’s currently riding a five-fight winning streak, it’s hard to dispute the idea that ‘Cookie Monster’ deserves it.

However, for a lengthy time it looked like the promotion was going to avoid handing Esparza an opportunity to regain the title she lost back in 2015. The biggest reason for this was almost certainly the fact that during her career in the octagon, she has continually struggled to finish her opponents.

Sure, she actually picked up a TKO win in her most recent fight with the highly-rated Yan Xiaonan, earning her a $50k bonus in the process. However, incredibly, the win was her first finish since she choked out Namajunas to become the inaugural strawweight champion in 2014.

After securing her 5th straight win and in the process handing Yan Xiaonan her first loss in the UFC, @CarlaEsparza1 made a statement and now wants to run it back with the champ! 🏆

#UFCVegas27
https://t.co/fMfJVZWWnh

It’s definitely fair to say that since her title loss to Joanna Jedrzejczyk, Esparza’s game has developed greatly. Once a one-dimensional grappler, she now possesses a formidable striking arsenal. However, this hasn’t helped ‘Cookie Monster’ improve her finishing abilities, as she’s gone the distance in victory on a total of seven occasions in the octagon.

Despite this, it’s clear that Esparza is a top-quality fighter. Her lack of finishes could well be explained by the fact that she’s essentially never fought anything but a high-level opponent inside the octagon.

Whether she can beat Namajunas for a second time is debatable, but given her usual form, it seems that there’s a high chance of the fight going the distance.

You may also like