5 great fighters who have never been knocked out in the UFC
Every fighter that enters the UFC's Octagon risks being knocked out. The more times you step inside it, the more likely you are to be knocked unconscious.
There are however some fighters who have never been on the receiving end of a knock-out blow. These athletes have survived multiple trips inside the cage and walked out with all their faculties intact.
We look at 5 of the greatest fighters who have never been knocked out in the UFC.
#5 Jorge Masvidal - 19 UFC fights
Jorge Gambred Masvidal has stepped into the Octagon 19 times and he’s walked out without assistance after every fight. The MMA veteran has not won all of his bouts in the organization but he has succeeded in never being knocked out in the Octagon.
Masvidal has battled great UFC welterweights such as Kamaru Usman, Stephen Thompson, Donald Cerrone, Darren Till, and Nate Diaz but has never had his lights turned out. Street Jesus is scheduled to rematch Kamau Usman for the UFC welterweight championship at UFC 261 in Jacksonville.
#4 Valentina Shevchenko - 11 UFC fights
UFC women’s flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko has never been stopped inside the Octagon. Even though she started her career in the organization fighting a weight class above her optimum fighting weight, she still managed to avoid being knocked out.
The Bullet has faced the women’s GOAT Amanda Nunes twice, Holly Holm, Julianna Pena, and Joanna Jedrzejczyk in the UFC and has never been knocked out.
Shevchenko is booked to defend her flyweight title against dangerous Brazilian striker Jessica Andrade at UFC 261.
#3 Khabib Nurmagomedov - 13 UFC fights
The recently retired UFC lightweight champion went undefeated in his professional MMA career. He was also never knocked out in the Octagon.
The Russian fighter shared the cage with some of the best strikers in UFC's lightweight division - Conor McGregor, Justin Gaethje, Dustin Poirier, Edson Barboza, and Rafael Dos Anjos - but was never separated from his consciousness.
Nurmagomedov is guaranteed to be a future Hall of Famer and is considered one of the greatest MMA fighters of all time.
#2 Max Holloway - 24 UFC fights
Max ‘Blessed’ Holloway made his debut against Dustin Poirier at just 21 years of age and has had 24 UFC fights. In all his time inside the Octagon, Blessed is yet to be knocked out.
The former featherweight champion has faced a murderous row of UFC champions and contenders. Some of his opponents include Jose Aldo, Alexander Volkanovski, and Dustin Poirier twice, Conor McGregor, Frankie Edgar, Anthony Pettis, and Brian Ortega.
The Hawaiin recently broke the UFC record for most strikes landed in a fight against Calvin Kattar.
#1 Jon Jones - 22 UFC fights
Many fans and MMA pundits believe Jon Jones is the greatest fighter of all time. When you look at the resume of the former 2-time UFC light-heavyweight champion, it’s hard to argue this claim.
Bones has won 15 title bouts in the UFC and has not been knocked out or submitted inside the Octagon.
Jones has faced some of the most dangerous strikers and wrestlers in UFC history. His record includes fights against Daniel Cormier and Alexander Gustafsson twice, Shogun Rua, Glover Texeira, Vitor Belfort, Lyoto Machida, Ryan Bader, Rampage Jackson, Thiago Santos, and Rashad Evans.
Jones is hoping to challenge new UFC heavyweight champion Francis Nganou later in 2021.