5 most durable fighters in the UFC
Talent and skill are invaluable assets a fighter can hope to possess in the UFC. However, in the world’s premier MMA promotion, fighters need a little more if they are to reach the upper echelons of the sport. Intangibles like durability and heart are crucial factors that determine how far a fighter can go in his/her career.
Some of the greatest fighters to have competed in the UFC were insanely durable. Legends like Jon Jones, Demetrious Johnson and Khabib Nurmagomedov have absorbed powerful blows from skilled strikers on numerous occasions in the past, but had the innate will to keep fighting.
The following quote from the movie Rocky Balboa sums up exactly what we mean:
That said, we thought we’d rank the five most durable fighters in the UFC right now. Honorable mentions include Jiri Prochazka, Dustin Poirier, Alexander Volkanovski, Cory Sandhagen and Pedro Munhoz.
#5. Nate Diaz – UFC welterweight
Nate Diaz doesn't really lose fights. He just runs out of time.
At UFC 202, Nate Diaz took on Conor McGregor in a highly anticipated rematch. Diaz choked out 'The Notorious' in their first bout and the Irishman was eager to redeem himself. McGregor dominated Diaz in the opening three rounds, knocking him down to the canvas several times with his infamous left straight.
Nevertheless, Diaz survived and swarmed McGregor in the last two rounds. The Irishman came away with a majority-decision victory and acknowledged Diaz's durability in his post-fight interview. He told Joe Rogan:
"He [Diaz] took them better than I expected. He didn't show, he didn't let me know [that he was hurt]. In the first three rounds, I proved the class difference. I was [on] another level to him. And then that toughness and that durability that he has crept back in the later rounds but I'm still happy to come away with the win. Hell of a fight! He's a hell of a competitor. [He] brought out the best in me."
Watch Diaz and McGregor's post-fight interviews below:
At UFC 263 earlier this year, Diaz took on rising welterweight contender Leon Edwards. Edwards was a sizeable betting favorite going into the bout and the first four and a half rounds showed why. The Brit picked apart Diaz for 24 minutes straight and appeared to be cruising to a comfortable unanimous decision victory.
However, Diaz baited Edwards into over-extending on a punch and caught the Englishman with a slick left cross. Edwards was noticeably stunned as he stumbled around the octagon to evade additional strikes from the Californian. He managed to survive and came away with a decision victory.
ABSOLUTE CHAOS. THIS IS WHY IT'S FIVE ROUNDS! 🤯
DIAZ HAS EDWARDS ON THE ROPES DOWN THE STRETCH! #UFC263 https://t.co/1jZPylCRsB
Legendary MMA trainer Firas Zahabi, following Nate Diaz's fight with Leon Edwards, gave his take on the UFC star's toughness during a Q&A on the Tristar Gym YouTube channel. He said:
“If you put [Nate Diaz] in a fight where there is no time limit, I think he beats 99 percent of fighters. You can’t sub him. You can’t finish him. The guy doesn’t stop walking forward. He puts volume on you. He is the scariest, in my opinion, street fighter in MMA."