5 Times UFC fighters looked invincible
UFC fights are typically competitive. It's common to see two fighters operate on a similar level of skill, with neither mixed martial artist able to decisively defeat their opponent with a knockout or submission. Sometimes, however, an edge in skill or physical attributes like speed and punching power makes a massive difference.
This led to scenarios like the late great Anthony 'Rumble' Johnson flattening future UFC light heavyweight champion Glover Teixeira within 13 seconds despite the absence of a large skill gap between the two men. In more extreme situations, fighters may even look invincible. They don't necessarily look more skilled.
They just look unbeatable. They're able to effortlessly walk through their opponent's best shots and impose their will en route to securing a finish. In other cases, they do look supernaturally skilled compared to their foes. This list looks at five such moments when UFC fighters looked invincible in the cage.
#5. Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Justin Gaethje, UFC 254
There is no beating undefeated lightweight legend Khabib Nurmagomedov. The former UFC titleholder has never bled inside the octagon, nor has he ever even been bruised or swollen. He has only ever lost one round in 29 fights, with that round being against Conor McGregor after the Irishman cheated excessively.
Ahead of UFC 254, 'The Eagle' was forced to recover from the mumps while simultaneously dealing with a broken toe and his father's death. Furthermore, he was scheduled to face Justin Gaethje, an opponent that many regarded as his toughest-ever foe.
Khabib (-300 ML) puts Justin Gaethje to sleep in the second round (+160 to win by submission) to improve to 29-0 #UFC254
https://t.co/TdtNXOTKls
When the two men finally squared off, Nurmagomedov—broken toe and all—easily walked him down. He applied tremendous pressure on 'The Highlight', shrugging off the knockout artist's best punches and kicks. He overwhelmed his opponent, securing a takedown and sliding right into full mount.
While Gaethje survived only due to how little there was left in the first round, he was already exhausted and gasping for air. In the second round, 'The Eagle' caught one of his foe's kicks en route to capturing his back prior to locking a triangle choke that forced Gaethje to go out cold.
#4. Amanda Nunes vs. Megan Anderson, UFC 259
UFC 259 remains one of the few events that featured three title fights. One of those title fights was Amanda Nunes' second defense of her featherweight title. Her challenger back then was Megan Anderson, a towering power puncher with six feet of lean muscle.
Many anticipated her to be the toughest challenge of Nunes' featherweight title reign. Instead, the Australian turned out to be her easiest opponent. In the co-main event of UFC 259, the two women locked horns. During the bout, Anderson only landed two strikes, none of which had any impact on Nunes.
Yeah, Amanda Nunes is the 🐐
The Lioness defeats Megan Anderson in the 1st round by submission
(via @ufc)
https://t.co/vGCVZMlhbn
Conversely, the Brazilian's second punch badly rocked Anderson, causing her to stumble around the cage before shooting for an ill-advised takedown. Nunes easily reversed it and landed in full mount before unloading punches en route to securing a reverse triangle armbar to win via submission within two minutes.
She simply steamrolled her challenger and looked too powerful for Anderson to survive her blows.
#3. Conor McGregor vs. Eddie Alvarez, UFC 205
Conor McGregor reached the summit of MMA immortality at UFC 205 when he faced Eddie Alvarez in a bid to become the promotion's first-ever simultaneous two-division champion. Back then, he was the newly crowned featherweight king, and he had hopes of dethroning the lightweight titleholder.
To do so, he had to defeat Eddie Alvarez. The moment the two men stepped inside the octagon, it was obvious to everyone that 'The Notorious' was more than prepared. He slid out of sight every time 'The Underground King' tried to land his own punches, before returning fire to drop his foe with supreme ease.
"He didn't just do it, he did it flawlessly."
Calm. Composed. Clinical.
Conor McGregor with one of the great title fight performances vs Eddie Alvarez 🙏
#UFC246 | January18 | BT Sport Box Office https://t.co/UKliXiTJF8
McGregor looked unstoppable. He effortlessly shrugged off all of his foe's takedown attempts and seemed impossible to touch. He was simply too sharp, too good. In the second round, he ghosted out of the path of Alvarez's punch before dropping him with a slick combination en route to scoring a TKO win.
It was a masterclass and among the most impressive title-winning performances in UFC history. Fans often refer to the version of McGregor they saw capturing the lightweight crown as the very best version of the Irishman, and it is difficult to argue against it. He looked invincible.
#2. Jon Jones vs. Maurício Rua, UFC 128
Jon Jones has a rich history of impressive feats inside the octagon. Nothing, however, compares to his title-winning performance at UFC 128. In his bid to become the youngest-ever champion in the promotion, 'Bones' faced Maurício Rua, better known by his alias, 'Shogun'.
Back then, the Brazilian buzzsaw was the light heavyweight division's resident titleholder. But once the two men squared off, it was difficult to see how due to how helpless Jones made him look. The American's performance was a glimpse of otherworldly natural talent.
When Jon Jones became the youngest champion in the UFC history at the age of 23, it’s yet to be broken. It’s insane to think that Jon beat a legend of Shogun at a such young age!
#UFC #UFC285 #MMA https://t.co/RO7jRSxMF0
Even Joe Rogan described him as the greatest natural talent in the UFC. During their bout, 'Shogun' was completely outmatched. Nothing he did had a single effect on Jones, who shrugged off every strike and submission attempt as if he were competing against a child.
Throughout the bout, Jones seemed more like a terminator programmed to give 'Shogun' as brutal a beating as possible. He outstruck him, outwrestled him, rocked him, and scored one of the most memorable finishes ever. As Rua absorbed a spree of unanswered blows, the referee screamed at him to fight back.
Rua was unable to. He was dropped with a body blow and knee to the head before the referee stepped in to wave off the fight as he tapped out to strikes seconds afterward.
#1. Anderson Silva vs. Forrest Griffin, UFC 101
Forrest Griffin is the original Ultimate Fighter, having won the first-ever installment of TUF. Furthermore, he is a former light heavyweight champion. With his two wins over more revered fighters like Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson and Maurício 'Shogun' Rua, he showcased his knack for causing upsets inside the octagon.
Unfortunately, for him, legendary middleweight king Anderson Silva was a step too far. The pair squared off at UFC 101 in what quickly became the Brazilian's signature win. He looked unbeatable, and his performance that night made him the most feared fighter on the roster at the time.
14 years ago today, Anderson Silva entered the Matrix against Forrest Griffin
https://t.co/8KZXy0SiF9
Across three minutes, he secured two knockdowns while effortlessly dodging Griffin's punches, all while keeping his hands low at waist level. His second knockdown came after his legendary Matrix moment.
Not long after, he scored his inevitable knockout by lackadaisically backstepping from Griffin's punches before flattening him with a pawing jab. It was the most unbeatable a fighter has ever looked in MMA. This win made Silva so feared by others that the promotion struggled to find him willing opponents... for a title shot.