5 UFC fighters who are hard to hit
It’s not just about how hard you hit, it’s also about how much you get hit. In the UFC, fighters often put offense first, bursting into fights firing on all cylinders. While it can lead to highlight reel-worthy knockouts on their foes, it can also lead to the opposite (just look at Jose Aldo at UFC 194).
Sometimes killer offense is not enough. To truly excel in the octagon, and have any hope of longevity, avoiding too much punishment is of supreme importance. Knowing how to block, dodge, duck, slip and whatever else it takes to keep that chin safe is paramount.
The following five fighters are all, in their own ways, very difficult to land significant strikes on. From slippery footwork masters to domineering pressure fighters, these five have proven themselves hard to knock time and again.
In all of the following cases, getting the knockout is a tall and daunting order. Here are five current UFC fighters who are hard to hit.
#5. Former two-time UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz
If ever you wondered why Edmond Tarverdyan kept screaming “head movement” during Ronda Rousey’s UFC battles, look no further. Dominick Cruz is a master boxer in the octagon, utilizing rapid head movement and crisp footwork to keep his opponents guessing.
Of the mere three losses he has suffered in his career, just one came by knockout. A series of injuries drastically slowed down the former UFC bantamweight kingpin between 2017 and 2018. After more than three years away from the octagon, Cruz returned for a bantamweight title showdown with then-champion Henry Cejudo.
Cejudo managed to do what no one else has ever pulled off by ousting Cruz with strike. The Olympic gold medallist rocked Cruz with a knee and followed it up with punches for the second-round TKO victory. ’The Dominator’ made a return to winning form at UFC 259 with a split decision victory over Casey Kenny.
At 23-3, the 36 year-old Cruz will likely continue to improve his record and get back into bantamweight title contention.
That is, of course, if his body can hold up this time.