If trained and applied correctly, strength is one of the most underrated yet useful advantages in the mixed martial arts arena. A fighter’s ability to transfer strength into both their striking and grappling allows them to physically dominate their opponents and control where the fight takes place.

Over the years, the UFC has featured some of the most physically-imposing combatants in all combat sports. These competitors have been able to use their strength to trample their competition, capture world championships in intimidating fashion, and provide fans with some of the most memorable, entertaining performances in UFC history.

19

Igor Vovchanchyn

The Ukrainian Powerhouse Was Ahead Of His Time

Igor Vovchanchyn was one of the most powerful strikers in MMA history during the early days of the sport. Competing as an undersized heavyweight, he relied on incredible punching power and toughness to overwhelm opponents. His legendary run in PRIDE Fighting Championships solidified his reputation as one of the strongest fighters of his era.

18

Fabricio Werdum

Werdum Combined Strength With Submission Mastery

Fabricio Werdum was a heavyweight powerhouse who combined grappling strength with elite Brazilian jiu-jitsu skills. His submission victory over Fedor Emelianenko shocked the MMA world and highlighted his ability to overpower even the most feared fighters. Werdum also defeated Cain Velasquez to claim the UFC heavyweight title in a dominant performance. He was not known for his striking abilitiy but his raw strength made his opponents tap with quickness.

17

Randy Couture

The Natural Was A Physical Force Across Divisions

Randy Couture was a pioneer in MMA who showcased incredible strength and versatility across both the heavyweight and light heavyweight divisions. Known for his Greco-Roman wrestling background, Couture used his clinch work and physical power to dominate opponents much larger than himself. His victory over Tim Sylvia to reclaim the heavyweight title at age 43 remains one of the most iconic moments in UFC history.

16

Mark Hunt

Hunt Was Small For Heavyweight By Packed A Big Punch

Mark Hunt was a heavyweight knockout artist known for his granite chin and one-punch KO power. Despite often being outsized by his opponents, Hunt’s sheer strength and technique made him one of the most dangerous fighters in the division. His walk-off knockouts against Roy Nelson and Frank Mir remain some of the most iconic moments in UFC history.

15

Alistair Overeem

The Dutch Kickboxer Had Technique And Strength

Overeem possessed unparalleled strength that translated to both his striking and grappling. Known for his devastating knees in the clinch, Overeem used his immense physical power to finish elite heavyweights like Brock Lesnar with brutal body shots. His K-1 Kickboxing and MMA crossover success highlight his talent in combat sports and raw physicality.

14

Derrick Lewis

The Black Beast Has Raw Power

Thanks to his explosive power, Derrick Lewis is the UFC’s all-time knockout leader. Lewis’s ability to finish fights with a single punch makes him a force to be reckoned with. Even when outmatched in technique or cardio, his explosive power allows him to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. His knockout of Alexander Volkov in the final seconds of a losing fight perfectly encapsulates the threat he brings into the octagon.

13

Anthony Johnson

The Late MMA Star Was The Hardest Hitter In The Division

One of the most powerful strikers in MMA history, Johnson’s knockouts were feared across the light heavyweight division. His punching power was so significant that many of his opponents were finished with a single blow.

12

Jon Jones

Jones’ Heavyweight Jump Makes Him Scarier

America’s Jon ‘Bones’ Jones isn’t someone often associated with pure strength. However, upon retrospection of his UFC lightweight run, while there may have been hiccups in the road, Jones used his strength to smartly complement his wresting, stamina and striking techniques. He mastered the art of ground and pound, which surprised many given his lean frame.

Victories against the likes of Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua, that epic choke-out of Lyoto Machida, and the pummeling of Chael Sonnen are prime examples. From the moment he beat Stephan Bonnar from pillar to post, fans knew he would be something special. Jones captured light heavyweight gold, cleared out the division and then left for the next step in his evolution: heavyweight. There, Jones — bigger, bulkier, and scarier — rag-dolled the powerful Cyril Gane and submitted him within a round to show his rivals he was the true alpha. This stronger Jones has many eager to see if he will fight Stipe Miocic, or if injuries will force him to retire.

11

Cain Velasquez

Velasquez’s Strength Earned Him UFC Heavyweight Gold

Cain Velasquez is a deceptively powerful heavyweight competitor whose cardio, strength, and training regime was considered legendary. The former UFC heavyweight champion defeated the much bigger Brock Lesnar to claim the title back in 2010. Velasquez was known for dominating much larger opponents on the ground using his prolific wrestling and never-ending cardio.

He even recorded a whopping 2300+ pounds of force behind his punch in a sports science episode. He was one of the hardest hitters during his reign in the UFC, holding victories over Ben Rothwell, Junior dos Santos, Travis Browne and Antônio Silva. Velasquez would retire from MMA in 2019, but he did transfer his talents to wrestling for a while, including a stint in WWE.

10

Yoel Romeo

Romero Has Been Called Inhuman By Many Fighters

Yoel Romero’s physical attributes are as close as you can get to a real-world Marvel super-soldier. His chiseled physique isn’t just for show; he has monumental power and agility due to those muscles. As such, ‘Soldier of God’ boasted some of the rarest and most impressive athletic feats ever seen in the octagon. Romero’s ability to swiftly transition his power into parts of his body led to devastating knockout victories over Lyoto Machida, Chris Weidman, and Luke Rockhold.

The Cuban is also a profound wrestler, capable of taking down anyone with utter force in the clinch. He won Olympic Gold in 2002 and a World Championship in 1999. This is why strikers like Israel Adesanya opted to keep him at a distance. Notably, Romero faced former UFC middleweight champion, Robert Whittaker, twice during his time in the UFC and absorbed many of Whittaker’s most powerful kicks without flinching. Romero left UFC in 2020 and is now showcasing his might at Bellator.

9

Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson

‘Rampage’s’ Feats Left An Indelible Mark In MMA

Besides being one of the more entertaining personalities in combat sports, Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson was widely known for his power punching and boxing skills. Jackson recorded a whopping 1800 pounds of force behind his punch in a sports science episode, and is considered one of the most terrifying knockout artists in MMA history.

The former UFC light heavyweight champion has slept the likes of Chuck Liddell and Wanderlei Silva. His highlight reel began with that iconic KO slam of Ricardo Arona in 2004 at PRIDE. Since then, many opponents have exercised caution against Jackson, who also busted a door up with his fist in The Ultimate Fighter, reminding viewers he can crush anything. Coincidentally, Jackson has come out of retirement to box in 2024, leaving fans eager to see if he still has it.

8

Georges St. Pierre Was Deceptively Strong

GSP Still Remains Fit And In Fine Form Today

Canada’s Georges St. Pierre was not necessarily known for his powerful striking capability. However, his incredible strength and conditioning made him one of the most dominant, versatile wrestlers in UFC welterweight history. The former UFC welterweight king would use his strength advantage to constantly pressure and take his opponents down with ruthless aggression.

Once on top, GSP was unstoppable. His opponents would do anything possible to merely survive the round. He defended his title nine times between 2008 and 2013 and relinquished it, before returning from a hiatus to claim the UFC middleweight championship in 2017 against Michael Bisping. GSP’s title run included victories over Carlos Condit, B.J. Penn, Matt Hughes, and Jake Shields, proving that he could TKO or submit guys at will. To this day, ‘Rush’ speaks a lot about fitness, exercise and looks even younger and more muscular than when he competed in MMA.

7

Chael Sonnen

Sonnen Almost Took Out UFC’s Middleweight GOAT With His Might

Like St. Pierre, Sonnen’s MMA potency was measured by how easily he could take his opponents to the ground and inflict as much damage as possible. He became a seasoned NCAA Division 1 wrestling standout, going on to the UFC where he once won four straight rounds against Anderson Silva before being submitted in the fifth.

It proved ‘The Bad Guy’ could back his talk up. Sonnen’s strength and conditioning taxed many in the UFC, as well as when he moved to Bellator, making him one of the most difficult grapplers to prepare for. He had notable wins over Mauricio Rua, Michael Bisping, ‘Rampage,’ and Wanderlei Silva, crafting iconic trash-talking feuds along the way across the middleweight, light heavyweight and heavyweight divisions.

6

Daniel Cormier

Cormier’s Wrestling Background Made Him A True Behemoth

Daniel Cormier was an extremely unique fighter capable of wrestling or knocking his opponent out. At first glance, Cormier seemed to be an undersized heavyweight who gave up a significant reach to his bigger and taller opponents. Despite this disadvantage, the prodigy would effectively utilize both this wrestling and knockout power to dominate the bigger and bolder competition for years.

Cormier burst onto the MMA scene by winning the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix as a late replacement in 2012. He went on to compete in the UFC and successfully capture both the UFC heavyweight and light heavyweight championships. He had iconic slams of Josh Barnett and Dan Handerson, as well as a Miocic KO in his highlight reel, to perfectly illustrate why his strength should not have been overlooked. To sum it up, if you can submit Anthony ‘Rumble’ Johnson twice, you are a beast! And that is just the tip of the iceberg on a very decorated MMA résumé.

5

Matt Hughes

Hughes’ Physique and Raw Prowess Terrified Many

In his prime, there was nobody quite like Matt Hughes. The two-time former UFC welterweight champion was a powerful wrestler who lifted his opponents with relative ease on many occasions inside the octagon. Hughes used his strength primarily in his offensive grappling to take his opponents down and secure favorable positions.

He defended his belt a total of six times during his championship run and defeated the likes of Frank Trigg, Sean Sherk, and GSP. Fans will always remember him carrying Trigg across the cage and then battering him, as well as that slam that knocked Carlos Newton out cold. No matter what, win or lose, Hughes would let his opponents know they weren’t stronger.

4

Khabib Nurmagomedov

‘The Eagle’ Dominated UFC’s Lightweight Division Like A Boss

Khabib Nurmagomedov’s incredible grappling ability is precisely why the former UFC lightweight champion — who retired undefeated — makes the list. Once ‘The Eagle’ took his opponent to the ground, it was only a matter of time before he would secure a dominant position, choke his opponent unconscious or find a limb to mangle. His strength made it look like a game between men and boys.

The Dagestani native tapped out Conor McGregor, Dustin Poirier, and Justin Gaethje in his short but immaculate title run. Other scalps included Rafael dos Anjos, Edson Barboza and Michael Johnson. The most impressive thing is that he would tell his opponents exactly what he was going to do, yet they could not stop him. While Nurmagomedov retired after his father’s death, this legacy continues with fighters such as Islam Makhachev, who constantly tout sambo as a stronger, meaner jiu-jitsu.

3

Shane Carwin

Knockout Power and Physical Force

Known for his extraordinary knockout power, Carwin started his MMA career with 12 consecutive first-round finishes. His strength and brute force were legendary in the heavyweight division, and even in his loss to Brock Lesnar, he displayed terrifying power, nearly finishing the fight in the first round.

2

Brock Lesnar

The Beast Incarnate of MMA

Lesnar is an imposing figure in the MMA world, known for his incredible size, speed, and raw strength. A former WWE star and NFL player, Lesnar transitioned into MMA and won the UFC heavyweight title. His combination of wrestling, power, and athleticism made him one of the most dominant physical forces in the sport.

1

Francis Ngannou

‘The Predator’ Devoured In MMA And Now, In Boxing

When it comes to pure strength and power, it is impossible not to recognize the most devastating heavyweight knockout artist in UFC history. Francis Ngannou has been tough to take down as years passed, which led to him stunning Gane with some grappling of his own. Injured or not, Ngannou can overpower anyone.

He has insane knockouts over Alistair Overeem, Velasquez, Curtis Blaydes and Miocic, among the many. Now, Ngannou is over at PFL waiting to continue his MMA career after leaving the UFC heavyweight title behind. The thing is, Ngannou has shown his strength as he goes back to his first passion — boxing, out-muscling Tyson Fury, knocking him down, and losing a decision many thought he won. The Predator suffered a quick knockout to Anthony Joshua who is another powerhouse in boxing. Clearly, the Ngannou who had trouble with technical wrestlers and bigger bodies, is a thing of the past, reiterating that the Cameroonian is aging like fine wine.