Hand-to-hand combat has made the community cheer out loud ever since men began fighting. While mixed martial artists deploy a whole lot of techniques in their bouts, it’s the swift and strong punches that attract the most attention, don’t you agree? The stylish rolls and evades, backed with knockout fists are what the fighting community desires in a fight. It helps the fighters maintain distance, and avoid takedowns. 

But who are the best boxers in the Ultimate Fighting Championship? Well, we have the list for that. Without wasting any more time, let’s get right into it!

1. Max Holloway: Most strikes landed in the UFC

Max Holloway is often considered to be the best boxer in the UFC. After all, he claimed so when he defeated Calvin Kattar back in 2021. Known for his tenacious head movements and combinations, the BMF champion loves to put pressure on his opponents with his patience and punches. He is indeed a master of footwork and range, giving him the upper hand when it comes to sending accurate shots.

If we exclude his amateur fights, Max Holloway has amassed 9 KO victories via punches. This makes him the fighter with the most knockouts in the UFC featherweight division’s history. And the last time was, of course, against Justin Gaethje at UFC 300 (at lightweight). The last-second knockout punch was something that no one even imagined. Apart from that, he also has a record of the most finishes in the history of the UFC featherweight division, and the number is 11. 

The former champion also holds the record for the most total strikes landed (3622) and the most significant strikes landed (3378) in UFC history. Another record that ‘Blessed’ smashed was the most bouts with 100 or more significant strikes-per-fight, with the number leading up to 16. However, it was the fight against Kattar at UFC on ABC 1 that demonstrated why Holloway should be at the very top of this list. 

The utterly awe-striking performance got him a win via a unanimous decision. With 445 significant strikes landed in a single UFC fight, ‘Blessed’ set a new benchmark for his fellow fighters. On top of that, it was also a matchup that had the highest striking differential (312 in Holloway’s favor) in a fight in the history of UFC. 

1. Conor McGregor: Phenomenal KO finishes in his prime

If we’re talking about the most stylish fighter to have graced the Octagon, the award would arguably go to Conor McGregor. The precision and power that he carried along with the unconventional southpaw stance struck nothing but fear in his opponents’ hearts. And switching stances seemed pretty easy when McGregor did it in his prime. But it’s his left fist that got him up on this list. 

The Irishman’s left ‘Celtic Cross’ has now become an iconic weapon that he loves to exploit in dropping his enemies, along with his left hook. 

‘Mystic Mac’ in his prime was nothing short of a knockout machine. He has the most knockdowns per fifteen minutes in the featherweight division and has tied Cub Swanson and Chad Mendes for the second-most KOs (6) in the division. Defeating Diego Brandao, Dustin Poirier, Dennis Siver, Chad Mendes, and Jose Aldo in 5 consecutive fights via KO, McGregor is also tied for the 4th most consecutive KOs in the MMA promotion. 

Mentioning Aldo, how can we forget the masterpiece that ‘The Notorious’ showcased at UFC 194? It was a record-setting KO in 13 seconds. And what did McGregor use? His left fist, of course. Although he lost to Poirier in the rematch, the first bout went in McGregor’s favor as he put the Cajun down with a barrage of left hammer fists. Even Eddie Alvarez faced a similar hell when he fought the Dubliner at UFC 205. To add to that, ‘The Notorious’ has secured knockout wins in 3 different weight categories in the UFC. Apart from Jared Cannonier, McGregor is indeed the only fighter to have done so. 

1. Alex Pereira: The hardest puncher in the UFC

Transitioning from the world of kickboxing to mixed martial arts, Alex Pereira has remained a dominant figure in the Octagon. With a mix of Kyokushin karate, Western boxing, and Muay Thai, ‘Poatan’ packs a punch that can damage not just a fighter’s body, but also their spirits. He often leaves his torso unguarded, welcoming his opponents to close in and attempt a strike. Not knowing that it’s a trap set by the Brazilian. As soon as they close the gap between them, Pereira sends his well-timed lead hook. 

No wonder, people call him the man with hands of stone. After all, ‘Poatan’ is the only fighter to have knocked out fighters like Israel Adesanya, Jiri Prochazka, and Jamahal Hill. And all came from his left hook hand. Bringing in his wins over Sean Strickland and Jan Blachowicz, Pereira has amassed KO victories over 5 former champions in the UFC. He has greatly impressed the fighting community by winning 8 of his 12 victories via punches. 

Remaining loose with his joints, Pereira leans more to his kickboxing style. Fluid, precise, and powerful, fighters surely need to be wary of his hands. Needless to say, this power is what carried him to become a light heavyweight champion after losing the middleweight throne. And the cherry on top is his counterstrikes and crafty footwork. However, he does need to work on his defense. 

1. Holly Holm: One of the greatest female boxers in the UFC

Like McGregor and Poirier, Holly Holm is also a southpaw. Beginning her martial arts journey with kickboxing, she acquired an instinct that made her a formidable opponent in the women’s bantamweight division. Back in 2002, ‘The Preacher’s Daughter’ won 8 of her 33 boxing wins via knockouts. She’s probably the only female fighter with a long list of victories in the squared ring. 

And this experience was exactly what she brought into her fights in the MMA cage. Holm became the champion at Legacy FC with her striking prowess, and later, defeated Ronda Rousey with a head kick and punches at UFC 193. This was the bout that made Holm a champion in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

1. Dustin Poirier: Gave the most elite UFC fighters a tough time

Poirier, although was never a champion in the MMA promotion, has amassed attention like no one else. Being a southpaw with a knack for shoulder rolls, ‘Diamond’ is indeed one of the most formidable punchers in the UFC. He has often deployed a dangerous check hook in his fights. Conor McGregor surely knows first-hand how strong Poirier’s striking skills are. 

The Cajun fighter has tied with Drew Dober for the most knockouts in UFC lightweight history. He has yet another tie with Edson Barboza for the 4th most knockdowns landed in the division. On top of that, Poirier has the 3rd most significant strikes landed (1268), and the 5th most total strikes landed (1522) in his division. 

With his precise punching and shoulder rolls, Poirier has knocked out the most elite fighters that the UFC has ever seen. The list includes Gaethje, McGregor, and Alvarez. Even the lightweight champion, Islam Makhachev, seemed to have quite a bit of trouble against Poirier at UFC 302. 

Well, that about brings us to the end of the list. What are your thoughts on the importance of boxing in MMA? Is there any other boxer that you would have liked to have read about? Let us know what you think in the comments down below.