UFC Fight Week 2014
Some of the most dangerous combatants on Earth are included in the UFC’s roster of 500 fighters. Now imagine separating the greatest mixed martial artists from the pack and combining their specific world-class skills. That’s what we’ve attempted to do to form the perfect fighter, a creation more threatening than a small army and more terrifying than a prehistoric monster.
We decided on 17 categories, ranging from body parts to disciplines, for our Frankenfighter. Only active fighters were considered, and no one was eligible to fill more than one role.
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Anthony Pettis flexes during the weigh in for the TUF Season 13 fight card Thursday, June 2, 2011.
Vision
Anthony Pettis
From the moment Pettis leapt off of the fence in the WEC to “Showtime Kick” Benson Henderson in the face, it was obvious the current UFC lightweight champion saw possibilities in the Octagon that no one else could.
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UFC heavyweight and Cimarron-Memorial grad Roy Nelson poses at Gold's Gym, 7501 W. Lake Mead Blvd., Monday, June 10, 2013. Nelson faces Stipe Miocic in UFC 161 Saturday at Winnipeg, Canada.
Chin (ability to take a punch)
Roy Nelson
The Las Vegas-based heavyweight set a record for significant strikes absorbed without being finished in the UFC last year.
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Johny Hendricks blocks a punch from Robbie Lawler during a UFC 171 mixed martial arts welterweight title bout, Saturday, March 15, 2014, in Dallas. Hendricks won by decision.
Left Hand
Johny Hendricks
The UFC welterweight champion likes to say, “God blessed me with power in my left hand,” and he’s used it to knock out five opponents en route to a title shot.
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Dan Henderson smiles after making weight during the weigh in for UFC 173 Friday, May 23, 2014 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.
Right Hand
Dan Henderson
The 43-year-old legend has lost four of his last five fights, but remains the only fighter with right-hand punching power devastating enough to merit its own nickname—the H-bomb.
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American Jon Jones (right) lands a kick on Sweden's Alexander Gustafsson during their World Light Heavyweight Championship bout during UFC 165 in Toronto on Saturday Sept. 21, 2013. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Chris Young)
Game planner
Jon Jones
The UFC light heavyweight champion routinely catches opponents off-guard with his strategy, which often entails attacking in exactly the opposite way expected.
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Chris Weidman hits Anderson Silva with an elbow during their middleweight title fight at UFC 168 Saturday, Dec. 28, 2013 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Weidman won by TKO after he checked a Silva kick which broke Silva's leg.
Elbows
Chris Weidman
This might be a stretch, but the UFC middleweight champion succeeds in every aspect and deserved a spot somewhere. He knocked out Mark Muñoz with standing elbows before nearly stopping Anderson Silva by making use of the ground-and-pound version two fights later.
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Jose Aldo, right, of Brazil and Ricardo Lamas of Chicago, IL fight in the first round of the Ultimate Fighting Featherweight Championship Mix Martial Arts bout in Newark, N.J. on Saturday, Feb. 1, 2014. Aldo won by unanimous decision in five rounds. (AP Photo/Tim Larsen)
Right Leg
Jose Aldo
The UFC featherweight champion’s leg kicks are straight out of a nightmare—he’s left numerous opponents’ lead legs purple and swollen from swift and persistent attacks.
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Vitor Belfort, from Brazil, left, kicks Michael Bisping, from Britain during their middleweight mixed martial arts bout at the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Sunday, Jan. 20, 2013.
Left Leg
Vitor Belfort
The veteran who debuted at UFC 12 is currently ensnarled in controversy stemming from the Nevada State Athletic Commission’s ban on testosterone replacement therapy, but he had knocked out three straight opponents with a left kick to the head before his unintended hiatus.
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Demetrious Johnson, of the United States, left, fights with Ali Bagautinov, of Russia, during the flyweight bout at UFC 174 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Saturday, June, 14, 2014.
Feet
Demetrious Johnson
Keeping an eye on the fast-moving UFC flyweight champion during a fight is difficult enough. Now imagine trying to hit the lightning-quick “Mighty Mouse.”
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Former heavyweight champion Junior Dos Santos, left, and UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez fight for the UCF World Heavyweight title in Houston, Saturday, Oct. 19, 2013. Velasquez kept his title, beating Santos with a TKO in the fifth round. (AP Photo/Pat Sullivan)
Boxing
Junior dos Santos
With apologies to Alexander Gustafsson and several other valid candidates, dos Santos has shown his knack for the sweet science over the largest sample size. Dos Santos is so obsessed with boxing, coaches have to beg him to train in other areas.
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Fabricio Werdum, right, and Travis Browne fight during a UFC mixed martial arts bout on Saturday, April 19, 2014, in Orlando, Fla. Werdum won.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Fabricio Werdum
In another category boasting multiple legitimate options, the heavyweight division’s top contender stands out with nine career submissions over a number of elite competitors.
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Cain Velasquez rains punches down on Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva during their bout at UFC 160 Saturday, May 25, 2013 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Velasquez retained his heavyweight title with a TKO at 1:21 of the first round.
Cardio
Cain Velasquez
Despite spending nearly an hour and a half in the Octagon during a 12-fight UFC career, Velasquez has hardly ever taken as much as a deep breath. He’s the UFC heavyweight champion with the conditioning of a flyweight.
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Ronda Rousey limbers up before her fight with Sara McMann at UFC 170 Saturday, Feb. 22, 2014 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center. Rousey won by TKO in the first round with a knee to the McMann's liver.
Judo
Ronda Rousey
Nothing—including gender, size or strength—matters if the UFC women’s bantamweight champion gets ahold of an arm. She’s going to inflict horrific harm.
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Lyoto Machida, from Brazil, right, and Phil Davis, from the U.S., battle during their UFC 163 mixed martial arts Light Heavyweight bout in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2013. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)
Karate
Lyoto Machida
“The Dragon” revitalized one of the most classic martial arts when he captured the UFC light heavyweight championship five years ago with his elusive style.
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Anderson Silva throws a kick at Chris Weidman during their middleweight title fight at UFC 162 Saturday, July 6, 2013 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Weidman upset Silva with a second round knockout, taking the belt Silva has held since 2006.
Kickboxing
Anderson Silva
The man widely referred to as the greatest of all-time in the UFC won 16 straight fights by punishing all-comers with his Muay Thai arsenal.
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Frankie Edgar blocks a kick from Charles Oliveira during their fight at UFC 162 Saturday, July 6, 2013 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Edgar won by unanimous decision.
Will
Frankie Edgar
Edgar locked up his spot in UFC lore with a series of stunning comebacks after falling into early trouble, most famously in a pair of fights against Gray Maynard in 2011.
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Daniel Cormier begins his winning choke of Dan Henderson during their fight at UFC 173 Saturday, May 24, 2014 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Cormier won with a rear naked choke in the third round.
Wrestling
Daniel Cormier
The undefeated former Olympian’s takedown might be the most unstoppable move in all of MMA. Not bad.
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