UFC on FOX 4: Shogun Rua and the 25 Best Strikers in MMA

UFC on FOX 4 will be headlined by Maurico "Shogun" Rua and Brandon Vera—two of the light heavyweight division's most prolific strikers.

The combination of styles and shared penchant for slinging hands and feet should mix to produce some nice fireworks Saturday night, in what promises to be one of the more action-packed main events in recent memory.

As we look ahead to this anticipated slugfest, let's take a minute to honor the best of the best strikers in mixed martial arts. 

25. Dominick Cruz

His resume isn't littered with knockouts like those of most guys on this list, but Cruz has become a dominant MMA champion thanks in large part to his striking.

The Dominator employs a very unique style of effervescent striking, using feints and angles to come at opponents in a way they have never seen before. 

24. Carlos Condit

I was hesitant to include Condit as part of this list, but it's difficult to justify excluding him, given his last four performances.

Knockouts of Rory MacDonald, Dan Hardy and Dong Hyun Kim look pretty nice on a resume, and tactically schooling Nick Diaz puts him over the top.

Condit will hope that his proficient striking game proves enough to propel him to victory over Georges St-Pierre when the two face off this November.

23. Lorenz Larkin

He may not have as many feathers in his cap as a lot of the other members of the list, but absolutely schooling Robbie Lawler for 15 minutes has to count for something. 

Throw in that Larkin is undefeated in 13 career fights (his loss to Muhammed Lawal was overturned by the NSAC) almost solely because of his striking and you've got one of the hottest young standup specialists in the game.

Larkin is barreling towards a Strikeforce middleweight title shot, which will provide him with a nice stage to display his vicious striking to those unfamiliar with it.

22. Nate Diaz

Were you expecting Nick?

The younger Diaz brother has developed a striking game in the mold of his bigger brother, but has yet to meet his Carlos Condit. While Nick may have started the 1000 needles approach to striking, it's Nate who is closer to perfecting it.

The way he recently outclassed Donald Cerrone and Jim Miller on the feet is a testament to how far Diaz has come from the jiu-jitsu-only competitor we watched compete on The Ultimate Fighter. 

21. Lyoto Machida

Machida's recent struggles belie his true ability as a mixed martial artist, and especially as a striker. It took the UFC light heavyweight division time to adjust to Machida's unique Karate style. Now it's Machida's turn to adjust.

The Dragon definitely has the ability to do so though, and will look to get back on track against Ryan Bader at UFC on FOX 4.

20. Anthony Njokuani

Njokuani has found run-of-the-mill success in the UFC, but all of what he has accomplished can be credited to his striking.

Long, fast and explosive aptly describe the 32-year-old's standup game, which has allowed him to defeat fellow UFC striking specialists John Makdessi and Andre Winner.

19. Brian Stann

For many years Stann has gained notoriety for his striking abilities. But since moving down to middleweight he has been an absolute wrecking ball.

The former WEC light heavyweight champion's last three wins have all been by knockout, and have come over Chris Leben, Jorge Santiago and Alessio Sakara—three guys known for their own striking.

18. Stephen Thompson

Though he has only had time to provide a small sample size, Thompson has shown that he has a superb MMA striking game.

The rest of his game, not so superb. But the striking? Oh the striking.

After Thompson won his UFC debut the promotion matched him up with Matt Brown because Brown is willing to strike with anyone. Only, even Brown thought striking with Thompson would be a bad idea, electing instead to make the fight a grappling match.

The result of that fight is telling of two things: Thompson is already a feared striker in MMA, and he is as rounded as a square in terms of his overall game.

17. Alan Belcher

Aptly named "The Talent," Belcher didn't truly hit his stride until 2009. Though he has long since been a solid mixed martial artist, he now seems on the precipice of breaking through to that elite level.

And one of the tools that will allow him to do so is his formidable Muay Thai game.

Few UFC middleweights outside of Anderson Silva and Vitor Belfort show equally or better to Belcher in a comparative juxtaposition of striking prowess.

16. Alexander Gustafsson

In his bout with Thiago Silva, Gustafsson showed that he could do more than out-slug opponents; he showed that he could out-work them too.

Knowing that the Swede has technique to match his power is a scary realization—especially if you make a living by competing in the UFC's 205 pound weight division.

At 25 years of age Gustafsson is one of MMA's rising stars and will have the chance to show off his deadly standup game in big fights for a long time to come.

15. Thiago Alves

Once upon a time Alves looked to be the next big thing in the UFC's welterweight division, but has not looked the same since suffering a defeat to Georges St-Pierre at UFC 100.

Before that contest Alves had notched seven knockouts in 11 UFC fights. He has not scored one since. 

Still, the Brazilian carries a deadly arsenal of strikes, which he exhibited against accomplished striker Martin Kampmann during his last contest.

Alves' striking is even more impressive when you consider that he has to make do with short T-Rex-like arms.

14. Alistair Overeem

Overeem is more than just a master of the fabled nut-shot. Indeed, the Reem does damage to all parts of the body.

With high-level K1 kickboxing at his disposal, Overeem is one of the more deadly strikers in the heavyweight division. Though he tends to lose effectiveness after the first round of his fights, few enough opponents have survived his early onslaught for many to notice.

13. Cheick Kongo

Sometimes it seems that the last thing in the world that Cheick Kongo wants to do is strike. While this is a confusing aversion for a fighter to have, it is downright frustrating when that fighter happens to be a particularly capable striker.

There are not many fighters in all of MMA who can put together the type of technically-sound attacks Kongo reels off when he is in the zone. 

Ten of Kongo's 18 career wins have come by knockout.

12. Pat Barry

As a mixed martial artist, Barry is no world beater. But as a striker, well, that's a different story.

Few big men are as quick or agile as Barry, and he puts those qualities into his striking game very effectively. 

If he could just figure out that wrestling and submission stuff...

11. Michael McDonald

At 4-0 as a UFC fighter, it is difficult to believe that Michael McDonald is still just 21 years of age.

While the American has a solid all-around game, his primary asset is his striking. McDonald's hands are fast, even for the 135 pound weight class, and he hits far harder than most competitors his size.

With nine knockouts in 16 pro fights, Mayday is quickly becoming one of the most feared strikers of the lighter weight classes.

10. Mark Hunt

Hunt has experienced some ups and downs during his MMA career, but his striking prowess has never wavered.

Most recently, the Super Samoan solidified his place as one of the top strikers in the UFC with a first-round knockout of standup specialist Cheick Kongo. 

9. Edson Barboza

Though we'll have to give him a mulligan for that little hiccup against Jamie Varner, Barboza still demands a spot on this list.

The young Brazilian holds a varied arsenal of explosive arm and leg strikes, which make him a very dangerous man at 155 pounds.

Plus there is that knockout of Terry Etim to consider.

8. Vitor Belfort

Belfort made knocking people out in MMA cool back in 1996 and is still terrorizing opposing fighters to this day. With 14 of his 21 wins coming by knockout, you know the Phenom is not one to meddle with on the feet.

Very few fighters in the history of the sport have been able to throw combinations of straight punches right down the pipe with the type of speed and ferocity that Belfort does on a regular basis.

7. Mauricio Rua

The title fighter of this list does nothing but get results in the standup game, and get them in impressive fashion.

In 20 career wins Shogun has collected 17 knockouts, good for 85 percent of his total victories. Though some of those knockouts were soccer-kick aided, not even staunch critics of Shogun can make much of a case to deny his place on this list.

The former UFC champion is sure to find an opponent willing to trade with him when he contests Brandon Vera this Saturday night at UFC on FOX 4.

6. Lavar Johnson

He isn't the most technical striker in MMA, but he is one of the most effective. And doesn't being effective at something really mean being good at it?

Johnson is liable to eat some shots on the feet, but it doesn't really seem to phase him a whole lot. Plus, he knows full well that he hits harder than almost anyone else in the sport, and willingly makes the trade of eat one, give one, whenever possible.

To date, this method of fighting has been good to Johnson. His method of grappling has not been quite as kind.

5. Jon Jones

Jones is known more for his wrestling abilities than his striking abilities, but has handily out-struck a number of opponents considered to be very dangerous on the feet.

The current UFC light heavyweight champion dominated Shogun Rua in the standup when the two faced off in 2011, and also bested Lyoto Machida, Rashad Evans and Quinton Jackson in that realm.

Jones knows how to use his reach and employs unorthodox techniques and lightning-quick speed to batter opponents concerned with his clinch work.  

4. Melvin Manhoef

Manhoef's return from retirement ended in a no-decision, but should do little to threaten his place as one of the most dangerous strikers in the sport.

There is no mistaking Manhoef for anything than what he is—a mediocre, one-dimensional mixed martial artist—but there is also no doubt that he is extremely strong in the striking dimension.

Manhoef has scored 23 stoppages via strikes in 24 career wins.

3. Jose Aldo

Aldo is not just the most dominant featherweight fighter in MMA history, he also happens to be the division's best striker. Speed, power, technique—Aldo truly has it all.

Whether it's ending a fight in eight seconds with a flying knee, blasting away with heavy punches or debilitating a legendary opponent with brutal leg-kicks, Aldo rarely misses an opportunity to exhibit his striking proficiency.

A nice way to kick off the list indeed. 

2. Junior Dos Santos

Since 2008 Dos Santos has sliced through the UFC heavyweight division like a hot knife through butter. The champ is quickly building a resume that puts him among the promotion's all-time best heavyweights, thanks in no small part to his outstanding boxing.

During his impressive 9-0 UFC run, Dos Santos has stopped seven opponents by strikes, and battered the remaining two—Roy Nelson and Shane Carwin—to bloody pulps. 

1. Anderson Silva

Surprise, surprise! Anderson Silva is one of the best strikers in mixed martial arts!

Since 2006, Silva has terrorized the UFC middleweight division while carving out a place for himself as the greatest fighter of all time.

With great quickness, deceptive power and a diverse arsenal of strikes to rely upon, Silva might also be the best striker the sport has ever seen.

Just Missed

Eddie Alvarez - Formerly gained consideration as one of the best lightweights on the planet. Though much of that enthusiasm has dissipated over the past couple years he remains a very capable striker.

Cyrille Diabate - The French striking standout uses his length and technical mastery to blast away at hapless opponents. Alas, his ground gain lags far behind.

Nick Diaz - Diaz favors the E. Honda hundred-hand-slap technique over swinging for the fences. The stylistic choice has allowed him to do away with Marius Zaromskis and Paul Daley.

Rashad Evans - The former TUF champ is a formidable mix of speed and power. His knockouts of Chuck Liddell and Sean Salmon still populate many UFC highlight reels.

Melvin Guillard - A powerful striker with a slew of impressive knockout wins, Guillard only misses the list because he has been dropped by a jab one too many times.

Dan Henderson - Henderson's right hand is one of the most dangerous body parts on the planet. Insert your own joke about porn star genitalia.

Erik Koch - Definitely one of the more underrated strikers out there, that he has only garnered three career knockouts belies his explosiveness on the feet.

K.J. Noons - A fighter with pro boxing experience, Noons' reputation might be a little grander than his actual ability. Still, he is one of the more proficient lightweight strikers out there.

Brandon Vera - When given space and time, Vera is one of the most dangerous fights alive. Unfortunately, his striking can be nullified fairly easily, and that has to factor in.