The Most Suspect Chins in the UFC

Ron Chenoy-US PRESSWIRE

Whether divisional contenders or irrelevant gatekeepers, many UFC fighters lack a strong chin.

It has created an imbalance in their natural ability to sustain pain, pressure and perfection.

Many of these fighters have been unlucky enough to be part of some of the most vicious knockouts of all time. 

It's truly an exclusive group that no professional athlete wants to be a part of.

Here are the most suspect chins in the UFC today.

Anthony Perosh

mmashare.mmavideoforum.com

When you get knocked out in seven seconds it may be time to call it quits.

Now while Anthony Perosh may have been caught off guard by Ryan Jimmo's speed and power in his last fight, it's more likely that the 40-year-old has one of the worst chins in the light heavyweight division.

The bottom line is that Perosh has been finished multiple times in the UFC.  Three times in seven fights to be exact.

Perosh's striking just isn't quick enough.  He just doesn't possess the versatility and precision that other fighters in the division do and it's evident by his recent woes.

Christian Morecraft

mmamania.com

Out of all the heavyweights that make up one of the UFC's quickest evolving divisions, Christian Morecraft is most susceptible to getting knocked out.

In just four fights the 26-year-old has been finished three times via punches, including one first-round KO at the hands of kickboxer Pat Barry.

Morecraft isn't a world-class striker by trade, but at 6'6", you'd expect a little more resilience on his feet.

One more devastating loss and the young prospect could find himself unemployed.

Duane Ludwig

mmafighting.com

Ironically, Duane "Bang" Ludwig has been put out more times than he's finished fights.

Whether due to a lack of speed or athleticism, Ludwig just hasn't been able to get his hands on quicker and more disciplined fighters.

It has truly hurt his striking game, which in hand has left his chin open for business.

At 34 years old, Ludwig's ability to eat punches isn't going to get better. 

Cody McKenzie

mmafighting.com

There's a reason why Cody McKenzie looks to submit every fighter he faces.

The guy literally can't eat any punches on his feet.

Based on previous fights, more specifically his performance against Chad Mendes at UFC 148, McKenzie could in fact have the weakest tolerance for damage in the entire UFC.

That's a major problem considering he fights within a division that's jam packed with athletic, powerful and finish-hungry contenders.

So until the UFC changes the rules and starts every fight out with McKenzie on his opponent's back, the 24-year-old should start to get knocked out on the regular.

Jared Hamman

denverpost.com

Jared Hamman is definitely a tough fighter.  He has fought a lot of worthy opponents throughout his UFC career, but just hasn't found a way to win.

One of the many reasons why is because Hamman's chin wears thin in almost every one of his bouts.

From Michael Kuiper to Constantinos Philippou, the 30-year-old has been finished early and often.

However, Hamman himself throws heavy leather.  If he can land punches before his opposition does than he stands a chance to win.

It's just too bad the middleweight division possesses some serious strikers.

Ulysses Gomez

mmaoctagon.ru

Any flyweight that gets finished by one punch has a suspect chin.

That's just the way it is.

The flyweight division wasn't established to showcase instant knockouts.  It was put forth on the notion that the smallest fighters in the UFC would demonstrate speed, technique, cardio and awesome transitions night in and night out.

Once guys start getting knocked out in the first round, it may be time to chalk those fighters up as structurally challenged.

Dave Herman

mmafighting.com

Throwing caution to the wind doesn't work for every fighter.

In Dave Herman's case, he's found out the hard way.

Herman has been finished in back-to-back fights now and has officially thrown his name into the hat for weakest chins in the heavyweight division.

Granted those loses were at the hands of Stefan Struve and Roy Nelson, but that's no excuse for getting laid out on the canvas.

It may be time for "Pee-Wee" to start picking his punches, using his reach and making sure he doesn't get tagged early.

Aaron Riley

sherdog.com

Aaron Riley isn't one of the bigger names in the lightweight division, but he can still compete his butt off.

With that said, there seems to be a very specific pattern about the outcomes of Riley's fights.

From the time he made his comeback to the UFC in 2008, Riley has been finished by TKO or KO every other fight.  That equates to a lackluster 3-3 record.

The good news for Riley is that his last fight was a loss to Tony Ferguson via TKO.  That means, based on probability, his next fight should be a victory.

Frank Mir

espn.go.com

Before you get carried away, listen to the explanation.

Frank Mir is certainly a boss.  He has created one of the most heralded heavyweight careers in UFC history on the back of hard work, elite submissions and the ability to finish a fight at any time.

However, if you take a close look at every one of his six losses in the UFC, they've all come by way of TKO or KO.  That includes four first-round finishes.

Now while those defeats span across a lengthy and very successful resume, it's still alarming to see how many times Mir gets finished if he gets hit early.

We may also start to see this happen more frequently as Mir gets physically and technically slower with age.

Michael Bisping

blogs.mirror.co.uk

There's no disputing that Michael Bisping is pound-for-pound one of the best boxers in the UFC today.

He has utilized those skills to get past some of the most well-rounded wrestlers and technically savvy submission experts in the game.

However, for anyone that's ever seen Bisping bang with another punch-first fighter, it's easy to see how disoriented he becomes upon initial contact.

The Brit has been absolutely rocked by Dan Henderson, Yoshihiro Akiyama, Wanderlei Silva and Brian Stann. Bisping has lost two of those fights including one of the nastiest knockouts ever at the hands of "Dangerous Dan".

So even though the witty 33-year-old sports some of the most fluent strikes in the middleweight division, his chin will continue to be a problem against more naturally imposing foes.

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