UFC 134: Anderson Silva and the 10 Best Chins in the UFC's MW Division

It takes more than just a well-rounded mixed martial artist to get through a fight and come out the winner each and every time.

Not every fighter has it, but a battle-tested chin is required to make their chances a lot better for succeeding and getting through the mistakes that they might make during a three or five round fight. One opening or a missed punch could equal a very quick and brutal knockout.

When Yushin Okami takes on UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva at UFC 134, he will need to make sure he doesn't leave an opening of any sort. If he does, his chin will have to be as good as it has ever been before. If it's not, it will be a quick night for the Brazilian fighter.

These are the top 10 chins in the middleweight division.

No. 10: Dan Miller

Dan Miller hasn't been as successful as his brother, Jim, has been in the UFC's lightweight division, but he does have the same toughness and determination.

With a 13-5 record, Miller has never been finished despite having five losses, four of which came in the UFC.

In fights with Nate Marquardt, Michael Bisping, Chael Sonnen and Demian Maia, Miller took each the distance but came up short on the scorecards.

No. 9: Ed Herman

Ed Herman has a 22-9 record in MMA and only has one knockout loss, which came after he suffered a knee injury in a fight with Aaron Simpson.

The Ultimate Fighter 3 veteran fighter is very tough to knock out, and it has been that way since he made his debut at the TUF 3 Finale where he lost a unanimous decision to Kendall Grove in one of the best fights of the year.

Of his nine losses, five have come by submission and three by decision.

No. 8: Rousimar Palhares

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt Rousimar Palhares is one of the strongest grapplers in the division, and he also possesses a great chin.

It was on full display when he took on two-time Pride champion Dan Henderson at UFC 88. Henderson admitted after the fight how good his opponent's chin was, and a lot of fans were surprised Palhares was able to take continuous right hands from his heavy-handed opponent for the entire three-round distance.

"Toquinho" does have one knockout loss on his record to Nate Marquardt. After protesting a kneebar escape, he was hit with a flurry of punches on the ground before the referee jumped in to stop the bout.

No. 7: Vitor Belfort

Vitor Belfort is one of the best strikers in MMA, and he also has one of the better chins of the top middleweight fighters.

Unfortunately, he lost his chance at winning the UFC title when Anderson Silva knocked him out with a front-kick earlier this year. Besides being stopped twice by Randy Couture due to an accumulation of strikes, it was the first time Belfort had really been knocked out.

Belfort has fought some big punchers in his career, including Chuck Liddell, Alistair Overeem and Dan Henderson. He lost against all of them but was never knocked out.

No. 6: Jason Miller

Jason Miller recently resigned with the UFC to coach on the 14th season of the Ultimate Fighter. He will be opposite Michael Bisping.

While his chin might not be tested in the fight with the Brit, which will go down at the TUF 14 Finale in December, he has an extensive history of fights against some of the very best middleweights.

With a record that extends over 30 bouts, Miller has only been finished twice and one was by TKO. It came in a Icon Sport event featuring a main event with Miller and Frank Trigg. Miller was stopped in the second round due to soccer kicks.

No. 5: Yoshihiro Akiyama

Yoshihiro Akiyama's most recent performance doesn't support his spot on the list, but most fighters gets knocked out at some point in their careers, including the ones that have the most proven chins.

That's just what happened when Akiyama fell to Vitor Belfort and was destroyed in one round of their bout at UFC 133. Controversy was brought up about the punches to the back of the head that ultimately put the Japanese fighter out, but he was on his way out before they were even landed.

Before that, he had his chin tested against fighters like Chris Leben, Alan Belcher and Michael Bisping and went the distance with each.

No. 4: Yushin Okami

Top contender Yushin Okami will be challenging UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva at UFC 134, and his chin will have to hold up to the elite striking of the top pound-for-pound fighter in the world.

Okami takes a 26-5 record into the fight and hasn't been knocked out since a 2003 bout versus Amar Suloev. The fight ended after Suloev opened up on the Japanese fighter with a flurry of punches.

Okami's chin was on display in fights with Mark Munoz, Mike Swick and Nate Marquardt, all of which he took some big punches and survived to win decisions in each.

No. 3: Chael Sonnen

Chael Sonnen makes every fight he is in tough on himself, and he never gets out of it without knowing he has been in a fight.

With a 25-11 record, it would be expected to see a couple of knockout losses on the former NCAA Division I wrestler's record. He has two of them, but one was due to corner stoppage and the other by a cut. Eight of his losses are by submission, including his last fight versus Anderson Silva where he tapped to a triangle choke in the final round of the bout.

If Sonnen's chin hasn't been tested by a heavy puncher, his next fight against Brian Stann will definitely offer up that challenge.

No. 2: Anderson Silva

UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva is known for being the pound-for-pound king and is arguably the best mixed martial artist in the history of the sport.

If it's not his superior stand up or BJJ black belt submission skills that get him through each fight, it's his chin.

It was showcased in his fight with Chael Sonnen at UFC 117. "The Spider" took 289 shots to the face and body and still survived long enough to pull off one of the most amazing comebacks in the UFC when he submitted his trash-talking opponent.

No. 1: Chris Leben

Chris Leben could make the argument that he has the best chin in MMA.

Leben's chin is often on display in each of his fights, and it was on full display when he took on Wanderlei Silva at UFC 132. He walked right through "The Axe Murderer's" punches and returned the favor to knock him out just 27 seconds into the first round.

This is often the case when it comes to Leben fighting, and his chin is a big key to him winning. When an opponent thinks they got him hurt, they don't realize it just puts Leben on automatic before he starts coming forward and looking to get the finish. This makes him one of the more dangerous fighters in the division.

He does have two knockout losses on his record to Anderson Silva and Brian Stann.