Dan Henderson and the 15 Toughest UFC Fighters

Fighters are gauged on many different levels.

From striking to wrestling, submissions to grappling, the plateaus of success are limitless.

But when you mention the best fighters in the world, the ones that actually want to fight capture the highest glory.

Chalk it up to loving to brawl or possessing a rock solid chin, these guys prefer to battle.

Here are the 15 toughest fighters in the UFC today, in no specific order.

Roy Nelson

Roy Nelson is one of those fighters who seems to like being hit.

Respected as one of the best heavyweight fighters in the UFC today, Nelson's size and heart culminate into an even bigger chin.

He has been knocked around by the best of them, including Junior dos Santos and Frank Mir, but has never been finished.

"Big Country" is as tough as they get.  Not to mention he possesses ham hocks for hands.

Clay Guida

Clay Guida welcomes pain.

Quite frankly, the guy might actually like to bleed, considering he leaks in nearly every one of his fights.

Regardless, Guida's chin is second to none in the lightweight division, culminating into a career that has featured some of the best Octagon action over the past five years.

He can wrestle, throws wild punches in bunches and never backs down, no matter how bad he's getting his ass kicked.

Guida has been, and will continue to be, one of the most prolific blue-collar fighters around.

Forrest Griffin

After his bout with Stephan Bonnar at TUF Finale 1, Forrest Griffin automatically became one of the toughest brawlers around.

Well-deserved, but Griffin's fast-paced, hard-noised mentality didn't stop after his infamous battle with Bonnar. 

He has continued serving as a fan favorite since that fight and has used that momentum to create some truly awesome bouts.

Epic showdowns with Rampage Jackson and Tito Ortiz have reminded people that Griffin is one of the most naturally-gifted athletes in the UFC today.

That includes toughness.

Jon Fitch

Before his KO loss to Johny Hendricks at UFC 141, Jon Fitch had never been finished before in the UFC.

That streak, alongside his unprecedented pace inside the cage, speaks for itself.

Fitch is arguably one of a kind. 

He can strike, grapple, wrestle and withstand massive amounts of damage.

Those attributes help the welterweight sustain a gritty yet intelligent demeanor inside the cage.

Shogun Rua

Shogun Rua's epic fight with Dan Henderson at UFC 139 allowed fans to gauge the light heavyweight contender under an entirely new light.

Everyone knows Rua is one of the most prolific strikers in the game today, with the ability to attack opponents in the clinch and on the ground, but nobody knew his chin was so iron-esque.

After taking Henderson's best shots for five rounds, Rua stood tall, despite the loss.

That fight, alongside nearly every one of his UFC bouts, proved that Shogun can not only strategically pick apart his opponents, but that he possesses the toughness to regroup, recover and re-energize in the ugliest of atmospheres.

Nick Diaz

Despite any turmoil outside of the cage that Nick Diaz may encounter, he's still an absolute beast inside of it.

The fact of the matter is that Diaz loves to fight. 

He'd prefer it—the sort of fight that goes the distance and leaves both parties bloody and itching for more.

In the past, Diaz's toughness has sometimes been confused with cockiness.

But don't get it wrong.  The Californian's confidence comes from being so hard-noised and gritty.  It's what makes him the fighter he is today.

Not to mention he's borderline un-submittable and never seems to get rocked.

Nate Diaz

As long as we're talking about Nick Diaz, we'd better mention his brother Nate.

Taking after his older brother's brawler mentality, Nate Diaz uses his hands, quick movement and sharp chin to make every one of his fights entertaining.

Look at what he did against Donald Cerrone at UFC 141. The guy literally stood there and let Cerrone hit him in the face.

Diaz's success inside the cage has surely helped alleviate any ill will his fellow lightweights have for him outside of it.

He's confident, combatant and covert.  He can get in and out of the pocket, roll with the best of the best on the ground and turn a professional fight into a back-alley brawl.

Chris Leben

Chris Leben's chin may, in fact, be comprised of adamantium—you know, that stuff that Wolverine had injected into his bones.

Leben's UFC career has been somewhat unsteady, due in part to his struggles outside of the cage with PEDs and obeying the law.

But Leben's knack for instilling punishment, while taking just as much of it, has made him a household name.

Octagon battles with Wanderlei Silva, Brian Stann and Terry Martin have either left Leben battered or victorious.

Either way, his toughness has reigned supreme.  Face it, Leben is a natural born fighter.

Urijah Faber

I simply had to put a bantamweight on this list, and Urijah Faber just so happens to fit the bill.

As one of the most famous MMA fighters in the world today, "The California Kid" is often held to a higher regard than other UFC fighters.

But beyond the lofty expectations that only a guy like Faber can fulfill, his performances inside the Octagon have put that potential in perspective.

Faber can not only strike with anybody in the division, but he can wrestle opponents down, too.

His chin may not be cousins with Chris Leben's, but he has showcased the ability to withstand damage throughout his career.

With that said, despite his championship capabilities, Faber's toughness can truly be measured on one account: his cardio.

Wanderlei Silva

Do I really need to explain why?

Didn't think so.

Wanderlei Silva is a MMA legend.  He has fought in nearly every promotional organization in the world and has fought nearly every prolific fighter worth mentioning.

And even though his UFC career hasn't been as successful as his fans had hoped, Silva's powerful hands and brawling persona make every one of his fights worth the $44.99 pay-per-view fee.

Bottom line, the guy is a pace pusher.  He doesn't wait for the fight to come to him; he brings the fight to his opponent.

That's what I call toughness.

Chael Sonnen

Whenever you have the kahunas to step inside the Octagon with Anderson Silva and bring the fight to him, you have to be tough.

Maybe even a little bit crazy, but who's pointing fingers.

Chael Sonnen is seemingly that type of fighter. 

He doesn't really care what his opponent has done in the past or even what he is capable of doing inside the cage. 

Sonnen will stick to his own game plan, make his opponent adjust and use his wrestling and finishing abilities to make sure the decision doesn't go to the judges.

I know he lost his fight to Silva, but he kicked the best fighter in the world's ass for nearly five-straight rounds.

The dude's a beast.  He's also just as hard to beat in an interview.

Frankie Edgar

Even though Frankie Edgar is one of the smallest lightweights in the UFC today, it hasn't stopped him from putting on big fights.

His two championship battles with Gray Maynard, one of the strongest fighters in the division, showcased Edgar's true heart.

The New Jersey native was able to shrug off KO punch after KO punch in his first championship defense against Maynard, proving that size truly doesn't matter.

Edgar has used that heart, alongside a ridiculous chin, to weave his way in and out of rounds against not only "The Bully," but BJ Penn twice and Sean Sherk once.

Tito Ortiz

There's a reason why Tito Ortiz may be the most prolific champion in UFC history.

It's not because he can trash talk with the best of them, and it's not because he had Jenna Jameson wrapped around his finger.

It's because even after all his back injuries throughout the years, alongside the hatred he received on a daily basis from nearly every Chuck Liddell fan, Ortiz came back stronger and harder every time he took center stage.

He may now be considered "The People's Champ," but Ortiz's toughness will always be remembered alongside his days as "The Huntington Beach Bad Boy."

Josh Koscheck

The fact of the matter is that Josh Koscheck is one of the toughest fighters in the UFC, flyweight to heavyweight.

His incomparable wrestling skills culminate into one of the nastiest ground games in MMA, once he gets on top of his opponent.

His hands, even though they may not be as respected, can KO nearly every fighter in the division.

Koscheck may be ridiculed for never winning a championship, but you can't argue with his dominance within the UFC.

Not to mention his trash talking serves as an entirely different animal.

Dan Henderson

Dan Henderson is timeless.

His MMA career is one of the most prolific ones around.

From fighting Wanderlei Silva in PRIDE to knocking out Fedor Emelianenko in Strikeforce, Henderson has done it all.

Not to mention his recent showdown with Shogun Rua at UFC 139 which many consider the greatest fight in the organization's history.

Those accomplishments have secured Henderson a spot on MMA's Mt. Rushmore, if there ever was such a thing.

His right hand has its own nickname, "H-Bomb", and his chin should have its own key to the city.

Henderson will go down in history as the only fighter ever to KO Renzo Gracie.

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