BJ Penn and 10 UFC Fighters Who Are Better Than Their Record

UFC fighters come and go.

Fresh fighters step off the MMA bus all the time, sparking new win streaks while ending others.

It's why the sport continues to thrive.

But along the way, through the knockouts, submissions and close decisions that form the machine that is the UFC, records are often skewed.

Whether due in part to a fighter's evolution, the divisional tier he occupies or just a bad year, numbers don't always equate to the truth.

Here are 10 fighters who are better than what their professional record indicates.

Matt Brown (16-11)

It's safe to say that Matt Brown has been, and will continue to be, a UFC mainstay.

With 12 UFC fights under his belt throughout his career, alongside his time spent on The Ultimate Fighter, Brown has showcased an ability to leave it all in the cage every time out.

And even though a three-fight losing streak back in 2010 has tainted his overall record, Brown has done enough to warrant another contract when his current deal expires.

It seems like Brown, at 16-11, has just been an ordinary fighter, but with three victories over his last four fights, the 31-year-old is evidently a more polished athlete than what he used to be.

Chael Sonnen (28-11-1)

How could Chael Sonnen, the guy who was 60 seconds away from crushing the great Anderson Silva, manage to lose 11 fights throughout his career?

It's simple.  Sonnen has not always been this good.

The evolution of a fighter can be a tricky thing, but Sonnen's track record not only suggests that it's possible, but inevitable if you possess world-class heart.

In the past, his inability to defend submissions was to blame for his lackluster record, despite having dominated nearly all of those fights before getting caught.

Ironically, the same thing happened against Silva and Demian Maia, but Sonnen has surely turned a corner in regards to losing on a fight-to-fight basis.

I mean, the guy lost to Forrest Griffin via submission during an IFC event in 2003. 

Does anybody really care about that?

His ability inside the Octagon speaks for itself.

Tom Lawlor (8-4)

With decisive victories over Patrick Cote, C.B. Dollaway and Jason MacDonald, you'd think Tom Lawlor's record would be more extravagant than 8-4.

But despite just an ordinary resume, Lawlor's three losses in the UFC haven't been all that bad.

Sure, a submission defeat to Joe Doerksen is inexcusable, but a split-decision loss to Aaron Simpson and a submission loss to rising star Chris Weidman at UFC 139 suggest that Lawlor has simply been a product of bad luck.

He's obviously talented, but it's his popularity around the fight world that has been heavily responsible for his losses.

The UFC likes to throw Lawlor into the cage anytime they can.  He's entertaining, gives 100 percent all the time and could end a fight at the drop of a hat.

So while he possesses a lame duck record, his abilities remain unique.

Mark Hominick (20-11)

Mark Hominick has drawn the short straw over his last three UFC fights, having lost each and every one of them.

From an outsider's perspective that looks really bad, but when you consider two of those bouts came against featherweight champion Jose Aldo and No. 1 contender Chan-Sung Jung, Hominick's misfortunes should be taken with a grain of salt.

He's a perennial contender within the UFC's 145 lb. division and used to be one of the best fighters in the WEC, so a 20-11 record seems somewhat misleading.

I figured he'd have no more than six or seven losses, but I guess that's what you get when you're matched up against some of the best fighters in your division.

Hominick should be able to rebound from his current Octagon miscues and regain the respect he deserves.

Duane Ludwig (21-13)

Duane Ludwig is a true MMA veteran.

He has fought in numerous promotions, including the UFC, Strikeforce, ROF and KOTC, amounting 21 career victories in the process.

That seems worthwhile, but when you take into account his 13 losses, Ludwig comes off as a little average.

However, that's not the case.

While Ludwig has had his recent quarrels in the UFC, career wins over Jens Pulver, Amir Sadollah, Yves Edwards and Jonathan Goulet satisfy any struggles he has had in the past.

Simply put, Ludwig is one of those fighters that either knocks someone out, or gets knocked out.

That doesn't necessarily mean he's under-qualified for the UFC.

Roy Nelson (18-7)

The UFC has not accurately accommodated Roy Nelson in the past.

I realize he's one of the better heavyweights around, but how often can you throw him against the best fighters in the world?

At 18-7, it seems as if Nelson struggles to win, but the fact of the matter is that the UFC's newly stacked heavyweight division is to blame.

While Nelson is good, he may not have been on the same level as the talented fighters he has called opponents.

Frank Mir, Fabricio Werdum and Junior dos Santos make up that impressive list, which to date are the only losses Nelson has endured under the Zuffa banner.

Food for thought: "Big Country" has only been knocked out once in his professional career, by Andrei Arlovski at EliteXC: Heat in 2008.

And if anybody knows anything about Arlovksi, it's that he was borderline unstoppable back then.

Amir Sadollah (6-3)

While Amir Sadollah may or may not be the same promising fighter that we saw during The Ultimate Fighter, his lackluster 6-3 record is not based on his ability inside the cage.

Instead, the lowly numbers that fill his win column are more a product of inexperience.

Sadollah simply hasn't fought enough.

His victory over C.B. Dollaway to win TUF was literally his first professional fight, having built a 4-0 amateur record before that.

It also doesn't help that the 31-year-old has suffered numerous injuries throughout his four-year UFC career.

Sadollah's three losses in the UFC have come against able fighters such as Johny Hendricks, Dong-Hyun Kim and Duane Ludwig, only being finished once by Hendricks.

That's not too shabby.

Nam Phan (17-11)

A 17-11 record doesn't seem to suit one of the hardest working fighters in the UFC.

But as much as those numbers seems to skew Nam Phan's overall track record, it's his two Fight of the Night awards that lead the way.

Bottom line, Phan has done enough throughout his UFC career, despite key losses to Jimy Hettes and Mike Brown, to have his middle-of-the-pack record overlooked.

There's a reason why Phan fought Josh Thomson for the Strikeforce lightweight championship in 2006 at the raw age of 23.

He's pretty darn good.

Nate Diaz (16-7)

It doesn't make much sense that Nate Diaz is borderline elite within the lightweight division while possessing a 16-7 overall record.

Those numbers are par for the course.

Simply nothing special.  Quite frankly, they're a little disappointing.

With that said, Diaz is leaps and bounds beyond the potential that his ordinary record would indicate.

Back-to-back wins over Donald Cerrone and Jim Miller prove just that, as well as being on the fast track to a championship opportunity opposite the winner of Benson Henderson vs. Frankie Edgar.

BJ Penn (16-8-2)

BJ Penn is one of the first names that come to mind when mentioning American MMA.

He's by far one of the best pound-for-pound fighters to ever live and would probably command a spot atop a Mt. Rushmore if the UFC felt so inclined to construct one.

But, and there is a but, his record isn't out of this world.

The two ties slightly blemish his numbers, but the fact that Penn has lost three of his last five fights really puts a stranglehold on his winning percentage.

However, "The Prodigy" has won five title fights throughout his career, and from 2006-2009, Georges St-Pierre was the only fighter to successfully secure a takedown on the Hawaiian.

So can 16 wins really satisfy a legendary career?

I think so. 

UFC Hall of Fame legend Randy Couture also holds a similar line at 19-11.

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