Hendricks, Lawler and the 7 Heaviest Hitters in MMA Right Now

Power punching spawns from a blend of the right genetic makeup, proper mechanics and countless hours of grueling work.

Sluggers like Johny Hendricks and Robbie Lawler are prime examples of these three key elements coming together to create a perfect storm—one that captivates fans each time it occurs in the Octagon.

On Saturday, Hendricks and Lawler, two of the heaviest hitters in the sport, will put their extraordinary power-punching abilities on display in a rematch for the welterweight strap in the main event of UFC 181.

But Hendricks and Lawler aren't the only two fighters who have made the most of their heavy hands.

Here's a deeper look at the hardest hitters in MMA today.

Honorable Mention: Yoel Romero

He's arguably the most decorated wrestler to step foot in the Octagon, but Romero has seemingly found another area that he's just as talented in: pulverizing opponents with his fists.

Like his welterweight countryman Hector Lombard, the 37-year-old Romero seems blessed with genes that keep him forever young.

If you don't believe those sentiments, just ask UFC vets and Romero victims Tim Kennedy, Derek Brunson, Ronny Markes and Clifford Starks.

In the 19 months since he made his promotional debut, Romero has morphed into one of the middleweight division's most feared strikers, doing so by dispatching Kennedy, Brunson, Markes and Starks in brutal fashion.

Also akin to Lombard, Romero never looks to engage in a point fight, plus he has the ability to end a bout at any time with his raw explosiveness.

His go-for-broke style has helped him win eight of his 10 pro fights via TKO/KO, and in six of those cases, his thunderous punches played major roles.

Hector Lombard

Fans tune in to see Lombard because they know the hulking Cuban always aims to please with his hands of stone.

Lombard never looks to outpoint an opponent, and the 36-year-old rarely uses his Brazilian jiu-jitsu and judo to end fights on the ground or to control his opponents.

Instead, he maximizes his fast-twitch muscle fibers and uses a plethora of techniques that match his bowling-ball-like frame and God-given ability to render foes unconscious with devastating punches.

Lombard used his fists to score six of his last seven knockouts. He has 19 TKO/KOs in his career—13 of which came from punches.

Junior dos Santos

Despite the fact that the former champ hasn't stepped foot in the Octagon in more than a year, JDS still possesses sensationally loaded hands that can end any night of any heavyweight in the world in a flash.

Whether it's an uppercut, an overhand, a straight or a hook, Cigano throws every punch with horrifying intentions and precise accuracy.

In his 10 UFC fights, JDS has proved these sentiments by TKO/KO'ing seven of his foes with punches, including interim heavyweight champ Fabricio Werdum and heavyweight champ Cain Velasquez.

Cigano will put his phenomenal punching power on display in his first fight of 2014 when he faces fellow heavy-handed big man Stipe Miocic in the main event of UFC on Fox 13 on Dec. 13.

Paul Daley

Arguably the most feared striker outside the UFC, British brawler Daley has always pleased crowds by trying to end his fights with every combination he throws.

And since being exiled from the UFC for throwing a post-fight cheap shot on Josh Koscheck, Daley has stuck to his all-or-nothing striking style—a modus operandi that has helped him win six of his last seven bouts via TKO/KO.

Semtex owns tight technical chops, but he knows when to unleash the type of heavy artillery that can level an opponent and leave him in a world of hurt.

In the above video, Daley illustrates his ability to use his heavy hands to perfection, putting Romario Manoel da Silva in a precarious position before ending his night with a mammoth left hook at the 3:20 mark of Round 2.

Since leaving the UFC in 2010, the 31-year-old Daley, who owns 26 career KOs, has punched his way to six TKO/KO victories—a statistic that helped land him another contract with Bellator MMA.

Robbie Lawler

They obviously took different paths, but akin to Hendricks, his soon-to-be UFC 181 counterpart, Lawler has etched his name into MMA lore as one of the greatest welterweight power punchers of his day.

And like the opponents who face the left-handed Hendricks, those squaring off with Lawler, a fellow southpaw, must always remain cognizant that he has extraordinary pop in both of his hands.

Lawler has faced some of the best in the 170-pound division since beginning his second stint with the UFC in early 2013, and in the six fights since he's returned to the big show, Lawler has used his heavy hands to prevail five times.

Only Hendricks managed to best Lawler in that span, doing so in a wildly entertaining and controversial unanimous-decision win at UFC 171.

Lawler will get his shot at redemption Saturday in the main event of UFC 181 in Las Vegas, where he'll need every bit of his punching power to get past the champion.

Dan Henderson

He may represent the oldest fighter on the UFC's roster, but 44-year-old Henderson still throws hammers like a man in his prime.

And even in the midst of the biggest slide in his storied 17-year career, few can deny that Henderson's "H-bomb" can still render any middleweight or light heavyweight unconscious in an instant.

Nearly 3.5 years after watching Mauricio "Shogun" Rua withstand everything he had in an unforgettable war at UFC 139, Hendo needed just one short right hand to send the Brazilian legend crashing to the canvas at UFC Fight Night 38.

Henderson finished the rematch with the former light heavyweight kingpin with a series of vicious follow-up punches that forced referee Herb Dean to step in and stop the bout.

In four of his last five wins, Henderson has notched TKO/KOs with his fists. Hendo has racked up 14 career KOs, 13 of which involved punches.

Johny Hendricks

An uncanny similarity in styles, particularly in the realm of striking, represents one of the main attractions for the fans who are drooling over the rematch between Hendricks and Lawler.

Neither fighter typically intends to win a fight via decision, and although Hendricks tends to turn to his wrestling chops more often than Lawler does, both men usually have one outcome on their mind: scoring a highlight-reel KO.

Hendricks has seen a stark spike in terms of competition in his last three fights (Lawler, Georges St-Pierre and Carlos Condit), which has perhaps prevented him from tallying his ninth career KO.

But even so, the left-handed Hendricks, who like fellow southpaw Lawler can end a fight promptly with either hand, hasn't abandoned his natural tendency to constantly go for the kill.

Hendricks hit Lawler, St-Pierre and Condit with everything he had, only to watch all three men continue to come back for more.

Perhaps Bigg Rigg just didn't find the exact mark he was aiming for in his last three fights. But if he had done so, Lawler, St-Pierre and Condit surely would have met the same fate as Martin Kampmann and Jon Fitch.

Mark Hunt

His record (10-9-1) may not indicate that he's enjoyed an illustrious career, but when it comes to pure punching power, it's difficult to argue that any fighter can trump Hunt.

A highly skilled kickboxer who won a K-1 Grand Prix Championship in 2001, the 40-year-old recently parlayed his tremendous punching into a UFC interim heavyweight title shot.

And although Fabricio Werdum got the best of Hunt in his only title fight with the promotion at UFC 180, the loss did little in terms of tarnishing the Super Samoan's image as the sport's most feared one-punch KO artist.

Hunt solidified his spot in MMA lore as one of the greatest power punchers in history in his fight prior to his loss to Werdum by flattening the seemingly indestructible Roy Nelson at UFC Fight Night 52.

Hunt needed just one hellish rear uppercut to become just the second man to knock out the ever-durable Nelson in his 30-fight career.