Strongest Chin in MMA

[Via Armbar]

Simple question. Who do you believe has the best chin in mma? Consider not only their losses by knockout but also how easily they are rocked once hit.

I believe it's a tie between Shogun and Fedor. Neither have ever been knocked out and have fought excellent strikers. Rua has beaten Diet Nog, Liddell, and Rampage. All of those men are dangerous strikers and have some of the best boxing in mma. The only person I remember ever really rocking Rua was Rogerio Nogueira . It was with the same punch that Diet Nog knocked Luiz Cane out with, a right hook I believe. Seconds later Shogun was back on the offensive and went on to win the fight by decision.

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It's about 55 seconds in to the first round. It really hit Shogun and sent him to the mat but the effect didn't last.

Fedor has beaten guys like Fujita, Crocop and others who are considered good strikers. He has been hit of course, but never really rocked or put in any kind of danger. The only time it looked like he might have been really hurt is when he fought Fujita in Pride.

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He definitely got rocked there. His knees weakened and he almost collapsed. In true Fedor fashion he went on to submit Fujita with a rear naked choke. That kind of shot from who I believe to be a very underrated striker in Fujita would have put most men out. Fedor wobbled but clinched and managed to regain his composure.

So who do you think has the strongest chin?

 

[jmt225]

Well Armbar, it's no shock that you named your two all time favorite fighters as the guys with the best chin in MMA. And while I hate to do it, but I have to follow suit and say that Nick Diaz, in my mind, undoubtedly has the best chin currently in Mixed Martial Arts.

Nick Diaz has 7 losses in his career, and only one of them was not a decision or cut loss. That was against Jeremy Jackson (who Nick has beaten twice since then, one by knock-out and the other by submission), and he didn't necessarily get knocked out in that one; just really, really dazed.

Anyway, since then I've seen this guy take some HUGE shots and not be put away. Against Robbie Lawler he took a right hook/jumping knee combo (both clean) and remained on his feet; against Takanori Gomi he got hit with a devastating right that would have put ANY other Light/Welterweight out for the count; and against KJ Noons he took some brutal shots that weren't able to put him down. These fights to me make me believe that right now, it's impossible for any Welterweight to knock Nick Diaz out, which to me gives him the Pound for Pound Title for Best Chin in MMA.

That said, I think Prime Big Nog had the best chin in MMA history. This guy got dropped on his fucking head by Bob Sapp and was able not only to go on, but actually win the fight. And in his third fight against Fedor, Big Nog took THE most brutal Ground and Pound I've ever seen ANYONE take, and he was able to withstand it and go the distance. I've always been super, super impressed by that.

Also, I was talking with this with Marquis and he brought up prime Mark Hunt, who was able to take a clean high kick from CRO COP and not even wobble from it. How insane is that?

 

[IrishCanadian25]

The first name that came to my mind was Clay Guida. "The Carpenter" has taken spot-on shots from some pretty solid lightweights, and not only did he not go down, but he really didn't lose much of his stride. He takes a lot of shots, but he also withstands them.

Just ask Diego Sanchez, Joe Stevenson, and Kenny Florian how frustrating Clay Guida's chin can be!

 

[Buffalo Dave]

Its hard to pick the best chin, this might as well be a top 10 list. Everyone so far has chosen very good picks. I would agree with JMT and say Big Nog in his prime had the best chin up untill the Mir fight. Considering the fighters he fought and never been TKO'd or KO'd is amazing.

Another fighter I would like to add would be Dan Henderson for having a top chin. Having fought in 33 fights so far and never been KO'd or TKO'd is pretty impressive. Hendo has been up against some very good strikers in his career with the likes of Rampage, Anderson Silva, Wandi, Belfort, and Yvel to name some. Hendo has been rocked quite a few times but noone has ever been able to finish him by strikes.

 

[Boxer38]

I'm gonna have to agree with JMT. Nick Diaz does have the best chin in Mixed Martial Arts.
He wrote it all.

Nick Diaz has 7 losses in his career, and only one of them was not a decision or cut loss.
Nick Diaz has fought with SOME of the best at Welterweight during his time in the UFC.

 

[Rizza]

Alot of good choices here. I'l go a different route though.

I'l start first and for most, with who I think has the best chin in history and I will say Big Nog. It's no secret that Nog is my favorite fighter of all time, and his chin, heart and his jaw dropping subs after the punishment he took is what made him my favorite. I mean the guy has took massive, massive beatings and still come out on top. Cro Cop, Sylvia, Herring(the infamous head kick), and Sapp to name a few. Now a days though, Nogs chin isn't what it used to be. As for a close second of chins in their prime, look no further the Mark Hunt. Anybody who doesn't know Hunt, my descriptions won't do him justice. Just look him up, you will see that kind of punishment that dude took. For real.

Currently I think Patrick Cot'e has the best chin in MMA. The dude will take a shot and shrug it off like it never happened. I might be biased because I love Cot'e, but watch the A. Silva fight and watch how much this dude can take without batting a eye. He's took head kicks, Flying Knees, nasty punches. Everything and he wouldn't go out. Leben threw bombs at him, nothing much happened, Scott Smith laid them heavy hands on him, nothing happened, Mcfedires decked him, same result. Hell, Belcher dropped Cot'e right on the head and still didn't knock him out. Thats one though mother fucker man. IMO he is tied with Hendo on the best chin in MMA. If I had to bet though, I will go out on a limb and say, that if either of them ever get KO'd, Hendo would go before Cot'e.

WAR Patrick Cot'e!!!!!

Some more Great chins also include IMO, Both Diaz bros, Bart Palaszewski, Shogun, Rampage, Sam Stout, Fujita, and Cabbage had a fucking Iron chin too, that Sylvia fight is brutal to watch.

 

[INDYjon22]

Jon Fitch has a hell of a chin. Just go back and watch his fight with GSP. Fitch took some massive shots but not a single one of them was able to put him out. Also , go back and watch the end of his fight with Mike Pierce. Fitch dominated that entire fight until in the third period Pierce caught him with some heavy shots, but Fitch battled through it and came out the victor. In fact, he has only been knocked out once in his career and that was via a knee and was also within the first year of his career. I don't know if he has the best chin in all of MMA but he sure as hell has one of the toughest chins. The dude can take a punch and their is no doubt about that.

 

[Via Armbar]

Well Armbar, it's no shock that you named your two all time favorite fighters as the guys with the best chin in MMA. And while I hate to do it, but I have to follow suit and say that Nick Diaz, in my mind, undoubtedly has the best chin currently in Mixed Martial Arts.

Just like you put your favorite fighter in the top 5 p4p?

You're absolutely right about Diaz. I'd go as far as to say he has one of the most underrated chins as well. Everyone knows guys like Fedor and Shogun have strong chins. Diaz however is a guy that is often overlooked on many levels and his chin is one of those levels. It's tough to find a guy that has taken shots like him without paying for it. A very short list it would be.

Also, somebody mentioned Henderson. Awesome choice really. He has fought guys like Rampage, Silva, Ninja Rua and Wand. Never once was he really in major trouble during those fights. He definitely ate some punch, especially with Wand and Anderson, but he it never got close to a knockout. Still to this day the man has never lost by knockout or tko.

Now Guida is interesting. He has never lost by knockout but he was been rocked badly multiple times. Even as recently as his fight with Florian. Florian hit him with a vicious kick to the face and Guida never recovered. Many times has he been hit hard and lost to submissions seconds later. So he has a very strong chin in terms of never being knocked out, but it has led him to lose fights in the past.

 

[rammsteiner]

He may not have the best chin, but for anybody who watched the last Strikeforce Challengers card, you have to admit that Bobby Voelker has one hell of an impressive chin. Roger Bowling was just nailing him with big shots straight on the chin