It's been a while since I've seen one of these threads. I'm interested in chins that are still holding up in 2021, not people living on past glory like Frankie Edgar or Roy Nelson.
Here is my list. It's weighted towards people we've seen take plenty of abuse, so I'm leaving guys like Khabib (retired anyway) and Francis off, even though I suspect Francis' chin is elite mainly off the Stipe fight.
1. Max Holloway - guy has fought killers, gets tagged all the time by them and has never even been dropped. Clear number 1.
2. Jon Jones - see above, but has taken less abuse.
3. Kelvin Gastelum - never been TKOd/KOd despite fighting dudes way bigger than him. Ate a flying knee from Heinish the other day like it was nothing.
4. Gegard Mousasi - an underrated one. Urijah Hall smashed him with a spinning kick, flying knee combo and Moose still never went fully out. Dude has had 65 pro MMA and kickboxing fights, often fighting HWs (even if he is beating on midgets now), and has only been TKOd by a combo that would have flatlined most.
5. Jorge Masvidal - has a stoppage loss on his record, but if you've seen it, it's a disgracefully early one. Guy has never been properly TKOd or KOd in his long career.
6. Tony Ferguson - Gaethje had to beat him to death to get the stoppage. Takes an enormous amount of abuse.
7. Yoel Romero. Got stopped once at LHW and got badly rocked by a cheating Kennedy. But has also taken some unbelievably heavy strikes without getting dropped.
8. Brian Ortega - His chin hasn't had to hold up as long as the above but could climb the ranks. Holloway fight was ridiculous.
9. Li Jingliang - He kind of sucks, which makes his chin even better. Never been stopped despite getting hit all the time.
10. * Edit* Vincente Luque
11. Al Iaquinta
12. Nate Diaz
Here is my list. It's weighted towards people we've seen take plenty of abuse, so I'm leaving guys like Khabib (retired anyway) and Francis off, even though I suspect Francis' chin is elite mainly off the Stipe fight.
1. Max Holloway - guy has fought killers, gets tagged all the time by them and has never even been dropped. Clear number 1.
2. Jon Jones - see above, but has taken less abuse.
3. Kelvin Gastelum - never been TKOd/KOd despite fighting dudes way bigger than him. Ate a flying knee from Heinish the other day like it was nothing.
4. Gegard Mousasi - an underrated one. Urijah Hall smashed him with a spinning kick, flying knee combo and Moose still never went fully out. Dude has had 65 pro MMA and kickboxing fights, often fighting HWs (even if he is beating on midgets now), and has only been TKOd by a combo that would have flatlined most.
5. Jorge Masvidal - has a stoppage loss on his record, but if you've seen it, it's a disgracefully early one. Guy has never been properly TKOd or KOd in his long career.
6. Tony Ferguson - Gaethje had to beat him to death to get the stoppage. Takes an enormous amount of abuse.
7. Yoel Romero. Got stopped once at LHW and got badly rocked by a cheating Kennedy. But has also taken some unbelievably heavy strikes without getting dropped.
8. Brian Ortega - His chin hasn't had to hold up as long as the above but could climb the ranks. Holloway fight was ridiculous.
9. Li Jingliang - He kind of sucks, which makes his chin even better. Never been stopped despite getting hit all the time.
10. * Edit* Vincente Luque
11. Al Iaquinta
12. Nate Diaz
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