Sherdog’s Top 10: Most Aggressive Fighters

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7. The Diaz Brothers

Nick Diaz and Nate Diaz represent a unique brand of pressure-fighting aggressiveness predicated on ridiculous cardio, offensive output and slick combination boxing that presents a brutal mental and physical challenge to their opponents. You can hit a Diaz -- you can even knock him down -- but dealing with that kind of relentless approach for more than a round or two is an enormous challenge that only a few elite opponents have been able to fully overcome.

The brothers’ styles are close enough to be treated as a unit. Both prefer to fight from the southpaw stance; both push forward behind a rangy jab and cross; and both do by far their best work with their opponent backed up to the fence. When the Diazes push their unfortunate foes to the cage, head-body combinations of up to 16 punches follow; and fighters who shell up in the hope that the Diaz brothers will simply stop the onslaught at some point wait in vain.

Aside from a series of Josh Thomson head kicks and a volley of Jeremy Jackson punches, the Diaz brothers have proven to be effectively impervious to damage; at the very least, one can say that they take a tremendous punch. They walk through their opponents’ shots, punching all the while, and it takes high-level footwork and low kicking games to avoid their pressuring wheelhouse.

That aggressive approach translates to a ridiculous offensive output. Nick landed 94 strikes in less than five minutes against Marius Zaromskis, 140 in less than 10 against Evangelista Santos and 178 in 15 against B.J. Penn. Nate dropped a mind-blowing 238 significant strikes in 15 minutes when he fought Donald Cerrone and 35 plus a sick armbar in less than five against Takanori Gomi.

Win or lose, the Diaz brothers always bring the fight to their opponents, which is precisely why fans love their aggressive style.

Number 6 » Aggressiveness in every phase is the name of her game. While she is best known for her impossibly slick judo skills in the clinch and on the mat, she has applied the same emphasis on an attacking style to her striking, both at range and in the tie-ups. She floats effortlessly from punching range into the clinch into takedowns into top position, delivering fight-finishing offense in every phase.