Sherdog’s Top 10: Most Durable Fighters

9. Diego Sanchez

Sanchez’s ability and willingness to absorb punishment has long been an essential part of his appeal. The winner of the first season of “The Ultimate Fighter” is defined by his heart, cardio and desire to engage in blood-soaked slobberknockers. Ridiculous, next-level durability is a must-have for a fighter who fits that profile, and Sanchez owns it in spades.

The New Mexico native has only been stopped once in 32 career bouts, and that was the result of a gaping cut courtesy of the shin of B.J. Penn rather than a clean knockout. He has been knocked down on many occasions, including on a thunderous left hook from Jake Ellenberger and straight rights from Martin Kampmann and Ross Pearson; his face has been turned into a dented, bloody mess more than once; and yet, he remains impossible to put away even well into his 30s.

Sanchez’s durability has even been stunning enough to trick the judges into believing he was winning fights in which he was being soundly beaten. Despite being knocked down by Kampmann and Pearson and drastically out-landed by Takanori Gomi, he somehow scraped out decision victories, and it seems to require a ridiculous beating to convince the scorers that he has lost.

Whatever one thinks about the results of those fights, there is no denying the heart and chin of Sanchez.

Number 8 » No matter how big the puncher, flush shots to the face simply do not seem to register. Perhaps it is his extra girth or maybe the thick facial hair, but little seems to truly affect the rawhide-tough American.