8. Mark Hunt
The list of world champion kickboxers successfully transitioning to MMA continues with the “Super Samoan.” As a 5-foot-10 heavyweight who had to cut down to make the 265-pound limit, Hunt's offense was limited to his fists. But they were certainly a devastating weapon, producing many great highlight-reel finishes and making Hunt the king of the walk-off knockout, secure in the knowledge that his opponent was out and wouldn't be getting back up. Hunt produced knockouts from both fists, making him another rare fighter with genuine two-fisted power, though his right hand was the deadlier of the two, and among the hardest in all of MMA. He could generate power from any punch; straight, hook, or uppercut. Hunt's triumphs include a fantastic slugfest with former world-class boxer Yosuke Nishijima, ending with Hunt knocking him out early in the third, brutalizing Chris Tuscherer with a single punch for a walk-off knockout early in Round 2, knocking out iron-chinned kickboxer Cheick Kongo in just over two minutes, and chopping down 7-foot-tall Stefan Struve, over a foot taller than Hunt, with a gorgeous overhand right followed by a titanic left hook that literally broke the Dutchman's jaw.
While many thought Hunt would no longer be scary when he turned 40, he proved otherwise, knocking out one of the most iron-chinned fighters in MMA history, Roy Nelson, with a single shot, clobbering Antonio Silva in the first round in their rematch, knocking out fellow all-time striker Derrick Lewis, who would have made this list if it was expanded to 15, and of course, his iconic walk-off knockout of Frank Mir, calmly asleep on the canvas. And while no knockouts occurred, Hunt edged out split decisions over fellow world-class, devastating strikers Wanderlei Silva and Mirko Filipovic in Pride Fighting Championships, including repeatedly flooring Silva, whose chin was very tough back then. Hunt's power is truly legendary.
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