Sherdog’s Top 10: Strongest Kickers

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8. Anthony Pettis

Two words: “Showtime Kick.”

The UFC’s lightweight boss put the world on notice with his emphatic win over Benson Henderson at WEC 53, where he sprang off the cage with a kick to the face in the fifth round to cement a unanimous decision. Since then, the young prodigy has continued to blow minds with some of the most unique and versatile kicks ever witnessed. While the maneuver against Henderson gave Pettis instant fame and worldwide recognition, the Milwaukee native’s knockout of Joe Lauzon at UFC 144 was equally impressive. “J-Lau” has a knack for absorbing insane amounts of abuse and avoiding being knocked out cold, but on that night in Japan, Pettis was too much for him to handle.

At UFC on Fox 6, he brutalized Donald Cerrone with kicks to the body. Pettis had gone from flashy tae kwon do practitioner in World Extreme Cagefighting to viable MMA knockout artist on the world’s grandest stage. With renowned coach Duke Roufus pulling his strings, Pettis continues to ply his trade as one of the best kick specialists in the UFC. With a fight against former Strikeforce champion Gilbert Melendez looming, the oft-injured Roufusport product will have another opportunity to show the world he is just getting started.

Number 7 » Edson Barboza