5 best UFC fighters with 100% finish rate

There are many ways a fighter becomes popular among UFC and MMA fans in general. Some adopt over-the-top personas that demand the attention of the masses, while others endear themselves among fans with their 'anyone, anywhere, anytime' attitude.

However, the ability to finish fights is perhaps the most organic way in which one can grow their stock. Fans, matchmakers and promoters love finishes, and in the UFC, $50,000 bonuses are often awarded to those who put away their opponent in impressive fashion.

A handful of fighters have secured finishes in all of their career victories. On that note, we thought we'd rank the five best fighters with a 100% finish rate in the UFC.

---

#5. Joel Alvarez – UFC lightweight

Joel Alvarez has largely flown under the radar since joining the UFC's 155-pound division three years ago. The Spaniard is an excellent fighter and is a tricky matchup for anyone he faces. At 6'3", he towers over most lightweights and his skillset is extremely dangerous.

Alvarez's professional record currently stands at 19-3. Out of his 19 careers wins, three have come via knockout, while 16 have come by way of submission. 'El Fenomeno' is a devastating finisher and as he continues to improve, we could potentially be looking at a future championship contender.

At 29, Alvarez is already vastly experienced. With the right guidance, he could make a legitimate run for the title in the coming years.

#4. Dricus Du Plessis – UFC middleweight

South Africa's Dricus Du Plessis is nowhere near as popular as the other fighters discussed in this article. Nevertheless, this hard-hitting middleweight is among the most decorated mixed martial artists to join the UFC in recent times.

Du Plessis is a former two-division EFC world champion and is one of Africa's most promising homegrown exports. 'Stillknocks' joined the world's premier MMA promotion with a 14-2 record, with all of his wins coming via stoppage.

In his promotional debut, he took on Markus Perez in Abu Dhabi in October 2020. He secured a first-round knockout on the night and followed it up with a TKO victory over Trevin Giles nine months later.

The South African looked set to break into the middleweight rankings when he was scheduled to fight former title challenger Kelvin Gastelum at the recently concluded UFC 273 pay-per-view. Unfortunately, Gastelum was forced to pull out of the bout after picking up an injury, leaving Du Plessis without an opponent.

Du Plessis is just 28 years old. If he continues to extend his winning streak, he'll find himself in the upper echelons of the middleweight division in due time. Moreover, if he continues to finish his opponents as he's done throughout his career, 'Stillknocks' has all the ingredients required to compete for a title down the line.

---

#3. Paul Craig – UFC light heavyweight

Paul Craig's resurgence in the UFC light heavyweight division has been a sight to behold. Back in 2018, he was on the cusp of being released from the promotion after back-to-back losses to Khalil Rountree Jr. and Tyson Pedro.

The Scot was booked to face undefeated Russian prodigy Magomed Ankalaev in his next bout and came in as a massive betting underdog. After getting picked apart for 14 minutes and 55 seconds, Craig pulled off a jaw-dropping triangle choke in the dying seconds of the bout, forcing his Dagestani counterpart to tap. This remains the only blemish on Ankalaev's professional record.

Craig is unbeaten in his last six appearances in the octagon. In his most recent outing, the Scottish grappling phenom took on seasoned veteran Nikita Krylov at the O2 Arena in London, England. He added yet another submission win to his record as he forced Krylov to tap to a triangle choke in the very first round.

Paul Craig's professional record stands at 16-4. Out of his 16 career wins, 'Bearjew' has 13 submissions and three KO/TKO victories.

Craig has emerged as a fan-favorite in recent times. His all-action approach to fighting makes him incredibly entertaining. He is always looking for a finish and his win over Magomed Ankalaev, one of the top contenders in the division, continues to age like fine wine.

#2. Shavkat Rakhmonov – UFC welterweight

Shavkat Rakhmonov is an ominous presence in the UFC’s welterweight division. Think Khamzat 'Borz' Chimaev, without all the hype.

Rakhmonov joined the promotion two years ago and has won all three of his fights since making his UFC debut at UFC 254 in 2020. The Kazakh phenom boasts an unblemished pro MMA record of 15-0. He has finished all of his opponents so far in his career, beating seven by submission and eight by way of KO/TKO.

Shavkat Rakhmonov has been likened to rising star Khamzat Chimaev. Both fighters possess elite wrestling, impeccable submission skills and devastating power in their strikes. One of the few differences between them is the way they carry themselves. Chimaev’s brash and outspoken nature is a stark contrast to Rakhmonov’s soft-spoken demeanor.

The promotion has been looking to push Chimaev up the 170-pound ladder at an unprecedented pace, considering the way he has resonated with the fans and, of course, his performances. However, the organization has a fighter just as good as 'Borz' in Rakhmonov, who is primed to take over the weight class in the coming years.

Still only 27, Rakhmonov has a long way to go in his career. It'll be interesting to see how his professional career pans out. A potential matchup with Chimaev down the line will undoubtedly be an explosive encounter.

---

#1. Tom Aspinall – UFC heavyweight

Tom Aspinall has emerged as a legitimate title contender since joining the UFC two years ago. The former Cage Warriors fighter made his promotional debut against Jake Collier in Abu Dhabi in 2020, where he needed just 45 seconds to secure a TKO finish.

Subsequently, Aspinall took on Alan Baudot and former heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski. A TKO win over Baudot and a submission victory over Arlovski saw the towering Brit make his way into the UFC heavyweight rankings. He then took on ranked contender Sergey Spivac, putting away the Moldovan in the very first round.

It was Aspinall's next bout, however, that got the fans and the media fantasizing about potential fights between the English phenom and the top heavyweights in the world. In the biggest fight of his career thus far, he squared off against former Bellator champion Alexander Volkov in the main event of UFC London.

Many were of the opinion that Volkov would pose a dangerous threat to Aspinall and that the Brit would finally have a real test on his hands. In yet another flawless performance, Aspinall came away with a first-round submission victory to propel himself into the top six of the heavyweight division.

Tom Aspinall is part of a new breed of heavyweights who are taking over MMA. With the emergence of Ciryl Gane, the former interim heavyweight titleholder, many believe that heavyweights who move like middleweights are the future of the division.

At just 28, Aspinall has a promising future ahead of him. Expect him to be in the title mix as early as next year. He currently boasts a professional record of 12-2, with nine career wins coming via KO/TKO and three by way of submission.