5 of the flashiest strikers in the UFC right now

Home to the best MMA fighters on the planet, the UFC never fails to deliver on its promise of jaw-dropping, show-stopping entertainment.

Striking, in particular, is an art that has captivated fans all over the world. Fighters like Conor McGregor, Anderson Silva and Alistair Overeem attracted audiences to the sport with their skills in the Octagon, and many fighters are carrying forward their legacy in the UFC.

Here are five of the flashiest strikers in the UFC right now.

Note: This isn't an exhaustive list. Honorable Mentions: Zabit Magomedsharipov, Kevin Holland, Edson Barboza, Conor McGregor

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#5 Israel Adesanya

UFC 259: Blachowicz v Adesanya

Israel Adesanya is technically so perfect that his flashiness sometimes flies under the radar. But both inside and outside the Octagon, 'The Last Stylebender' is non-stop entertainment.

Adesanya uses deceptive switch kicks, feints, jabs and knees - basically any striking technique that is there to be used, he has all but mastered. The UFC middleweight champion's kickboxing background served him well in the promotion, as he quickly amassed a series of wins to claim the undisputed title with a dazzling display against Robert Whittaker.

Perhaps the biggest draw in the UFC right now, Adesanya will take on Marvin Vettori at UFC 263 in June.

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#4 Johnny Walker

UFC Fight Night Covington v Woodley: Weigh-Ins

Johnny Walker has had three unconvincing performances on the trot in the UFC. He was knocked out by Corey Anderson and outwrestled by Nikita Krylov, before almost being finished by Ryan Spann.

But technical shortcomings aside, the Brazilian is one of the most entertaining fighters to have ever stepped foot in the UFC's Octagon. Walker's freakish size and reach make him a threat from any distance. He uses flying knees, powerful kicks, spinning backfists and elbows in the clinch to overpower his opponent.

Knockout of the day UFC 235 Misha Cirkunov vs Johnny Walkerpic.twitter.com/Zh6f9Fx43h

— Blue Corner Fighting (@blue_fighting) February 19, 2021

Walker will face a significant step up in competition soon, as he takes on former UFC light heavyweight title challenger Thiago Santos in September.

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#3 Jiri Prochazka

UFC Fight Night: Reyes v Prochazka

The UFC's new kid on the light heavyweight block, Jiri Prochazka has maximized his two fights in the promotion. The Czech Republic native has recorded two highlight-reel KOs over Volkan Oezdemir and Dominick Reyes, and isn't far away from contending for the title held by Jan Blachowicz.

Prochazka is an extremely unconventional striker. He doesn't keep his guard up, instead choosing to bob in and out of range. 'Denisa' has knockout power in his fists, evidenced by his astonishing finish rate in the high 90s, but it's his unpredictability that makes him one of the flashiest strikers in the UFC right now.

A student of the sport, Prochazka has his eyes set on achieving 'perfection'. It might not be long before we see him dish out another devastating knockout.

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#2 Yair Rodriguez

UFC Fight Night The Korean Zombie v Rodriguez

Yair Rodriguez will finally return to the UFC after a layoff of around two years, as he takes on Max Holloway in July. 'El Pantera', who was last seen in action against Jeremy Stephens in 2019, is another fighter who promises entertainment each time he steps foot into the Octagon.

Rodriguez's striking cannot be put into words. He attacks from all angles with a wide array of spinning kicks, knees and elbows, and is a threat at any point of a fight - just ask The Korean Zombie. The Mexican isn't hesistant to fling himself in the air in order to land a fatal blow, having won the Fight of the Night award four times in the UFC.

Rodriguez will have all eyes trained on him as he makes his UFC return against one of the best featherweights of all time in Holloway.

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#1 Michel Pereira

UFC Fight Night: Pereira v Williams

Wild man Michel Pereira tops our list of the flashiest strikers in the UFC right now. 'Demolidor', who will take on Niko Price at UFC 264 in July, is as electric as they come inside the Octagon.

Flips off the cage mid-fight, flying knees, spinning kicks, superman punches - there's nothing Pereira hasn't done in the UFC. And to top it all off, he has some serious venom in his fists.

Johnny Walker and Michel Pereira were probably throwing out strikes that didn’t even exist before they went to train today 😂 pic.twitter.com/qZszLBCOfo

— Connoisseur of Combat (@ConOfCombat) September 30, 2020

Like most strikers of his ilk, Pereira has some holes in his technique apart from a lack of discipline and has been exposed in the past. But his flashiness is impossible to miss.