List of surprisingly physically strong fighters

[HerpDerp]

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I wouldn't call Tank Abbott "surprisingly" strong. He's literally a fucking Tank.

 

[Brit_Brawler]

Jon jones. Guys a lanky bean pole but just man handles fools

 

[jk.rock]

Wanderlei silva said Rampage was stronger than Dan henderson.

 

[KingBeef]

Igor Vovchanchyn was a strong mofo.

 

[Sansnom]

Not guys like Pudzianowski, Ngannou, Brock etc, we all know they're very strong.
But people who are not necessarily associated with being extraordinarily strong.

From what i've heard:

Cro Cop - apparently very strong, several fighters have talked about this through first hand experience.

Rumble - aside from his monster power, he was told when he was younger that he was very strong, especially extreme grip strength.

Tim Elliot - apparently deceptively strong.

Dan Henderson - according to Rogan "hard as wood", posessing that mystical "old man strength", and i suppose his power has something to do with that somehow, because he's not very explosive.

Alexey Oleynik - Heard that he has extreme grip strength and all that general crackle pop submission strength.

Ilir Latifi - obviously a very strong guy but according to DC one of the strongest he has ever felt.

Rampage - obviously not a weak guy but dang he could slam people left and right with little effort.

(squeezing in an honorable mention here, pardon the pun)
Demian Maia - surprising squeeze strength, but of course all the skill to go with it.

( and just a little mention)
Arnold Allen - from a family competing in strongman but i haven't heard anything about some extraordinary strength.

(Please do feel free to add the sources of these statements as i don't remember them all.)

Seems like you mostly put big guys with knockout power.

I don't think having knockout power necessarily means you are strong.

Guys like Khabib, DC and GSP aren't knockout out artists but are known to be very strong. They can over power and manhandle any guys in their division and even guys in the divisions above. A lot of their opponents have commented on the amount of strength they have as well.

 

[Iroh]

Going with the trent of deceptively strong fighters not known for their strength while their strength isn't that deceptive or surpring... Kevin Randleman.

 

[Iron Skin]

Latifi's lats are just huge.

He even finishes people with his lats.

 

[Martialarts123]

Elkins

 

[Thesnake101]

Cody had the sickest squeeze ever.

 

[Phisher]

Seems like you mostly put big guys with knockout power.

I don't think having knockout power necessarily means you are strong.

Guys like Khabib, DC and GSP aren't knockout out artists but are known to be very strong. They can over power and manhandle any guys in their division and even guys in the divisions above. A lot of their opponents have commented on the amount of strength they have as well.

^This. Additionally, the most obvious name that hasn't been mentioned in this thread is Edgar. He's a natural BW but held his own against natural LWs.

 

[Torrid]

Jim Miller



Tamdan McCrory

 

[Moral Victory]

Seems like you only put big guys with some knockout power.

I don't think having knockout power necessarily means you are strong.

Guys like Khabib, DC and GSP are well known to be strong. They can over power and manhandle any guys in their division. A lot of their opponents have commented on the amount of strength they have as well.

I go with what i've heard from other fighters or people who have had experience with these fighters, i thought to mention John Lineker since he's a very hard puncher but as far as i can tell he's not on the same level explosively, and i haven't seen any clear physical strength from him that stands out so i left him out,

and as far as DC and GSP goes, i think they are strong but that a lot of their manhandling comes from high skill.

 

[Pakman]

farm strength

/thread

this was one of the most impressive submission wins over a high level BJJ guy in the sport. I know he's given a lot of shit, but Hughes is one of the greatest fighters to have ever stepped inside the octagon. I'm sure some of you oafs will say he'd get crushed in todays MMA and blahblahblah, but, he is still one of the best to ever do it. No matter how great some of these new guys' ceilings are, if they don't perform in the cage, then it means nothing.

Also, to answer TS,
Big Nog. There have been various fighters that have said his grip strength is unreal. It's why he was able to control so many people back in the day and land submission win after submission win (watch the placement of his hands in his submission wins over Coleman, Schilt, Mirko etc)

 

[Moral Victory]

Elkins

Good mention! I've heard that he's stronger than you'd think.

 

[quantiqus]

So, SURPRISINGLY Mirko and Rumble are strong fighters.

Not guys like BJ, Shogun or Werdum, who were never that muscular, but Rumble.


On: Sakuraba!

 

[Moral Victory]

Jon jones. Guys a lanky bean pole but just man handles fools

I think Jon's strength comes from his abnormal leverage.

 

[DeformedGravy]

Haven't seen Aloe Vera mentioned yet.

Dude is lanky but surprisingly strong, hasn't really been outmuscled by guys at FW or LW.

 

[Sansnom]

I go with what i've heard from other fighters or people who have had experience with these fighters, i thought to mention John Lineker since he's a very hard puncher but as far as i can tell he's not on the same level explosively, and i haven't seen any clear physical strength from him that stands out so i left him out,

and as far as DC and GSP goes, i think they are strong but that a lot of their manhandling comes from high skill.

Countless fighters have commented on GSP's athleticism and strength. How he can over power his opponents. Even much bigger guys who have trained with him. Same thing with Khabib.

DC is very strong as well. I doubt he handles heavy weight guys who are much bigger than him and tosses them around purely from skill.

Having a strong punch has little to do with overall strength imo.

But I guess we'll have to agree to disagree

 

[Pancake Sprawl]

Mark Hunt.

Overeem has said Hunt is by far the strongest guy he's ever fought and when he fought Hunt he was already on the horse meat.

and then there's the fact that Mark Hunt beat Bob Sapp pretty easily in a tug of war match

 

[Moral Victory]

Countless fighters have commented on GSP's athleticism and strength. How he can over power his opponents. Even much bigger guys who have trained with him. Same thing with Khabib.

DC is very strong as well. I doubt he handles heavy weight guys who are much bigger than him and tosses them around purely from skill.

But I guess we'll have to agree to disagree

I'm not disagreeing with you, but i think we're talking about different types of strengths, i think Cro Cop could deadlift and bench more than Cormier but i think Cormier could throw Barnett better than Cro Cop could, for example.

I believe there is a difference in explosive strength and just raw "moving" strength/contraction strength or how else i should explain it, i'm not sure.

Mark Hunt.

Overeem has said Hunt is by far the strongest guy he's ever fought and when he fought Hunt he was already on the horse meat.

and then there's the fact that Mark Hunt beat Bob Sapp pretty easily in a tug of war match

Very good mention, Super Samoan Strength.

Haven't seen Aloe Vera mentioned yet.

Dude is lanky but surprisingly strong, hasn't really been outmuscled by guys at FW or LW.

Reminds me of another Olivera who's lanky, who i have heard and seen is very strong.