5 UFC fighters with reckless fighting styles × Follow Us Create Notifications New User posted their first comment this is comment text Link Approve Reject & ban Delete Log in Manage your profile Editing Story Queue Video Queue Editing Stats Writer Home SEO Redirection Admin Gaming Wiki Edits Taxonomy Home Edit Site Menu Mapping Dashboard Tag Pages Community Social Feed Queue Feed Center Notification Center Affiliate Home Manage Pages Bottom Tagline Dash Timeless Stories Logout MMA UFC Listicle Paddy Pimblett and 4 other UFC fighters with reckless fighting styles By Ricardo Viagem Modified 08 Aug 2022 Follow Us Comment Share Paddy Pimblett, Derek Brunson, and Michael Chandler UFC fighters come in all shapes and sizes, diversifying their respective skill-sets to set them apart from their divisional rivals. Some mixed martial artists are masters at operating from a range where their strikes connect but their opponents' strikes don't. These include the likes of Stephen 'Wonderboy' Thompson and Israel 'The Last Stylebender' Adesanya. Other fighters, however, are more willing to march into the line of fire. They're not necessarily reckless, but they're less risk-averse. These are mixed martial artists willing to sit in the pocket and throw shorter, tighter strikes than can only be thrown if the fighter in question is willing to be counter-struck. The more action-minded fighters, however, cross the border from risky to reckless. Rising UFC lightweight star Paddy Pimblett recently reflected on his UFC Fight Night 208 bout with Jordan Leavitt and expressed how much he enjoyed fighting and, in particular, being punched in the face. With Pimblett's statement and fighting style taken into account, this list looks at 5 fighters, including 'The Baddy' himself, who employ reckless fighting styles inside the octagon. Check out Paddy's appearance on the Pat McAfee show below: #5 Michael Chandler Former Bellator lightweight champion Michael Chandler is as explosive as a fighter can possibly be. Unfortunately, Chandler fights as though he's the only lightweight with enough power to bring his bouts to a sudden end. The one-time UFC lightweight title challenger fights from a wide stance, overexposing his lead leg to low kicks. ESPN+@ESPNPlus"Easily one of the nicest left hooks I've ever seen in the Octagon." @dc_mma looks back on Charles Oliveira's KO of Michael Chandler in the latest episode of Detail es.pn/319LEa14546376"Easily one of the nicest left hooks I've ever seen in the Octagon." @dc_mma looks back on Charles Oliveira's KO of Michael Chandler in the latest episode of Detail es.pn/319LEa1 https://t.co/T87jcq3h8O However, Chandler's issues with checking low kicks are the least of his concerns. The former All-American wrestler steps in very deep with every punch he throws. While it renders his punches extraordinarily powerful, it also makes him prone to running into counter-punches like Charles Oliveira's counter-left hook. Chandler's approach in the cage isn't just reckless because of his stylistic choices. His overall decision-making process sometimes raises eyebrows, such as his decision to slam Charles Oliveira on his back when the Brazilian had secured a back-mount: an action that even Chandler himself was subsequently self-critical over. #4 Jiří Procházka The reigning UFC light heavyweight champion is one of the most unorthodox fighters on the roster. Jiří Procházka is a frequent stance-switcher who fights from a wide stance, and like Michael Chandler, his lead leg is often overexposed and thus highly susceptible to low kicks, as evidenced by his struggles against C.B. Dolloway. John Jack@NHB_GIFSJiri Prochazka end of R1 and R2 HL's in his rematch vs Muhammed Lawal at Rizin 15 #UFC25151Jiri Prochazka end of R1 and R2 HL's in his rematch vs Muhammed Lawal at Rizin 15 #UFC251 https://t.co/aCFgfLiFYQ Procházka's style is reckless primarily due to how frequently he undercuts his natural reach advantage against virtually every foe he fights. Despite his 80-inch reach, the Czech phenom often fights from close range where his longer arms enjoy no benefit. Instead, it allows opponents with shorter arms to land punches from tighter and shorter arcs before Procházka can connect himself. Worse still, the current UFC light heavyweight title-holder often fights with his hands held low and exposes his head, which remains fairly stationary throughout most of Procházka's bouts. Lastly, the Czech great extends exchanges in the pocket, prolonging his combinations in a range that is too short for his long limbs to operate optimally in. #3 Brian Ortega Brian Ortega is not deliberately reckless. Instead, his fighting style is reckless due to the gap between his skillset and that of the opponents he faces inside the octagon. The two-time UFC featherweight title challenger is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist whose fiercest weapons are his guillotine and triangle chokes. Despite his lethal grappling skill-set, 'T-City' does not possess any reliable means to ground his opponents. Dovy@DovySimuMMAMid face reconstruction, Max Holloway decides to give Brian Ortega a boxing lesson 4304838Mid face reconstruction, Max Holloway decides to give Brian Ortega a boxing lesson https://t.co/lrydNOT3I6 Ortega possesses neither strong wrestling nor serviceable judo trips to benefit from the clinch engagements he often forces. Thus, Ortega is an opportunistic grappler by necessity, as he has no other choice but to wait for his foes to either slip or be knocked down. Regarding his striking, Ortega exhibits basic boxing fundamentals and decent punching power. Unfortunately, he neither moves his head nor wields an effective guard, leading Max Holloway to comically try teaching him how to block in the midst of their bout at UFC 231. Ortega simply marches forward, relying on his toughness for striking defense while having no proper avenue to consistently implement his Brazilian jiu-Jitsu skills. #2 Derek Brunson Derek Brunson is one of the few high-level wrestlers in the UFC middleweight division. The American is powerful, strong, and explosive, possessing every athletic tool to be a dominant force in his resident weight class. Due to the sheer benefits of his athleticism, Brunson has enjoyed a fairly successful career at middleweight despite never challenging for the divisional title. Matt Parrino@MattParrinoPeople talking about Derek Brunson's sloppy striking approach, but it's not anything new. He always leaves chin exposed & charges forward.204People talking about Derek Brunson's sloppy striking approach, but it's not anything new. He always leaves chin exposed & charges forward. https://t.co/H4YIJYCoM2 Prior to his violent loss to Jared Cannonier at UFC 271, Brunson was riding a five-fight win streak. Unfortunately, even Brunson's wins are punctuated by his in-cage recklessness. As a wrestler, Brunson is mainly interested in pursuing takedowns against his foes. The American will do so relentlessly at times, making no effort to use his striking to create openings for his takedowns while being content to dive in for his foe's hips over and over again, even tripping over himself. Against Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker, Brunson's worst habits were glaring. He shoots for sloppy takedowns with no setup and leads with his chin sticking out every time he throws punches: an instinct that's present even when Brunson wins. When throwing punches, the American's eyes are almost towards the ceiling due to how far back his head is in his over-aggressive charges, opening himself up to counterpunches. #1 Paddy Pimblett The UFC's newest budding star is Paddy 'The Baddy' Pimblett. A lightweight who has taken the promotion by storm, the Brit possesses a fairly well-rounded skill-set. However, Pimblett's bread and butter is his Brazilian jiu-jitsu skill-set, which benefits from his judo takedowns as they immediately land him in offensive positions like side control. Luca Fury@FurysFightPicksWho loves sprinting forward and winging punches with their chin way up in the air more than Paddy Pimblett and Derek Brunson?I sense knockout losses in their futures via counter punches straight down the middle… again. #UFCVegas36495Who loves sprinting forward and winging punches with their chin way up in the air more than Paddy Pimblett and Derek Brunson?I sense knockout losses in their futures via counter punches straight down the middle… again. #UFCVegas36 https://t.co/mp4i8Z4VKf However, 'The Baddy' is reckless on the feet in both practice and attitude. Inside the octagon, Pimblett does not tuck his chin. Additionally, he does not possess an airtight guard, nor does he move his head. Nevertheless, Pimblett lunges forward with punches, never moving his head off the center-line, leading to concerns from observers who have implored him to tighten up his defensive striking. The Brit's answer to those concerns has been to either claim that Scousers like him don't get knocked unconscious or claim that he enjoys being punched in the face. Due to Pimblett's natural aggression when striking, his poor defense leads to reckless exchanges on the feet that have already led to isolated moments of trouble during his career. Poll : 0 votes Quick Links More from Sportskeeda Edited by kennedyking2016 × Feedback Thank You! Be the first one to comment Follow Us Share Show More Comments GIF Comment in moderation 0 0 Reply x Edit Delete Delete the comment? No thanks Delete GIF Cancel Update GIF Cancel Reply ❮ ❯ GIF Comment in moderation 0 0 Reply x Edit Delete Delete the comment? No thanks Delete GIF Cancel Update GIF Cancel Reply ❮ ❯ Be the first one to comment on this story More from Sportskeeda Fetching more content... 1 Manage your profile Editing Story Queue Video Queue Editing Stats Writer Home SEO Redirection Admin Gaming Wiki Edits Taxonomy Home Edit Site Menu Mapping Dashboard Tag Pages Community Social Feed Queue Feed Center Notification Center Affiliate Home Manage Pages Bottom Tagline Dash Timeless Stories Logout No Results Found Get the free App now Manage notifications Popular ‍ Sports (30+) CricketCricket HomeCricket NewsScheduleIND vs SAAUS vs WIENG vs PAKLegends LeagueECC T10County ChampionshipBukhatir LeagueNZ T20 Tri-SeriesWomen's Asia Cup 2022Japan Cricket LeagueWI-W vs NZ-WECT10T20 World Cup FootballFootball HomeNewslettersSK Experts ScheduleEPLNations LeagueLa LigaLigue 1Champions LeagueFIFA WCMLS Bundesliga Serie A WWEWWE HomeNewslettersRumor RoundupRAWSmackDownResultsRosterChampionsWWE Extreme Rules 2022PPV ScheduleAEW EsportsEsports HomeMinecraftOverwatch 2RobloxGenshin ImpactFortniteGTAStreamersFree FirePUBGValorantBGMIPop CultureAnimeGaming TechWiki Guides TennisTennis HomeTennis calendarChina OpenTennis Results TodayATP RankingsWTA RankingsRoger FedererRafael NadalNovak DjokovicSerena Williams MMAMMA HomeUFC NewsONE ChampionshipUFC Fight NightScheduleRankingsResultsUFC Fights TonightONE Championship ResultsONE Championship ScheduleONE Championship Rankings KabaddiKabaddi HomePKL 2022PKL SchedulePKL Points TableKabaddi Rules WikiWiki HomeMinecraft WikiNaruto WikiTikTok WikiYoutube WikiGTA WikiTerraria WikiOne Piece Wiki MoreSportsBasketballIndian FootballNFLMinecraftFormula 1NascarPop CultureCollege FootballHockeyGolfAthleticsBadmintonGymnasticsWrestlingSwimmingTennisShootingBoxingArcheryWinter SportsRobloxSkateboardingKho KhoLifestyle LINKS About Us Write For Us Policies Editorial Standards Journalism Awards Fact Check Affiliate Program Careers CSR Privacy Policy Contact Us Edition: English हिन्दी