Each time a fighter is knocked out it increases their likelihood of being knocked out again in future fights. This is not a universal rule, but many fighters have seen the strength of their chin reduced after receiving their first few significant knockouts.
It becomes very difficult for a fighter to remain competitive once this decline begins.
There are plenty of examples (many you will read in this article) of legendary careers being cut short because they could no longer take a punch. But there are also plenty of examples of careers that never reached the level that they could have because the fighter never had a good chin.
Here are the top eight worst chins in MMA history…
8. James Thompson (KO’d 13x)
Possibly most famous for his controversial fight with Kimbo Slice, James Thompson has one of the most worn-out chins in MMA history.
His fight with Kimbo ended in peculiar fashion, when Thompson’s heavily cauliflowered ear appeared to burst, and the referee stopped the bout. Plenty of others have knocked Thompson out more directly however.
Bobby Lashley, Brett Rogers, Butterbean and Alexander Emelianenko are the more well known names who have knocked out Thompson.
