Top 5 UFC Signature Moves And Who Used Them Later

UFC is the premier combat sports promotion for a reason. Every day, every weight class of fighters snag fights with new, jazzy techniques. As such, there are a plethora of movesets that get debuted in fights only to get adopted by others soon. Here are the top 5 signature moves that were once brand-new but have now turned into commonplace with others using them.

Is it ethically wrong to adopt a UFC move if it enhances the skillset? The result would say otherwise. Take ex-UFC lightweight, Dustin Poirier, for example. Ranked in the Athletes’ Listings for the last nine years, many fighters have taken up Porier’s “gilly silly” (guillotine choke; not his signature) move and his act of jumping it for added downward momentum.

Brian Ortega even made a standing gilly variant and let gravity do the work. Wrestlers similarly prefer to shoot with a double-leg TD at the top as a quick option. More than one fighter has gotten to use it and make it famous over the course. Now, here’s a look at some other ones.

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Top 5 UFC Signature Moves And Who Used Them Later

5. Jon Jones’ Oblique kicks

Essentially, a push kick/side kick right along the knee cap, the slanted attack is a controversial one. But Jon Jones never backed away from using it if he found a just opening. His 2011 UFC LHW title defense against Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson saw a tremendous volume of usage.

Darren Till hurt Karate man Stephen Thompson (2018) with similar oblique kicks. Robert Whittaker, with his excellent spatial management, thwarted the former with similar kicks. Muay Thai specialist Khalil Rountree Jr. also used it in his arsenal. The Team Syndicate MMA standout took care of Modestas Bukauskas in 2021 this way and even found success with slanted kicks against Jamahal Hill.

During his time, Rampage and others complained that using an extended reach for a power shot at the knee level was a dirty technique and should be banned under the MMA unified rules. However, those like Jones never shied away, which only goes to prove their all-time advanced fight acumen. Jones later also extensively incorporated Joe Rogan’s spinning back kick into his game.

4. Josh Thomson’s Superman punch

Josh Thomson vs. Hermes Franca back in UFC 46, 2004, was an instant classic. The duo went at it in a three-round barnburner with lightweight Thomson bagging a nod from the judges. This was his second MMA fight where he used it, but the first within an Octagon. The match-up, moreover, became known for the full use of skillsets and some signature moves like the ‘Superman’ punch.

Who inherited the fist? 9-time defending UFC welterweight GOAT Georges ‘Rush’ St-Pierre. He had already used it against B.J. Penn. When St-Pierre returned from an extended break to challenge the middleweight crown at UFC 217, he even wobbled Michael Bisping with it.

Those like James Irvin and Anthony Pettis have also adopted the moveset, but with a completion and scored KOs. The Superman tint also leaked into the WWE universe with Roman Reigns touting it as his signature move.

3. Jason Von Flue and his namesake signature choke

There’s nothing wrong with going for a classic, and while this one has been hard to discern as a fluid technique, Jason Von Flue’s ‘Von Flue’ is a one-of-one technique. The TUF veteran used it during UFC Fight Night 3 against Alex Karalexis.

The signature shoulder-choke variant magnets a similar reaction to this day. While YT videos and fan forums try to dissect the technique, it’s a tough one, to say the least. Specifically, to determine the right range of motion and shoulder pressure to exert. Former UFC LHW interim titleholder Ovince Saint Preux was one fighter who co-opted the skill later on. Alonzo Menifield and Cory McKenna have also used the choke hold.

2. Matt Hughes’ Crucifix

The Crucifix is a signature UFC move where a fighter wrestles away the opponents’ one arm with his legs and the other engaged, with another arm. This keeps the head and torso centered and free, vulnerable to open strikes. Obviously, the sequence required gargantuan strength, and as a grappler, ex-UFC welterweight champ Matt Hughes looked in-zone doing it.

Ever since the usage at UFC 38, the move has become a more commonplace variety. Hughes used it dominantly against Carlos Newton and B.J. Penn. Cain Velasquez, Jon Jones, and Roy Nelson have successfully used it in their storied runs, as did Valentina Shevchenko once.

1. Anderson Silva’s Front Kick

This is a very unlikely prospect to top the top 5 list, but it does. Prior to a particular moment, front shots, teeps, and as such were negligible and only used to check range. Former middleweight Anderson Silva and his front kick to the jaw changed that narrative at UFC 126. In the purview of those present, this was one of the best knockouts at the time.

Once-popularized, the front kick was now a massive move and a proper weapon to finish fights. Lyoto Machida used a popular front-and-center variant to dispose of Randy Couture. Dong Hyun Kim and Magomed Ankalaev are also famous for spamming this move.