Famous southpaw UFC fighters

Before we get into the 18 best southpaws in the UFC of 2020 article, we should take a look at the principles of being a left-handed boxer. Obliviously, the stance, the way the athlete stands, or fights is different than the stance used by right-handed athletes.

A southpaw stance is when a boxer stands with his right hand and right foot forward, leading with right jabs and follows with a left cross right hook in boxing and other sports.

For a left-handed boxer, this is the standard posture. A right-handed boxer's corresponding boxing designation is orthodox, which is typically a mirror version of the southpaw posture. "Southpaw" is a term used in American English to describe someone who is left-handed.

William 'Bendigo' Thompson, a 19th-century prizefighter, is largely credited with inventing the southpaw stance in boxing.

Left-handed boxers are often taught to fight in the southpaw posture, although right-handed fighters might use it for a variety of reasons, including deluding the opponent into a false feeling of security.

Because of the tactical and cognitive challenges of dealing with a fighter who moves in the opposite direction of the usual, fighting in a southpaw posture is said to provide the fighter a strategic edge.

Despite the fact that their dominant side is their left, left-handed fighters are frequently taught to fight in orthodox stance, either because of the overriding need to best counter a fighter who fights in orthodox stance or because of the limited number of trainers who specialize in training the southpaw stance.

With that being said, let us move into the article and meet some of the best southpaw boxers in UFC.

The list of best southpaw UFC fighters with details

Here is a word origin lesson for those who were wondering where the term "southpaw” actually came from. The word "southpaw" is said to have arisen "from the practice in baseball of setting the diamond with the batter facing east to escape the afternoon sun," according to the "American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language."

Though many claim that the term was coined because of the orientation of baseball fields to keep the sun out of the players' eyes, and the resulting alignment of a left-handed pitcher's throwing arm, causing the pitcher's left hand to be on the south side of his body, the term had been used for decades to indicate "out of the ordinary."

Now, without further lingering, let us move into the list of

the

best southpaw fighters in the UFC

.

Marvin Vettori

Starting the list of UFC southpaw fighters with Marvin Vettori. Where did this amazing fighter start his career from and where was he before joining UFC? Prior to entering the UFC, Vettori competed in the European circuit and had a 10–2 record.

This southpaw athlete had a rough start to his UFC career. Vettori made his UFC debut against Alberto Emilliano Pereira at UFC 202 on August 20, 2016. In the first round, he tapped out Pereira with a guillotine choke.

On December 30, 2016, angry Marvin fought Antônio Carlos Junior at UFC 207. The referee issued warnings to both Vettori and Carlos Junior for eye pokes, but no points were deducted. The Italian dream was defeated by unanimous decision after three rounds.

Later on, this

managed to claim the performance of the night award and fight of the night award and improved his position on the UFC middleweight rankings.

Marcus Brimage 

Next on the list of UFC Southpaw Fighters is Marcus Brimage. Let us travel to America to see who Marcus is. He has been a professional fighter since 2007, and he has previously competed for the UFC and on The Ultimate Fighter: Team Bisping vs. Team Miller.

But the way that he grew interested in MMA is kind of funny. During high school, this athlete became interested in martial arts after seeing an episode of Dragon Ball Z and a highlight reel of Quinton Jackson.

The Bama Beast began training at a local Muay Thai club after receiving a suggestion from one of his military staff sergeants. Brimage met Chris Connelly there, and the two eventually launched Spartan Fitness in 2006. Brimage began fighting as an amateur shortly after, going 10–0 until turning professional in 2007.

On December 3, 2011, Brimage made his UFC and featherweight debut against Ultimate Fighter castmate Stephen Bass at The Ultimate Fighter 14 Finale. Brimage was declared the winner by unanimous judgment.

With 7 wins and 8 losses, Marcus did not have a glorious professional career but it was good enough for us to be able to put him on the

20 best southpaws in the UFC of 2020

.

Sam Alvey

Samuel William Alvey probably should have been higher up in the list but here he is in the starting three. Smile'n is an

professional mixed martial artist who competes in the Ultimate Fighting Championship's Light Heavyweight division (UFC).

Since 2008, Alvey has competed professionally in mixed martial arts for Bellator, King of the Cage, the MFC, and The Ultimate Fighter: Team Carwin vs. Team Nelson.

The 35-year-old began his amateur career in 2007, and in his first amateur fight, he was lost by TKO in the second round. Before becoming a professional in July 2008, he bounced back to win his next two matches.

Alvey's early career was spent completely in Wisconsin, where he had an 11–1 record, including numerous victories in the King of the Cage promotion.

The UFC announced in June 2014 that Alvey has signed with them. On August 16, 2014, he made his UFC debut against Tom Watson at UFC Fight Night 47. He was defeated by unanimous decision in a back-and-forth battle.

Although he didn't manage to win a title in UFC, he is considered to be one of the best southpaws in this competition.

Luke Rockhold

American athletes own the best southpaw fighters In the UFC list, and we are going to meet another one here and now. Luke Skyler Rockhold is a professional mixed martial fighter, a TV star, and a

.

This fighter is presently a Light Heavyweight competitor in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Rockhold is a former Middleweight Champion and former UFC Middleweight Champion.

Rockhold is a two-division world champion who also holds the Strikeforce Middleweight Championship. Before Strikeforce was formally acquired by the UFC in 2013, Rockhold defended the title twice and was the final guy to hold it. Rockhold is a professional model who has modeled at New York Fashion Week and is the face of Ralph Lauren's "Polo Blue" fragrance.

He is also an enthusiastic surfer, skateboarder, and surfer.

The 36-year-old attempted to wrestle at a nearby community college but ultimately chose to focus on jiu-jitsu full-time. He chose to try mixed martial arts after winning a few BJJ events. Rockhold was asked to train at the American Kickboxing Academy (AKA) in San Jose, California, by a buddy in 2006.

This southpaw athlete was once dating Demi Lovato but this relationship was destined to end in 2017.

Stephen Thompson

Guess where Stephen is from? Once again, US. Stephen Randall Thompson is a model in his own right. Thompson is presently a member of the Ultimate Fighting Championship's Welterweight division (UFC). Wonderboy used to be a full-contact kickboxer who went unbeaten in 37 amateur and 20 professional fights.

Why is he on our

list of UFC southpaw fighters

? Well, because he fights in a southpaw stance, and Thompson is widely considered to be one of the best strikers in UFC history.

Former UFC Welterweight and Middleweight Champion Georges St-Pierre coached him, and he is presently training with former UFC Middleweight Champion Chris Weidman. Thompson is well-known for being a kind and courteous combatant. He is currently ranked #5 in the UFC welterweight rankings as of August 9, 2021.

Anthony Pettis

Anthony Pettis is the next contestant on the

list of UFC southpaw fighters

who is considered to be a southpaw fighter. In December 2007, Anthony Pettis made his professional MMA debut. Before starting with the World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC), he went 8–0 in all battles held by Adam Sandoval and Duke Roufus, capturing the Gladiator Fighting Series Lightweight Championship.

His final fight before joining the WEC was a welterweight contest on short notice. Pettis has also competed in professional kickboxing. This fighter is well-known in MMA for his smooth and precise fighting style, as well as his physical achievements and diverse technique set.

Currently, Showtime is a member of the Professional Fighters League. Pettis formerly competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship's Welterweight, Lightweight, and Featherweight divisions (UFC). Pettis practices with Alan Belcher, Erik Koch, Ben Rothwell, Ben Askren, and Danny Downes at Roufusport, where he is trained by kickboxer and MMA trainer Duke Roufus.

Pettis owns the Roufusport MMA Academy and the Showtime Sports Bar in Milwaukee with business partners Duke Roufus and Scott Joffe.

Darren Till

An Englishman among Americans. Finally, we have an athlete on the list of UFC southpaw fighters, who is not from the US and his name is Darren Till. Till was born and nurtured in Liverpool, England, where he was known for his many fights.

He began Muay Thai training at the age of 12, and after dropping out of school at the age of 14 to focus on the sport, he went professional a year later and began MMA training with Team Kaobon at the age of 17.

Despite not being able to speak Portuguese and having little grappling experience, the Gorilla joined Astra Fight Team in Balneário Cambori.

He is a former UFC Welterweight Championship challenger and currently fights in the Ultimate Fighting Championship's (UFC) middleweight division. He is currently ranked #7 in the UFC middleweight rankings as of May 24, 2021.

Benson Henderson

Next up on the list of UFC southpaw fighters is a grand master with 2 black belts in Taekwondo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Benson Henderson is an

mixed martial artist who currently competes in the Lightweight class for Bellator MMA.

He has held the titles of UFC Lightweight Champion and WEC Lightweight Champion in the past. Frankie Edgar (2x), Donald Cerrone (2x), Nate Diaz, Patrcio Freire, and Jorge Masvidal are among his significant victories. He is now ranked #3 in the Bellator Lightweight Rankings as of June 29, 2021.

In the next part we would get into the 20 best southpaws in the UFC of 2020.

Nick Diaz

In these two parts of list of UFC southpaw fighters, we will meet two brothers who are known for their southpaw stance and amazing performance in UFC.

The elder brother, Nick Diaz, was born and reared in a Mexican-American household in Stockton, California. Diaz began

and aikido training at an early age, and he also competed in wrestling events during his adolescence.

Diaz debuted as a professional mixed martial artist in 2001, shortly after turning 18 years old, and won his first bout by submitting Mike Wick with a triangle choke at the IFC Warriors Challenge 15.

Diaz has participated in the UFC, PRIDE, Strikeforce, EliteXC, World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC), DREAM, and Shooto since his debut in 2001. He has held welterweight titles in Strikeforce, the WEC, and the IFC.

Diaz now teaches Brazilian jiu-jitsu in Lodi, California, alongside his brother Nathan. Both Diaz brothers are pro-cannabis activists. They've also been vegan for a long time.

Nate Diaz

Now for the younger brother, Nate mostly competed for World Extreme Cagefighting before joining the UFC. Since winning The Ultimate Fighter 5, he has been a part of the UFC. With a total of 15 UFC bonus awards, Diaz is tied for second place with Joe Lauzon.

Both Diaz brothers are pro-cannabis activists, and California Finest has a licensed brand of marijuana pre-rolls.

Dustin Poirier

Next on the

list of UFC southpaw fighters

is Dustin Poirier. Poirier was born in Lafayette, Louisiana, on January 19, 1989, and is of Acadian French origin, especially Cajun. He only attended Northside High School for a brief period before dropping out in the ninth grade due to a history of misbehavior and street fights.

Poirier went pro in 2009 and immediately racked up a 7–0 record, primarily participating in regional promotions across his home state of Louisiana and the Southern United States. He is currently ranked #1 in the UFC lightweight rankings and #6 in the UFC men's pound-for-pound rankings as of June 13, 2021.

Robbie Lawler

With a solid start, Lawler showed the world that he is not in the business for the nonsense but titles and blood. Lawler made his UFC debut against veteran Aaron Riley at UFC 37. Lawler was declared the winner by unanimous decision. Lawler fought again the following month at UFC 37.5, defeating Steve Berger by TKO.

Lawler's next bout was at UFC 40, when he faced another veteran, Tiki Ghosn, and won in a highlight-reel knockout. Lawler later faced Pete Spratt at UFC 42 but was defeated when a hip issue forced him to submit. Lawler fought back to win a unanimous decision against fellow boxing and wrestling expert Chris Lytle at UFC 45.

Lawler's next UFC fight was against Nick Diaz, the former WEC Welterweight Champion, and future long-term Strikeforce Welterweight Champion. In the second round, Lawler suffered his first of just two knockout losses in his career. Lawler then fell to the late Evan Tanner at UFC 50, who would go on to win the UFC Middleweight Championship in his following bout.

Matt Mitrione

Matt Mitrione a fighter or an NFL athlete? Mitrione was born in Bloomington, Illinois, and reared in Springfield, where he participated in football, swimming and diving, and track and field for the first four years of his high school career.

He attended Springfield Southeast High School and graduated with honors. In his final year of football, he was named to the USA Today All-American and All-State teams as an honorable mention.

Meathead competed in Toughman Contests while still in high school, finishing second in his first one in Springfield. He received a football scholarship to Purdue University and started 35 consecutive games as a defensive lineman for the Boilermakers until breaking his right foot during winter conditioning camp his senior year.

Mitrione was undrafted in the 2002 NFL Draft, but the New York Giants gave him a contract. After Jayson Werth, a professional baseball player for the Washington Nationals and a close friend of Mitrione's, encouraged Mitrione to compete in his first promotion, Mitrione switched to mixed martial arts.

On The Ultimate Fighter: Heavyweights, he was a featured fighter. Mitrione has knocked out Fedor Emelianenko, Roy Nelson, Derrick Lewis, Gabriel Gonzaga, and Kimbo Slice with his right hand from a southpaw stance, despite being left-handed outside the ring.

Vitor Belfort

We start top five with Vitor Belfort. This athlete moved to the United States at the age of 19 to fight and prosper. His opponent in his first sanctioned mixed martial arts bout was Jon Hess, whom Belfort knocked out in 12 seconds, despite Hess's seven-inch height advantage and more than 100-pound weight advantage.

The Phenom won the UFC 12 Heavyweight Tournament after defeating two opponents in his UFC debut. At the age of 19, Belfort became the youngest fighter to win an octagon bout.

Why is he in the top five of our list of UFC southpaw fighters? He is the former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion and Cage Rage World Light Heavyweight Champion, as well as the UFC 12 Heavyweight Tournament Champion.

Belfort, known for his devastating knockout power, is tied for third in UFC history with 14 finishes. Belfort has also fought for Pride FC, Strikeforce, Affliction, and Cage Rage, among other MMA promotions.

Anderson Silva

Anderson Silva is probably one of the most famous athletes and southpaws in the UFC.

The Spider began his career as a welterweight fighter in

. Silva won his first two fights as a professional in 1997. Silva's first loss came by decision against Luiz Azeredo in 2000. He embarked on a nine-bout winning streak after the fight, winning six of them via submission or TKO.

On August 26, 2001, he was pitted against Shooto champion Hayato Sakurai after winning his first match in Japan. Silva won a three-round unanimous decision against Sakurai to become the new Shooto Middleweight Champion (at 167 pounds) and the first man to defeat Sakurai, who had gone undefeated in his previous 20 fights.

He is a former UFC Middleweight Champion with a record of 2,457 days as the longest championship reign in UFC history.

This lasted from 2006 to 2013, and it featured a UFC record 16 straight victories during that time. Silva has been hailed as one of the best mixed martial artists of all time by UFC president Dana White, UFC commentator Joe Rogan, and a slew of other MMA experts. Silva announced his retirement from the UFC in November 2020.

Valentina Shevchenko

The second lady on the list of UFC southpaw fighters is Valentina Shevchenko. The Bullet won more than 50 amateur and professional fights in K-1, Muay Thai, and kickboxing between 2003 and 2015. She lost her maiden kickboxing fight to Debby Urkens in 2008, and she lost her second to Cong Wang in 2015.

Shevchenko earned eight gold medals in the IFMA world championships in 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, and 2014, as well as the IMFA Royal World Cup in 2015. Shevchenko defeated future UFC Women's Strawweight Champion Joanna Jdrzejczyk three times and future UFC competitor Lina Länsberg once during these competitions.

Shevchenko made her UFC debut against Sarah Kaufman at UFC on Fox 17 as a last-minute replacement for Germaine de Randamie. She is presently a member of the Ultimate Fighting Championship's women's Flyweight division.

She currently holds the title of UFC Women's Flyweight Champion. After defeating Joanna Jdrzejczyk at UFC 231, Shevchenko was crowned champion. Antonina Shevchenko, a fellow UFC fighter, is her younger sister. She is currently ranked #2 in the UFC women's pound-for-pound rankings as of November 23, 2020.

Holly Holm

We have reached the first lady on the list of UFC southpaw fighters, and she is a

when it comes to one on ones in the octagon. Holm's journey to a career in boxing and kickboxing began when she was 16 years old with fitness lessons. Mike Winkeljohn, her cardio-kickboxing teacher, saw Holm's potential as a fighter and began training her.

After rapid development she found herself in professional rings. Holm has won numerous welterweight boxing titles and is widely recognized as one of the finest female welterweights in the world, with some even considering her one of the best of all time.

In 2005 and 2006, she was also named Ring Magazine's female fighter of the year for two years in a row. She had all but three of her fights in her hometown of Albuquerque, and just one of her fights outside of her native state of New Mexico.

Holm inked a multi-fight agreement with the Ultimate Fighting Championship on July 10, 2014, according to the media. Holm's manager, Lenny Fresquez, later revealed in an interview with MMA Junkie that Holm's contract is for five fights.

Holm was set to make her UFC debut against Raquel Pennington at UFC 181. Holm, however, was forced to withdraw on November 13 owing to an unknown ailment. At UFC 184, the two combatants squared off. Holm was awarded a split decision victory in the fight.

Conor McGregor

Maybe the most famous man on the list of UFC southpaw fighters, McGregor is a former featherweight and lightweight champion of the Cage Warriors.

He knocked out José Aldo for the UFC Featherweight Championship at UFC 194 in 2015, the fastest victory in UFC championship fight history, 13 seconds into the first round. McGregor became the first fighter in UFC history to hold belts in two weight classes concurrently after defeating Eddie Alvarez for the UFC Lightweight Championship at UFC 205.

McGregor is mostly regarded as a striker who loves to fight standing up rather than on the ground. McGregor is left-handed and competes mostly from a southpaw posture, but he also fights from orthodox stance.

In his fights, he will usually try to be the aggressor. McGregor's boxing is widely regarded as his strongest talent, with the bulk of his wins coming through knockout or technical knockout with punches. McGregor's pull-back left-handed counter is often regarded as his most deadly strike, according to several experts.

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