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Ex-UFC star who faced Brock Lesnar and Chuck Liddell reveals the hardest puncher he met

Originally posted on HITC | By Kyle Dimond | Last updated Nov 16, 2025 12:30 PM ET

One of MMA’s most feared strikers has gone up against his fair share of heavy hitters over the years.

There are plenty of powerful punchers in the UFC, but it is important to factor in power relative to weight class when you are making comparisons.

Take Ilia Topuria and Josh Emmett, for example. They might not have the size advantage, but their ability to turn a fight around with one shot is undeniable.

Even so, heavyweights tend to dominate these kinds of discussions. After all, Derrick Lewis holds the record for most knockouts in UFC history with 16.

An MMA legend was recently asked which of his former opponents was the hardest hitter, and he did not need any time to think.

Alistair Overeem picks Francis Ngannou as the hardest puncher he ever faced

Alistair Overeem was recently spotted at Brave CF 100, where Muhammad Mokaev captured the flyweight title and immediately began eyeing a move up to bantamweight.

During an interview with Bloody Elbow, Overeem shared his thoughts on the fallout from UFC 321 and took some time to look back over his own career.

Despite suffering 13 knockout losses across Zuffa promotions (including UFC, Pride, WEC, and Strikeforce), he also racked up an impressive 25 KO victories throughout his career.

That tally is even more impressive given the calibre of opponents he’s faced over the years, including a successful stint in kickboxing.

If you asked another fighter the same question, names like Chuck Liddell, Mark Hunt, Mirko Cro Cop, Brock Lesnar, or Stipe Miocic could easily come up as answers.

But when Overeem was asked specifically about Francis Ngannou, he did not hesitate when confirming whether Ngannou was the most powerful puncher he’d ever faced.

“I think he is the hardest hitter. I mean who else would be there? Mark Hunt? I don’t think so. I think it is Francis.”

Ngannou’s first-round knockout of ‘The Demolition Man’ at UFC 218 remains one of the most memorable highlights in recent history and played a big role in earning him his first heavyweight title shot.

Overeem says Ngannou should fight more before his career ends

It has been over a year since Francis Ngannou was last seen in any kind of fight, and while some of that comes down to his own choices, plenty has been outside his control.

The former UFC heavyweight champion has also ruled out a fight with Jake Paul, which would have marked his return to boxing after the defeat to Anthony Joshua in March 2024.

Overeem recently ran into Ngannou and spoke to Bloody Elbow about what he hopes to see from the former champion going forward.

“I would like to see him more active. This is the peak of his career. I mean he has a couple more years left which basically is a couple more fights. It was nice to see him by the way, we have a good connection. He’s a cool guy and he has an extraordinary journey.”

This article first appeared on HITC and was syndicated with permission.

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