10 Greatest UFC Signature Moves
Just because you know it's coming, doesn't mean you can stop it.
The UFC encourages variety. Dana White and his team hand pick their match-ups with the intention of exciting their loyal following with a clash of styles and characters.
One of the defining aspects of some of the UFC'S biggest stars has been their ability to use a particular move or strike with such frequent devastation, that it becomes a calling card and something the fans pay to see.
These moves can become so fashionable that they leak out into popular culture (I'm looking at you, Superman Punch) or even inspire another generation of Martial Artists to equip themselves with the offense in question.
Be it submission, hand or leg strike, these actions tend to signal the beginning of the fight's conclusion. If the contender on the receiving end somehow manages to survive the famous onslaught, that in itself can be a worthy achievement.
When you have 26 years of illustrious ass-kicking to choose from, narrowing down just 10 of the Greatest Signatures in the company's history is a tough ask.
However, it's hard to argue that, without these game-changers, the names on this list would not have gone down in history as some of the very best to strap on the gloves.
10. The Diaz Brothers' Stockton Slap
The Diaz brothers are infamously two very laid back, trash-talking dudes, who do things on their own terms. Be that Nick Diaz getting high before his fight with Takonari Gomi (which he won) or Nate Diaz slapping Donlad Cerrone's Cowboy hat off his head, there's never a dull moment when one of these lads show up on a card.
Channelling that blasé attitude into their fighting style, the Stockton Slap involves either of the Diaz brothers - from whatever position they find themselves in - using an open palm slap to rile and demoralise their opponents.
Unlike the majority of the other entries on this list, this move doesn't arm the user with a lethal weapon, capable of halting the fight at any moment. The true power in this jab-like offense comes in the form of ridicule and confidence draining.
As witnessed in the Nate Diaz Vs Conor McGregor I fight, Nate took all the momentum away from McGregor with every disrespectful Stockton Slap. By the time that the Irishman was tapped out in the second round, the slap had zapped all of his arrogance, leaving him in disbelief as to how his own offense couldn't chop down the marauding Diaz.