For those that have been watching the sport for years, that’s hardly a surprise. Go back to 1997 and Maurice Smith landing 55 significant strikes on Mark Coleman was a revolution. A decade later and GSP put 131 up on Jon Fitch for one of the most one-sided beatings of his championship career. Striking numbers have been climbing continuously since the sport started.
Nate Diaz putting up hundreds while everyone else was counting in tens.
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But, even with Nate Diaz dropping an astonishing 238 sig. strikes on Donald Cerrone back at UFC 141, the underlying game of elite MMA at the time was not one that put the bulk of its emphasis on throwing in numbers.