Highest Significant Strikes per Minute UFC: SLpM Leaders

Quick answer

Joshua Van has the highest significant strikes per minute in the UFC under AgentMMA's qualifying rules. He lands 8.26 significant strikes per minute. Casey O'Neill ranks second at 7.60. This list covers active fighters with at least five UFC bouts and 45 minutes of fight time. It is current through October 22, 2026.

Data snapshot: AgentMMA analysis of 5,460 UFC bouts; 426 active fighters met the five-bout and 45-minute minimums (1994-03-11 to 2026-10-17; computed 2026-10-22).

Highest significant strikes per minute UFC: full active list

Read SLpM as pace, not a complete score for striking skill. SApM shows the return traffic, while the differential puts both rates on the same scale. Navajo Stirling's +3.94 is the widest gap here, though his six-bout sample is much smaller than Max Holloway's 33.

How this list is counted

SLpM means significant strikes landed per minute of UFC fight time. SApM is the same rate for significant strikes absorbed. The differential subtracts SApM from SLpM, so a positive figure means the fighter lands more than they absorb.

AgentMMA calculates each rate from stored round-by-round UFC Stats data. Under UFC Stats' definitions, significant strikes include all distance strikes and selected power strikes in the clinch or on the ground. If you want the term without the ranking, read What does SLpM mean in UFC?.

A fighter needs five UFC bouts and at least 45 minutes inside the Octagon. They must also be active in the database on the calculation date. The time floor matters. Five quick fights can create a flashy rate from a small number of minutes.

Only UFC action enters the calculation. A fighter's bouts in Bellator, Cage Warriors, regional shows, or any other promotion don't change these rates. Those fights still belong in a professional record when that record is shown.

The public UFC Stats record book uses a different cutoff. It lists Carli Judice first at 8.70 under a minimum of five UFC fights. AgentMMA also requires 45 minutes and an active status, so that public list and this table answer different questions.

Notable names on the list

Joshua Van sets the pace

Joshua Van leads at 8.26 SLpM across 12 UFC bouts. His +2.43 differential shows that the pace isn't only a product of open exchanges. He still lands over two more significant strikes per minute than he absorbs.

The UFC lists Van as its active flyweight champion. Its profile records a September 19, 2026 decision win over Alexandre Pantoja in a title defense. His lead comes against championship-level opposition, not from a short debut sample.

Casey O'Neill is the closest challenger

Casey O'Neill sits second at 7.60 SLpM. She pairs that rate with 5.36 SApM and a +2.24 differential over nine UFC bouts. That balance separates her from fighters who create high volume by accepting nearly the same amount back.

The UFC's profile lists O'Neill as active in the women's flyweight division. It also records two wins in 2026, including a first-round armbar on September 19. Her rate can still move quickly because nine fights remain a moderate sample.

Navajo Stirling owns the biggest differential

Navajo Stirling ranks 11th in raw output at 6.41 SLpM. His 2.46 SApM changes the picture. The resulting +3.94 differential is the best mark in this table.

The UFC lists Stirling as active and 11-0 professionally. AgentMMA counts six qualifying UFC bouts here. That is enough to enter the study, but far less evidence than the veterans around him.

Max Holloway supplies the long sample

Max Holloway lands 6.92 significant strikes per minute over 33 UFC bouts. No fighter ranked above him has even half that many. Sustaining a +2.32 differential across that workload is the more useful fact.

The UFC still lists Holloway as active. Its profile records a July 11, 2026 win over Conor McGregor and 3,693 career significant strikes landed. That career total answers a different question from his per-minute pace.

Related AgentMMA pages

• What does SLpM mean in UFC?
• Most significant strikes in one fight
• Most significant strikes (career)
• Most knockdowns in one fight
• Most UFC wins

How solid is this data?

This is a large, filtered sample: 426 active fighters from AgentMMA's analysis of 5,460 UFC bouts. Every listed fighter clears both minimums. Still, rates can shift more for someone with five fights than for Holloway with 33.

The study covers UFC bouts from March 11, 1994 through October 17, 2026. Results follow UFC Stats as stored in AgentMMA's database. If a result is overturned, the database treats it as a no-contest.

Fights outside the UFC are excluded, even when they appear in a fighter's professional record. The rates also reward volume in long fights and say nothing by themselves about power. Read SLpM beside SApM and the differential.

AgentMMA refreshes this maintained record page when new UFC results change the qualifying pool or its order. A roster-status change can also add or remove a fighter.

FAQ

Who has the highest significant strikes per minute in the UFC?

Joshua Van leads AgentMMA's qualified active-fighter list at 8.26 SLpM as of October 22, 2026. Casey O'Neill is second at 7.60.

Who are the UFC SLpM leaders?

The first three are Joshua Van at 8.26, Casey O'Neill at 7.60, and Esteban Ribovics at 7.46. Daniel Rodriguez follows at 7.18, then Alice Ardelean at 7.00.

Who is the highest-output striker in the UFC?

By significant strikes landed per minute under these rules, it is Joshua Van at 8.26. “Highest output” can also mean career totals, which is a separate record.

How is UFC SLpM calculated?

Divide a fighter's UFC significant strikes landed by total UFC fight minutes. AgentMMA uses round-level data, then applies minimums of five bouts and 45 minutes.

Why does UFC Stats show a different SLpM leader?

Its public record book uses a five-fight minimum and lists Carli Judice at 8.70. AgentMMA adds a 45-minute minimum and limits this table to active fighters.

Does a high SLpM mean someone is the UFC's best striker?

No. SLpM measures output, not power, accuracy, defense, or opponent quality. Compare it with SApM, differential, sample size, and the fights themselves.