Jordan Leavitt

Jordan Leavitt, known as 'The Monkey King', is an active UFC featherweight who has built a reputation as a dynamic submission specialist and work-rate grappler. The Las Vegas native got hooked on combat sports after watching The Ultimate Fighter on television and combined his high school wrestling pedigree with a deep dive into jiu-jitsu, earning his purple belt while balancing a political science degree at UNLV. He made his UFC debut on December 5, 2020, against Matt Wiman and announced himself with a spectacular first-round slam knockout that earned Performance of the Night honors and landed on year-end highlight reels.

Leavitt's fighting style is rooted in grappling and submission craft, though he has shown a willingness to finish explosively on his feet. His UFC resume includes seven submission victories, ranging from technical inverted triangles to anaconda chokes, and he has earned three Performance of the Night bonuses across wins over Matt Sayles, Victor Martinez, and Kurt Holobaugh. He averaged 3.15 takedown attempts per 15 minutes in his UFC career and has consistently demonstrated an appetite for control wrestling and top-position dominance. His striking, while secondary to his grappling, lands with intent: 80% of his significant strikes come from distance, and he has shown the ability to chain strikes into takedowns and ground work.

Leavitt's career trajectory has not been without setbacks. Losses to Paddy Pimblett and Chase Hooper in 2022 and 2023 exposed vulnerabilities against submission-heavy opponents, and he withdrew from fights against Elves Brenner and Abdul-Kareem Al-Selwady due to undisclosed reasons. Recently, he moved down to featherweight in early 2026 and earned a dominant unanimous decision over Yadier del Valle at UFC Houston, controlling three rounds with takedowns and top pressure. However, a June 2026 bout against Joanderson Brito ended in a first-round submission loss via front choke, setting his current record at 13-4-0. Despite the recent stumble, Leavitt remains a live prospect in a competitive division, defined by submission acumen, work ethic, and the occasional explosive finish.