Shawn Jordan

Shawn Jordan is a veteran heavyweight from El Paso, Texas with a remarkable college football pedigree. A two-time state wrestling champion in high school, he went on to play football at LSU under Nick Saban and Les Miles, earning two BCS National Championship rings (2003, 2007) before pursuing a professional fighting career. He turned pro in MMA in 2009 and competed across Strikeforce, Bellator, and various regional promotions before joining the UFC in 2012, where he debuted with a striking-heavy victory over Oli Thompson.

Jordan made his name as a heavyweight knockout artist during his most productive UFC stretch from 2013 to 2015. His most memorable performances came with back-to-back Knockout and Performance of the Night bonuses: a first-round TKO over Pat Barry at UFC 161 in 2013 and a spectacular first-round KO of Jared Cannonier at UFC 182 in early 2015. These finishes showcased his most dangerous asset: heavy hands and the willingness to trade with opponents in exchanges. Jordan proved he could mount comebacks as well, rallying to defeat Mike Russow and securing a technical knockout over Derrick Lewis in a rematch.

While not a title contender, Jordan's value to the UFC was as a reliable heavy-hitter in the card's middle rounds. His striking defense sat around 47 percent, and he averaged 2.87 significant strikes per minute, a high volume that reflected an aggressive stance. He suffered knockout losses to Gabriel Gonzaga and Matt Mitrione that underscored his exposure against technical strikers, and his run with the organization concluded with a unanimous decision loss to Ruslan Magomedov at UFC 192 in October 2015. Since then he has competed for the World Series of Fighting and the Professional Fighters League. Now in his late thirties, Jordan remains an active heavyweight competitor known for his college pedigree, striking power, and the kind of exciting, finish-focused matchups that defined his peak years.