Welterweight · “Gunni”
Gunnar Nelson
19-6-1 UFC 10-6-0
Submission Efficiency
Sniper Accuracy
Finisher
5'11"Height
72"Reach
SwitchStance
38Age
0KO wins
8Sub wins
80.0%Finish rate
10:20Avg fight
Skill profile
striking
decent
2 reads
grappling
solid
2 reads
wrestling
not yet read
cardio
not yet read
durability
not yet read
138 MMA anchors Striking, Grappling · his tags and claims adjust Accuracy, Striking D, Wrestling, Control · stats alone on Durability, TD Defense.
Submission Efficiency
8 submission wins from 11 attempts
Sniper Accuracy
61% of significant strikes land
Finisher
80% of wins by knockout or submission (0 KO, 8 sub)
Career rates — the raw numbers behind the chart
Sig. strikes landed / min1.77
Sig. strikes absorbed / min3.06
Striking accuracy61.2%
Striking defense48.8%
Knockdowns / 15 min0.09
Takedowns / 15 min2.0
Takedown accuracy52.4%
Takedown defense68.4%
Sub attempts / 15 min1.0
Control time35.3%
Record vs .500+ opponents7-6
Insider info
vs Kevin Holland clear UFC Fight Night Edwards vs Brady Full Card Analysis, Prediction & Breakdown · March 16, 2025
strikingdecent
grapplingsolid
'The one and four stretch' is cited directly, and he commits fully: 'we're taking Gunnar Nelson.'
As of 2025-03-16, this is his newest known read. A decent, range-managing karate-style striker who closes distance with a leaping lead hook. His grappling is the stronger half of his game: a good submission arsenal, slick transitions, back-taking, and a good rear-naked choke, with cage takedowns as his route to get there.
Strengthrange management, karate-style striking
Strengthleaping lead hook entry
Strengthgood submission arsenal and slick transitions
Strengthcage-takedown wrestling
vs Bryan Barberena coinflip UFC 286 Full Card Breakdown, Analysis, And Prediction · March 14, 2023 · 1 read since
strikingdecent
grapplingsolid
switched picks repeatedly, not confident
Nelson is a jiu-jitsu-first fighter the analyst sees as a big live-underdog on these odds: decent, karate-styled striking with shaky defense, and wrestling that is inconsistent at best, but once the fight touches the mat his submission upside is real. He is coming off a long absence from competition and just picked up his first win back. The analyst flags the betting line itself as suspicious, calling Nelson overpriced relative to Barberena.
Strengthstrong submission upside if the fight reaches the mat
Strengthdecent karate-based striking
Weaknessstriking defense isn't great
Weaknessinconsistent wrestling, takedowns not guaranteed
Striking trend
Fight history
L Kevin Holland 26-13 walk-in Decision - Unanimous · R3 5:00 — UFC Fight Night: Edwards vs. Brady · March 22, 2025
15/24Sig. strikes
55/89Absorbed
3/10Takedowns
9:29Control
0Knockdowns
1Sub attempts
W Bryan Barberena 18-9 walk-in Submission · R1 4:51 — UFC 286: Edwards vs. Usman 3 · March 18, 2023
10/11Sig. strikes
7/12Absorbed
1/2Takedowns
3:13Control
0Knockdowns
1Sub attempts
W Takashi Sato 16-4 walk-in Decision - Unanimous · R3 5:00 — UFC Fight Night: Volkov vs. Aspinall · March 19, 2022
44/55Sig. strikes
9/23Absorbed
3/3Takedowns
8:09Control
0Knockdowns
1Sub attempts
L Gilbert Burns 16-3 walk-in Decision - Unanimous · R3 5:00 — UFC Fight Night: Hermansson vs. Cannonier · September 28, 2019
20/36Sig. strikes
30/76Absorbed
0/2Takedowns
4:49Control
0Knockdowns
0Sub attempts
L Leon Edwards 16-3 walk-in Decision - Split · R3 5:00 — UFC Fight Night: Till vs. Masvidal · March 16, 2019
9/18Sig. strikes
31/49Absorbed
3/4Takedowns
4:22Control
0Knockdowns
0Sub attempts
W Alex Oliveira 20-5-1 walk-in Submission · R2 4:17 — UFC 231: Holloway vs. Ortega · December 8, 2018
11/11Sig. strikes
36/49Absorbed
2/5Takedowns
4:43Control
0Knockdowns
1Sub attempts
L Santiago Ponzinibbio 22-3 walk-in KO/TKO · R1 1:22 — UFC Fight Night: Nelson vs. Ponzinibbio · July 16, 2017
5/7Sig. strikes
7/12Absorbed
0/0Takedowns
0:00Control
0Knockdowns
0Sub attempts
W Alan Jouban 15-4 walk-in Submission · R2 0:46 — UFC Fight Night: Manuwa vs. Anderson · March 18, 2017
8/18Sig. strikes
17/33Absorbed
1/2Takedowns
3:03Control
0Knockdowns
1Sub attempts
W Albert Tumenov 15-3 walk-in Submission · R2 3:15 — UFC Fight Night: Overeem vs Arlovski · May 8, 2016
29/44Sig. strikes
23/41Absorbed
2/2Takedowns
4:18Control
0Knockdowns
1Sub attempts
L Demian Maia 19-6 walk-in Decision - Unanimous · R3 5:00 — UFC 194: Aldo vs McGregor · December 12, 2015
2/4Sig. strikes
47/58Absorbed
1/1Takedowns
2:14Control
0Knockdowns
0Sub attempts
W Brandon Thatch 11-2 walk-in Submission · R1 2:54 — UFC 189: Mendes vs McGregor · July 11, 2015
6/8Sig. strikes
8/14Absorbed
0/0Takedowns
1:26Control
1Knockdowns
1Sub attempts
L Rick Story 17-8 walk-in Decision - Split · R5 5:00 — UFC Fight Night: Nelson vs Story · October 4, 2014
53/107Sig. strikes
168/315Absorbed
1/4Takedowns
0:22Control
0Knockdowns
0Sub attempts
W Zak Cummings 17-3 walk-in Submission · R2 4:48 — UFC Fight Night: McGregor vs Brandao · July 19, 2014
13/24Sig. strikes
18/75Absorbed
1/1Takedowns
0:43Control
0Knockdowns
1Sub attempts
W Omari Akhmedov 10-1 walk-in Submission · R1 4:36 — UFC Fight Night: Gustafsson vs Manuwa · March 8, 2014
16/20Sig. strikes
6/16Absorbed
1/1Takedowns
3:06Control
0Knockdowns
1Sub attempts
W Jorge Santiago 25-10 walk-in Decision - Unanimous · R3 5:00 — UFC on FUEL TV: Barao vs McDonald · February 16, 2013
42/80Sig. strikes
43/123Absorbed
2/4Takedowns
5:38Control
0Knockdowns
0Sub attempts
W DaMarques Johnson 16-11 walk-in Submission · R1 3:34 — UFC on FUEL TV: Struve vs Miocic · September 29, 2012
9/10Sig. strikes
1/4Absorbed
1/1Takedowns
2:51Control
0Knockdowns
2Sub attempts
Walk-in records count UFC bouts in this database. For the pre-UFC career, see the record breakdown below or the Tapology button up top.
Record breakdown
Wins by method
KO/TKO
4
Submission
13
Decision
2
Other
0
Losses by method
KO/TKO
1
Submission
0
Decision
5
Other
0
Draws: 1
Fights by organization
UFC
16
Cage Contender
2
BAMMA
2
Adrenaline
2
Angrrr Management
1
Cage of Truth
1
Ultimate Fighting Revolution
1
Cage Rage Contenders
1
Full career — 26 fights, every organization
| Opponent | Method | Event | Org | Rd | Time | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| L | Kevin Holland | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Edwards vs. Brady
March 22, 2025 |
UFC | 3 | 5:00 |
| W | Bryan Barberena | Submission (armbar) | UFC 286
March 18, 2023 |
UFC | 1 | 4:51 |
| W | Takashi Sato | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Volkov vs. Aspinall
March 19, 2022 |
UFC | 3 | 5:00 |
| L | Gilbert Burns | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Hermansson vs. Cannonier
September 28, 2019 |
UFC | 3 | 5:00 |
| L | Leon Edwards | Decision (split) | UFC Fight Night: Till vs. Masvidal
March 16, 2019 |
UFC | 3 | 5:00 |
| W | Alex Oliveira | Submission (rear-naked choke) | UFC 231
December 8, 2018 |
UFC | 2 | 4:17 |
| L | Santiago Ponzinibbio | KO (punches) | UFC Fight Night: Nelson vs. Ponzinibbio
July 16, 2017 |
UFC | 1 | 1:22 |
| W | Alan Jouban | Submission (guillotine choke) | UFC Fight Night: Manuwa vs. Anderson
March 18, 2017 |
UFC | 2 | 0:46 |
| W | Albert Tumenov | Submission (neck crank) | UFC Fight Night: Overeem vs. Arlovski
May 8, 2016 |
UFC | 2 | 3:15 |
| L | Demian Maia | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 194
December 12, 2015 |
UFC | 3 | 5:00 |
| W | Brandon Thatch | Submission (rear-naked choke) | UFC 189
July 11, 2015 |
UFC | 1 | 2:54 |
| L | Rick Story | Decision (split) | UFC Fight Night: Nelson vs. Story
October 4, 2014 |
UFC | 5 | 5:00 |
| W | Zak Cummings | Submission (rear-naked choke) | UFC Fight Night: McGregor vs. Brandão
July 19, 2014 |
UFC | 2 | 4:48 |
| W | Omari Akhmedov | Submission (guillotine choke) | UFC Fight Night: Gustafsson vs. Manuwa
March 8, 2014 |
UFC | 1 | 4:36 |
| W | Jorge Santiago | Decision (unanimous) | UFC on Fuel TV: Barão vs. McDonald
February 16, 2013 |
UFC | 3 | 5:00 |
| W | DaMarques Johnson | Submission (rear-naked choke) | UFC on Fuel TV: Struve vs. Miocic
September 29, 2012 |
UFC | 1 | 3:34 |
| W | Alexander Butenko | Submission (armbar) | Cage Contender 12
February 25, 2012 |
Cage Contender | 1 | 4:21 |
| W | Eugene Fadiora | Submission (neck crank) | BAMMA 4
September 25, 2010 |
BAMMA | 1 | 3:51 |
| W | Danny Mitchell | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Cage Contender 6
August 28, 2010 |
Cage Contender | 1 | 2:51 |
| W | Sam Elsdon | Submission (rear-naked choke) | BAMMA 2
February 13, 2010 |
BAMMA | 1 | 2:30 |
| W | Iran Mascarenhas | KO (punch) | Adrenaline 3
September 6, 2008 |
Adrenaline | 2 | 3:22 |
| W | Barry Mairs | TKO (punches) | Angrrr Management 14
December 9, 2007 |
Angrrr Management | 1 | 3:38 |
| W | Niek Tromp | TKO (punches) | Cage of Truth 1
November 24, 2007 |
Cage of Truth | 1 | 1:50 |
| W | Adam Slawinski | TKO (punches) | Ultimate Fighting Revolution 10
October 6, 2007 |
Ultimate Fighting Revolution | 1 | 2:30 |
| W | Driss El Bakara | Submission (armbar) | Cage Rage Contenders: Dynamite
September 29, 2007 |
Cage Rage Contenders | 1 | 3:46 |
| D | John Olesen | Draw (split) | Adrenaline 1
May 5, 2007 |
Adrenaline | 3 | 5:00 |
Career history from the fighter's Wikipedia record table (Gunnar Nelson (fighter)) — results only, no strike stats; UFC bouts are marked and carry full stats in the fight history above.
Division context
Headshot of Gunnar Nelson by Haraldur Dean Nelson · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons · cropped and resized