Heavyweight

Roy Nelson

Last fought: Apr 2017

RECORD

Pro

22-14-0

UFC

9-10-0

Age

Height

6'0"

Weight

263 lbs

Reach

73"

Stance

Orthodox

Career Analytics

Advanced Metric	Career
Fight Shape
Avg Fight Time	10:39
Fight Completion Rate	62.3%
Avg Rounds per Fight	2.13
% Fights Inside the Distance	47.4%
Strength of Schedule
Opponent UFC Record (all, at fight time)	81-40 (66.9%)
Opponent UFC Record (among wins)	39-23 (62.9%)
Opponent UFC Record (among losses)	42-17 (71.2%)
Positional Profile
% Time at Distance (approx.)	67.5%
% Time in Control	20.3%
% Time Controlled	12.2%
Control Rate of Clinch/Ground Time	62.5%
Distance Striking
Distance Sig. Strikes Landed / Min	2.30
Distance Sig. Strikes Absorbed / Min	5.19
Distance Striking Differential / Min	-2.89
Distance Strike Accuracy	32.5%
Distance Strike Defense	50.6%
Power & Pressure
KDs per 100 Power Strikes Landed	2.55
Knocked Down per 100 Absorbed	0.23
TD Attempts per 5 Distance Min	1.97
TDs Faced per 5 Distance Min	1.13
Sub Attempts per 15 Control Min	0.36
Fade Index (R3 pace / R1 pace)	0.97

All metrics are UFC fights only. Methodology →

Where the Strikes Land

Share of landed significant strikes by target

Where the Fight Happens

Share of total fight time by position

Cumulative Significant Strikes vs the Heavyweight field

Roy Nelson League percentile bands (p5–p95) League median

The shaded bands are the league’s middle range: the darker center covers the 25th–75th percentile of fighters, the lighter outer zones extend to the 5th and 95th — computed only over fighters whose careers reached each minute mark. How these are calculated →

Career Stats

Statistic	Roy Nelson
Striking
Sig. Strike Accuracy	37.3%
Sig. Strikes Landed/min	2.2
Sig. Strikes Absorbed/min	4.9
Strike Differential	-2.7/min
Grappling
Takedown Accuracy	29.6%
Takedown Defense	64.5%
Takedowns Landed/15min	1.2
Submission Attempts/15min	0.1
Control Time/15min	3:02
Finishing Ability
KO/TKO % of Wins	88.9%
Submission % of Wins	0.0%
Decision % of Wins	11.1%
Avg Fight Time	10:39
Secondary Stats
Knockdowns/15min	0.7
Reversals/15min	0.0

Last 5 Averages

Statistic	Last 5 Fights
Sig. Strike Accuracy	45.0%
Sig. Strikes Landed/min	2.2
Sig. Strikes Absorbed/min	4.6
Takedown Accuracy	40.0%
Takedown Defense	100.0%
Control Time/Fight	4:42

Fight History

LOSS

vs. Alexander Volkov

UFC on FOX: Johnson vs. Reis • Apr 2017Heavyweight

Decision (Unanimous) • Rd 3, 5:00

Roy Nelson32/6748%TD 1/8Ctrl 4:32

Alexander Volkov122/18267%TD 0/0Ctrl 0:23

▼ Rounds

Rnd	Fighter	Sig Str	Acc	TD	Ctrl	KD
R1	Roy Nelson	9/14	64%	1/3	3:12	—
	Alexander Volkov	29/39	74%	0/0	0:23	—

R2	Roy Nelson	11/21	52%	0/3	1:07	—
	Alexander Volkov	45/71	63%	0/0	0:00	—

R3	Roy Nelson	12/32	38%	0/2	0:13	—
	Alexander Volkov	48/72	67%	0/0	0:00	—

WIN

vs. Antonio Silva

UFC Fight Night: Cyborg vs. Lansberg • Sep 2016Heavyweight

KO/TKO (Punch) • Rd 2, 4:10

Roy Nelson36/6655%TD 0/1Ctrl 1:32KD 1

Antonio Silva27/6144%TD 0/2Ctrl 0:19

▼ Rounds

Rnd	Fighter	Sig Str	Acc	TD	Ctrl	KD
R1	Roy Nelson	18/33	55%	0/1	1:26	—
	Antonio Silva	14/28	50%	0/0	0:00	—

R2	Roy Nelson	18/33	55%	0/0	0:06	1
	Antonio Silva	13/33	39%	0/2	0:19	—

LOSS

vs. Derrick Lewis

UFC Fight Night: Dos Anjos vs. Alvarez • Jul 2016Heavyweight

Decision (Split) • Rd 3, 5:00

Roy Nelson4/1921%TD 7/10Ctrl 9:39

Derrick Lewis37/7351%TD 0/0Ctrl 0:03

▼ Rounds

Rnd	Fighter	Sig Str	Acc	TD	Ctrl	KD
R1	Roy Nelson	0/2	0%	2/4	3:24	—
	Derrick Lewis	24/37	65%	0/0	0:03	—

R2	Roy Nelson	2/8	25%	3/3	2:44	—
	Derrick Lewis	3/13	23%	0/0	0:00	—

R3	Roy Nelson	2/9	22%	2/3	3:31	—
	Derrick Lewis	10/23	43%	0/0	0:00	—

WIN

vs. Jared Rosholt

UFC Fight Night: Hendricks vs Thompson • Feb 2016Heavyweight

Decision (Unanimous) • Rd 3, 5:00

Roy Nelson42/12135%TD 0/1Ctrl 0:00

Jared Rosholt36/12030%TD 0/2Ctrl 0:00

▼ Rounds

Rnd	Fighter	Sig Str	Acc	TD	Ctrl	KD
R1	Roy Nelson	6/36	17%	0/0	0:00	—
	Jared Rosholt	13/37	35%	0/0	0:00	—

R2	Roy Nelson	16/36	44%	0/0	0:00	—
	Jared Rosholt	11/35	31%	0/1	0:00	—

R3	Roy Nelson	20/49	41%	0/1	0:00	—
	Jared Rosholt	12/48	25%	0/1	0:00	—

LOSS

vs. Josh Barnett

UFC Fight Night: Barnett vs Nelson • Sep 2015Heavyweight

Decision (Unanimous) • Rd 5, 5:00

Roy Nelson60/11453%TD 4/10Ctrl 7:51

Josh Barnett146/20571%TD 0/0Ctrl 8:22

▼ Rounds

Rnd	Fighter	Sig Str	Acc	TD	Ctrl	KD
R1	Roy Nelson	7/13	54%	2/2	2:51	—
	Josh Barnett	17/26	65%	0/0	0:38	—

R2	Roy Nelson	16/35	46%	0/1	0:00	—
	Josh Barnett	44/65	68%	0/0	2:17	—

R3	Roy Nelson	15/30	50%	0/4	2:25	—
	Josh Barnett	21/31	68%	0/0	0:37	—

R4	Roy Nelson	4/10	40%	1/2	1:22	—
	Josh Barnett	39/50	78%	0/0	2:35	—

R5	Roy Nelson	18/26	69%	1/1	1:13	—
	Josh Barnett	25/33	76%	0/0	2:15	—

LOSS

vs. Alistair Overeem

UFC 185: Pettis vs Dos Anjos • Mar 2015Heavyweight

Decision (Unanimous) • Rd 3, 5:00

Roy Nelson23/7730%TD 0/4Ctrl 0:34KD 1

Alistair Overeem62/8474%TD 0/2Ctrl 0:00

▼ Rounds

Rnd	Fighter	Sig Str	Acc	TD	Ctrl	KD
R1	Roy Nelson	11/25	44%	0/1	0:00	—
	Alistair Overeem	25/28	89%	0/0	0:00	—

R2	Roy Nelson	5/29	17%	0/0	0:00	—
	Alistair Overeem	18/29	62%	0/1	0:00	—

R3	Roy Nelson	7/23	30%	0/3	0:34	1
	Alistair Overeem	19/27	70%	0/1	0:00	—

LOSS

vs. Mark Hunt

UFC Fight Night: Hunt vs Nelson • Sep 2014Heavyweight

KO/TKO (Punch) • Rd 2, 3:00

Roy Nelson20/6033%TD 1/6Ctrl 0:19

Mark Hunt32/9135%TD 0/0Ctrl 0:02KD 1

▼ Rounds

Rnd	Fighter	Sig Str	Acc	TD	Ctrl	KD
R1	Roy Nelson	11/37	30%	0/3	0:00	—
	Mark Hunt	16/48	33%	0/0	0:00	—

R2	Roy Nelson	9/23	39%	1/3	0:19	—
	Mark Hunt	16/43	37%	0/0	0:02	1

WIN

vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira

UFC Fight Night: Minotauro vs Nelson • Apr 2014Heavyweight

KO/TKO (Punch) • Rd 1, 3:37

Roy Nelson19/3554%TD 0/0Ctrl 0:11KD 2

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira12/3732%TD 0/0Ctrl 0:00

▼ Rounds

Rnd	Fighter	Sig Str	Acc	TD	Ctrl	KD
R1	Roy Nelson	19/35	54%	0/0	0:11	2
	Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira	12/37	32%	0/0	0:00	—

LOSS

vs. Daniel Cormier

UFC 166: Velasquez vs Dos Santos 3 • Oct 2013Heavyweight

Decision (Unanimous) • Rd 3, 5:00

Roy Nelson17/8221%TD 0/0Ctrl 0:01

Daniel Cormier74/14850%TD 3/5Ctrl 3:52

▼ Rounds

Rnd	Fighter	Sig Str	Acc	TD	Ctrl	KD
R1	Roy Nelson	2/14	14%	0/0	0:01	—
	Daniel Cormier	16/24	67%	3/3	2:31	—

R2	Roy Nelson	7/29	24%	0/0	0:00	—
	Daniel Cormier	27/57	47%	0/2	1:20	—

R3	Roy Nelson	8/39	21%	0/0	0:00	—
	Daniel Cormier	31/67	46%	0/0	0:01	—

LOSS

vs. Stipe Miocic

UFC 161: Evans vs Henderson • Jun 2013Heavyweight

Decision (Unanimous) • Rd 3, 5:00

Roy Nelson23/12718%TD 0/1Ctrl 0:21

Stipe Miocic106/17262%TD 1/8Ctrl 2:05

▼ Rounds

Rnd	Fighter	Sig Str	Acc	TD	Ctrl	KD
R1	Roy Nelson	10/46	22%	0/1	0:18	—
	Stipe Miocic	32/64	50%	0/2	0:26	—

R2	Roy Nelson	8/34	24%	0/0	0:00	—
	Stipe Miocic	39/58	67%	0/3	0:51	—

R3	Roy Nelson	5/47	11%	0/0	0:03	—
	Stipe Miocic	35/50	70%	1/3	0:48	—

WIN

vs. Cheick Kongo

UFC 159: Jones vs Sonnen • Apr 2013Heavyweight

KO/TKO (Punch) • Rd 1, 2:03

Roy Nelson2/540%TD 0/0Ctrl 1:11KD 1

Cheick Kongo4/667%TD 0/0Ctrl 0:00

▼ Rounds

Rnd	Fighter	Sig Str	Acc	TD	Ctrl	KD
R1	Roy Nelson	2/5	40%	0/0	1:11	1
	Cheick Kongo	4/6	67%	0/0	0:00	—

WIN

vs. Matt Mitrione

The Ultimate Fighter: Team Carwin vs. Team Nelson Finale • Dec 2012Heavyweight

KO/TKO (Punch) • Rd 1, 2:58

Roy Nelson23/5343%TD 0/1Ctrl 0:48KD 1

Matt Mitrione13/2846%TD 0/0Ctrl 0:20

▼ Rounds

Rnd	Fighter	Sig Str	Acc	TD	Ctrl	KD
R1	Roy Nelson	23/53	43%	0/1	0:48	1
	Matt Mitrione	13/28	46%	0/0	0:20	—

WIN

vs. Dave Herman

UFC 146: Dos Santos vs Mir • May 2012Heavyweight

KO/TKO (Punch) • Rd 1, 0:51

Roy Nelson2/450%TD 0/0Ctrl 0:02KD 1

Dave Herman3/838%TD 0/0Ctrl 0:00

▼ Rounds

Rnd	Fighter	Sig Str	Acc	TD	Ctrl	KD
R1	Roy Nelson	2/4	50%	0/0	0:02	1
	Dave Herman	3/8	38%	0/0	0:00	—

LOSS

vs. Fabricio Werdum

UFC 143: Diaz vs Condit • Feb 2012Heavyweight

Decision (Unanimous) • Rd 3, 5:00

Roy Nelson26/6938%TD 0/0Ctrl 2:44

Fabricio Werdum91/13667%TD 0/1Ctrl 1:05

▼ Rounds

Rnd	Fighter	Sig Str	Acc	TD	Ctrl	KD
R1	Roy Nelson	5/9	56%	0/0	2:14	—
	Fabricio Werdum	20/36	56%	0/0	0:55	—

R2	Roy Nelson	11/37	30%	0/0	0:00	—
	Fabricio Werdum	39/50	78%	0/0	0:00	—

R3	Roy Nelson	10/23	43%	0/0	0:30	—
	Fabricio Werdum	32/50	64%	0/1	0:10	—

WIN

vs. Mirko Filipovic

UFC 137: Penn vs Diaz • Oct 2011Heavyweight

KO/TKO (Punches) • Rd 3, 1:30

Roy Nelson32/7543%TD 2/2Ctrl 4:16

Mirko Filipovic30/5951%TD 0/1Ctrl 0:27

▼ Rounds

Rnd	Fighter	Sig Str	Acc	TD	Ctrl	KD
R1	Roy Nelson	13/39	33%	1/1	1:36	—
	Mirko Filipovic	10/26	38%	0/0	0:00	—

R2	Roy Nelson	9/19	47%	1/1	2:23	—
	Mirko Filipovic	19/32	59%	0/0	0:27	—

R3	Roy Nelson	10/17	59%	0/0	0:17	—
	Mirko Filipovic	1/1	100%	0/1	0:00	—

LOSS

vs. Frank Mir

UFC 130: Rampage vs Hamill • May 2011Heavyweight

Decision (Unanimous) • Rd 3, 5:00

Roy Nelson21/5141%TD 0/1Ctrl 4:01

Frank Mir46/6571%TD 6/8Ctrl 7:23

▼ Rounds

Rnd	Fighter	Sig Str	Acc	TD	Ctrl	KD
R1	Roy Nelson	12/29	41%	0/0	2:31	—
	Frank Mir	22/35	63%	1/2	1:00	—

R2	Roy Nelson	6/16	38%	0/1	1:13	—
	Frank Mir	9/12	75%	2/2	2:44	—

R3	Roy Nelson	3/6	50%	0/0	0:17	—
	Frank Mir	15/18	83%	3/4	3:39	—

LOSS

vs. Junior Dos Santos

UFC 117: Silva vs Sonnen • Aug 2010Heavyweight

Decision (Unanimous) • Rd 3, 5:00

Roy Nelson40/10140%TD 0/7Ctrl 1:31

Junior Dos Santos130/28246%TD 1/2Ctrl 0:20KD 1

▼ Rounds

Rnd	Fighter	Sig Str	Acc	TD	Ctrl	KD
R1	Roy Nelson	11/24	46%	0/3	0:57	—
	Junior Dos Santos	49/95	52%	0/0	0:11	1

R2	Roy Nelson	8/31	26%	0/4	0:34	—
	Junior Dos Santos	27/80	34%	0/1	0:00	—

R3	Roy Nelson	21/46	46%	0/0	0:00	—
	Junior Dos Santos	54/107	50%	1/1	0:09	—

WIN

vs. Stefan Struve

UFC Fight Night: Florian vs Gomi • Mar 2010Heavyweight

KO/TKO (Punch) • Rd 1, 0:39

Roy Nelson9/1560%TD 0/0Ctrl 0:08KD 1

Stefan Struve2/540%TD 0/0Ctrl 0:00

▼ Rounds

Rnd	Fighter	Sig Str	Acc	TD	Ctrl	KD
R1	Roy Nelson	9/15	60%	0/0	0:08	1
	Stefan Struve	2/5	40%	0/0	0:00	—

WIN

vs. Brendan Schaub

The Ultimate Fighter: Heavyweights Finale • Dec 2009HeavyweightTITLE

KO/TKO (Punch) • Rd 1, 3:45

Roy Nelson8/3523%TD 1/2Ctrl 1:23KD 1

Brendan Schaub12/4825%TD 0/0Ctrl 0:00

▼ Rounds

Rnd	Fighter	Sig Str	Acc	TD	Ctrl	KD
R1	Roy Nelson	8/35	23%	1/2	1:23	1
	Brendan Schaub	12/48	25%	0/0	0:00	—

Prior to UFC

EliteXC (1 fight)

LOSS

vs. Andrei Arlovski

EliteXC - Heat • Oct 2008

KO/TKO (Punch) • Rd 2, 3:14

Roy Nelson10/3628%TD 0/0Ctrl 0:00

Andrei Arlovski24/4159%TD 0/1Ctrl 0:00KD 1

▼ Rounds

Rnd	Fighter	Sig Str	Acc	TD	Ctrl	KD
R1	Roy Nelson	6/21	29%	0/0	0:00	—
	Andrei Arlovski	12/22	55%	0/1	0:00	—

R2	Roy Nelson	4/15	27%	0/0	0:00	—
	Andrei Arlovski	12/19	63%	0/0	0:00	1

Other (1 fight)

LOSS

vs. Ben Rothwell

IFL - Moline • Apr 2007

Decision (Split) • Rd 3, 4:00

Roy Nelson37/11532%TD 1/8Ctrl 0:00

Ben Rothwell58/15138%TD 0/0Ctrl 0:00

▼ Rounds

Rnd	Fighter	Sig Str	Acc	TD	Ctrl	KD
R1	Roy Nelson	9/26	35%	0/3	0:00	—
	Ben Rothwell	16/42	38%	0/0	0:00	—

R2	Roy Nelson	14/40	35%	0/3	0:00	—
	Ben Rothwell	20/44	45%	0/0	0:00	—

R3	Roy Nelson	14/49	29%	1/2	0:00	—
	Ben Rothwell	22/65	34%	0/0	0:00	—

Last updated: 2026-08-22 | Data source: UFCStats.com