Skip to content
UFC simulation vs. the market Bout Simulator
AJ Cunningham
Bantamweight · “The Savage”

AJ Cunningham

0-2-0
Durable Submission Grappler Suspect TD Defense
5'10"Height
71"Reach
OrthodoxStance
32Age
0KO wins
0Sub wins
0%Finish rate
9:48Avg fight

Skill profile

Rated 0–100 · where 138 MMA has read him, his grades and tags set each axis and the stats only nudge inside his band · stats alone where he is silent · the rim is reserved for specialists
Striking — Below avg, rated 40 of 100 · 138 MMA: striking decent · Mar 2025 · stats read 26 → nudged -5 inside the band · claims striking power +2, pressure +2 (+5) Accuracy — Below avg, rated 37 of 100 · claims counter striking +1 (+1) Striking D — Below avg, rated 26 of 100 · 138 MMA whiteboard: striking defence marked as a minus · stats read 19 → nudged -6 inside the band · claims striking defense -2 (-6) Durability — Above avg, rated 77 of 100 · 138 MMA tag chin: durable · Mar 2025 · stats read 21 → nudged -3 inside the band · claims chin +3 (+6) Wrestling — Average, rated 46 of 100 · 138 MMA: wrestling good · Feb 2024 · stats read 9 → nudged -11 inside the band · claims td offense -1 (-2) TD Defense — Below avg, rated 26 of 100 · 138 MMA tag td defense: suspect · Feb 2024 · stats read 11 → nudged -8 inside the band · claims td defense -2, getup +2 (-1) Grappling — Average, rated 54 of 100 · 138 MMA: grappling good · Mar 2025 · stats read 42 → nudged -5 inside the band · claims sub offense +1 (+2) Control — Below avg, rated 26 of 100 · claims top control +1 (+4) Striking Accuracy Striking D Durability Wrestling TD Defense Grappling Control
striking decent
2 analyst reads graded this phase
  • decent UFC Fight Night Vettori vs Dolidze Full Card Analysis, Prediction & Breakdown · March 11, 2025 watch ↗
  • good UFC Fight Night Rozenstruik vs Gaziev Full Card Analysis, Prediction & Breakdown (UFC Vegas 87) · February 27, 2024 watch ↗
grappling good
1 analyst read graded this phase
  • good UFC Fight Night Vettori vs Dolidze Full Card Analysis, Prediction & Breakdown · March 11, 2025 watch ↗
wrestling good
1 analyst read graded this phase
  • good UFC Fight Night Rozenstruik vs Gaziev Full Card Analysis, Prediction & Breakdown (UFC Vegas 87) · February 27, 2024 watch ↗
cardio not yet read
durability not yet read
striking decent 2 reads
grappling good 1 read
wrestling good 1 read
cardio not yet read
durability not yet read

138 MMA anchors Striking, Striking D, Durability, Wrestling, TD Defense, Grappling · his tags and claims adjust Accuracy, Control.

Built on 19 minutes of tracked cage time across 2 statted fights — every axis is held down until there is more tape, so read this as a sketch rather than a verdict.

Durable above avg durability — rates 77 of 100 · 138 MMA tag chin: durable · Mar 2025
Submission Grappler average grappling — rates 54 of 100 · 138 MMA: grappling good · Mar 2025
Suspect TD Defense 138 MMA · Feb 2024 tags td defense: suspect
Career rates — the raw numbers behind the chart
Sig. strikes landed / min2.65
Sig. strikes absorbed / min3.98
Striking accuracy40.9%
Striking defense36.6%
Knockdowns / 15 min0.0
Takedowns / 15 min0.0
Takedown accuracy—
Takedown defense46.2%
Sub attempts / 15 min0.77
Control time2.2%
Record vs .500+ opponents0-2

Insider info

2 analyst reads · 138 MMA · our paraphrase, never his words
vs Su Young You lean UFC Fight Night Vettori vs Dolidze Full Card Analysis, Prediction & Breakdown · March 11, 2025
strikingdecent grapplinggood wrestlinggood

He calls the striking close and even gives the opponent a slight edge there, leaning on You's grappling control as the deciding factor.

Our words: a decent striker with good forward pressure, power and combinations early, who turns to wild, looping exchanges once he starts absorbing shots -- not helped by shaky defense. He's extremely tough, grinding out standing stoppages through accumulated damage rather than getting finished outright. His grappling is a real strength: a good back-taker with very good sweeps, though he usually ends up there after being taken down rather than by his own offense.

Strengthdecent, crisp striking combinations early
Strengthextremely tough, rarely finished cleanly
Strengthgood back-taker with very good sweeps on the mat
Weaknessdefense is shaky
Weaknessturns to wild, looping exchanges once hit
Weaknessgets to the mat mostly by being taken down rather than his own offense
chin · durable
vs Ludovit Klein clear UFC Fight Night Rozenstruik vs Gaziev Full Card Analysis, Prediction & Breakdown (UFC Vegas 87) · February 27, 2024 · 1 read since
strikinggood wrestlinggood

Repeats the named commitment twice ('I'm gonna take Ludi Klein', then 'Klein the pick') with a stated mechanism: the cleaner/crisper striker, able to stop most takedowns. Only softening is a concession Cunningham could 'pour it on' late if he survives that long -- a durability caveat, not doubt about the winner.

A striker who presses forward well, carries real power, and throws clean combination work, but once shots start landing on him he tends toward wild, brawling exchanges. His defensive striking is weak, offset by notable durability and heart. On the mat he is a capable wrestler and back-taker who sweeps effectively, though his takedown defense is a liability and his bottom jiu-jitsu game is below that standard.

Strengthforward pressure
Strengthpower
Strengthcombinations
Strengthcan counter well in a brawl
Strengthdurable, all heart
Strengthgood wrestler / back-taker / sweeps
Weaknessswings wild once hit, drawn into brawling
Weaknessstriking defense not good
Weaknesstakedown defense suspect
Weaknessnot as strong off his back
chin · durabletd defense · suspect

Fight history

2 UFC bouts · newest first · opponent records as of fight night
L SuYoung You 1-0 walk-in Decision - Unanimous · R3 5:00 — UFC Fight Night: Vettori vs. Dolidze 2 · March 15, 2025
16/52Sig. strikes
18/32Absorbed
0/0Takedowns
0:00Control
0Knockdowns
1Sub attempts
L Ludovit Klein 20-4-1 walk-in KO/TKO · R1 4:36 — UFC Fight Night: Rozenstruik vs. Gaziev · March 2, 2024
36/75Sig. strikes
60/91Absorbed
0/0Takedowns
0:26Control
0Knockdowns
0Sub 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

UFC bouts in this database
0-2-0UFC record

Wins by method

KO/TKO 0
Submission 0
Decision 0
Other 0

Losses by method

KO/TKO 1
Submission 0
Decision 1
Other 0

Fights by organization

UFC 2

Showing UFC fights only — this fighter's full pre-UFC career hasn't been synced yet. It will fill in as the weekly career backfill reaches them.

Division context

vs. 124 qualified Bantamweight fighters · tick = division mean
Striking volume /min 2.6 avg 3.7
Strikes absorbed /min 4.0 avg 3.6
Striking accuracy 40.9% avg 44.0%
Striking defense 36.6% avg 56.4%
Takedowns /15 min 0.0 avg 1.6
Takedown defense 46.2% avg 62.8%
Sub attempts /15 min 0.8 avg 0.5
Control time 2.2% avg 19.4%

Headshot of AJ Cunningham by UFC · Official UFC athlete photo (copyright UFC; not freely licensed) · Wikimedia Commons · flattened onto dark background, cropped/resized