10 of the Best MMA Fighters of all times

MMA Fighters on the ring photo by Vladyslav Lohvin – Wikimedia commons

10 of the Best MMA Fighters of all times

MMA is as dangerous as any other full-contact sport. MMA athletes, like those in hockey and football, are prone to a wide range of injuries, from minor sprains to brain injuries such as concussions. Despite its reputation, we see new entrants trying out this burgeoning sport. Even while the many components of MMA (boxing, wrestling, etc.) have been refined over the ages, combining these components is still a relatively new concept.

We will continue to see new and improved champions since the sport is steadily developing. Being referred to as excellent in mixed martial arts is a stamped confirmation of skills, but we have already seen some outstanding athletes in this fledgling sport. However, to be listed among the greatest of all time is to enter the elite company of fighters, critics, and admirers who will all permanently look up to you.

These rankings consider a fighter’s domination, victories, and reputation during the height of their careers. Even if several of these fighters are no longer unstoppable, their streaks elevate them to the status of all-time greats. Let’s look at 10 of the Best MMA Fighters of all time.

1. Georges St. Pierre

Georges St-Pierre, UFC Legend on Centre Stage during day three of Web Summit 2021 photo by Web Summit – Wikimedia commons

The Canadian is rated as the best fighter of all time and is recognized as one of the greatest in the history of mixed martial arts. In MMA, Georges St. Pierre was among the most powerful competitors. He was able to combine quick, precise strikes with agile, powerful wrestling to create a fighter who appeared unbeatable. The fact that St. Pierre has outwrestled some of the best wrestlers to ever compete in the UFC is what makes him so impressive.

Georges was a difficult opponent for any boxer, regardless of weight class, thanks to his speed and athleticism. St. Pierre lost just twice in his MMA career, to Matt Hughes via armbar in the dying seconds and to Matt Serra through unexpected TKO. However, St. Pierre made up for both defeats and repeatedly demonstrated his superiority over the top Welterweights.

Here are the top 10 facts about  Georges St.Pierre.

2. Fedor Emelianenko

Fedor Emelianenko Dec 2015 photo by Bruno Massami – Wikimedia commons

During his ten-year reign, Fedor Emelianenko had an aura like no other fighter in the annals of MMA. He is undoubtedly the most understated fighter on this list, standing 6 feet tall and weighing 229 pounds. Although Fedor was always undersized for the Heavyweight division, this just served to heighten the aura of mystery around him.

In his 34-bout MMA career, Fedor has only lost twice: his most recent match against Werdum, and his fifth professional fight, which was stopped by a TKO doctor because of a cut. Fedor has won nearly all of his fights by unanimous decision, 16 via submission and 8 via knockout. As the Pride Heavyweight Champion, he appeared to be unbeatable and outclassed everyone he faced.

The responses of the crowd after Fedor was defeated by Fabricio Werdum perfectly capture the true magnitude of how enormous Fedor was. Viewers’ jaws fell and displayed looks of disbelief. This man had the most ruthless reign of any MMA fighter in history and was regarded as utterly untouchable.

Check out these facts about Fedor.

3. Jon Jones

UFC light-heavyweight champion Jon “Bones” Jones. photo by ericdwheeler – Wikimedia commons

Jon Jones has only ever been defeated by himself, which he has done numerous times as a result of his continual struggles with his demons, which have caused him to commit serious transgressions. However, Jones has proven to be the toughest opponent to defeat in the Octagon due to his nearly surgical style of collecting information on the fly and neatly figuring out how to raise his hand using either strength, precision, or a mix of both.

With ten light heavyweight championship defences, he has already established himself as a ruler of the Octagon. With his title win over Mauricio Rua at the age of 23, Jones became the UFC’s youngest champion. 

4. Anderson Silva

Anderson Silva vs Thales Leites at UFC 97 photo by Elite Sports Tour – Wikimedia commons

Anderson Silva’s stint as champion in the UFC may have been one of its most resounding since he was the best when he was at his peak. Every spectator understood what was going to happen next once he dropped his hands down and relied primarily on movement for protection – KO.

He held the title for 2,457 days, from 2006 to 2013, making it the longest title reign in UFC history. This run of success included a UFC-record 16 victories straight. The scariest thing about Anderson is that he got it done anywhere. He was undoubtedly best at striking, but his Brazilian jiu-jitsu skills also made him deadly on the ground.

5. Demetrious Johnson

Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson posing for a photo taken by MiggyTube TV – Wikimedia commons

He is one of the greatest mixed martial artists of all time, according to many. Johnson, a Kentucky native, excelled in sports in high school. He participated in cross country, wrestling, and track. Demetrious began his MMA career in 2007 and knocked out his opponent in the first round of their match.

The World Extreme Cage fighting featured Johnson. He switched to UFC from World Extreme Cage fighting. His first match following the merger took place at UFC 126 in 2011. Johnson, who is renowned for his lightning attacks and elusive movements, has the record for the most takedowns in UFC flyweight history and is tied for the latest finish in UFC history with a submission victory over Kyoji Hriguchi at 4:59 of the fifth round.

6. Khabib Nurmagomedov

Khabib-Nurmagomedov photo by Ufc – Wikimedia commons

A fighter who appeared to be impossible to beat was Khabib Nurmagomedov. It’s believed that Nurmagomedov had only ever been beaten once as a teenager before going pro. Despite competing against deserving opposition, Nurmagomedov consistently prevailed.

It appeared that this fighter was so strong that the opponents had no chance. Khabib Nurmagomedov, who has a 29-0 record, always has set the tone in his fights. His grappling was so powerful that it made professional wrestlers appear like amateurs. Khabib is undoubtedly one of the best wrestlers of all time.

7. Royce Gracie

Royce Gracie photo by East718 – Wikimedia commons

The first UFC Champion laid the groundwork for the sport we know today. In the first four Ultimate Fighting Championship tournaments, Royce destroyed his opponents with superior technique and unfamiliar grappling knowledge. In his first seven UFC fights, Royce won five of them in under two minutes. During the first UFC tournament, he easily defeated all of his opponents with three submissions and just under five minutes of total ring time.

Four submissions and just over nine minutes of ring time in the second UFC tournament. It wasn’t until Royce faced Kimo Leopoldo that he encountered his first real opponent. Royce won the match but was forced to withdraw from the tournament due to exhaustion. He would have otherwise won all four of the first UFCs.

8. Matt Hughes

Professional mixed martial artist Matt Hughes photo by United States Marine Corps – Wikimedia commons

Matt Hughes had a dominant MMA career, winning 19 of 20 fights and only losing to BJ Penn (a loss he later avenged). Hughes’ UFC career began with a KO by a slam on Carlos Newton. He then went on to defend the belt 5 times in a row before succumbing to Penn’s Rear Naked Choke. Hughes was undaunted by the defeat and went on to win six consecutive fights against some of the best competition in the world.

9. Jose Aldo

José Aldo in 2015 photo by Andrius Petrucenia – Wikimedia commons

José Aldo da Silva Oliveira Junior, also known as Jose Aldo, is a retired Brazilian professional MMA fighter. He was the fourth and final WEC Featherweight Champion. He last competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship in the Bantamweight division after previously competing at Featherweight.

Following the UFC/WEC merger, he became the first UFC featherweight champion. Aldo is widely regarded as one of the greatest MMA fighters of all time, as well as the greatest featherweight ever. Even though Aldo lost the featherweight championship to Conor McGregor in a 13-second knockout, his reign was nonetheless impressive. 

Be sure to check out these little-known facts about Jose Aldo.

10. Daniel Cormier

Daniel Cormier in 2017 photo by X2o – Wikimedia commons

Daniel Ryan Cormier is a former professional MMA fighter, amateur wrestler, and UFC commentator from the United States. He is a former UFC Light Heavyweight and Heavyweight Champion. Daniel Cormier is the second athlete in the organization’s history to simultaneously hold belts in two weight classes.

He is also the first to defend crowns in two weight classes. Cormier has defeated elite competitors in both weight classes in Strikeforce and the UFC, while successfully defending the heavyweight and light heavyweight titles once each.