Top Fighters In The World
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- Top Fighters In The World
Who is the best MMA fighter of all time?
Who is the best UFC fighter ever? Read on the find out.
Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) had become one of the major sports that has won the hearts of many. The MMA came into limelight during the days of “the underground” where there were basically no rules and sanctioned fighters were allowed to do all sorts of moves, including hair pulling and groin strikes.
To determine who the best fighters are, among the numerous fighters to have graced the MMA, we have considered factors such as their dominance in the game, their skills, and their peaks. Yet, it still boils down to endless debate when trying to determine who the greatest fighters of all-time are.
Top Ten Best Fighters of All Time. 1 Bruce Lee Bruce Lee was a Hong Kong American martial artist, action film actor, martial arts instructor, philosopher, filmmaker, and the founder of Jeet Kune Do. Most knows realistically Ali could never beat bruce. But it's fashionable to suggest Ali beats Bruce as Ali displayed his bravery to. He won a world title in only his fifth fight in 2015, a feat rarely accomplished and similar to Vasyl Lomachenko's rise to the top — a widely-celebrated fighter seen as one of the best in the world.
This article gives insight into the top-20 of the best MMA fighters ever. History will never forget their contributions and how they have been able to gain the hearts of fans in the MMA space.
Here are the Best MMA Fighters of All-Time in UFC History
Yuen Biao is regarded as one of the most acrobatic martial artists ever. Unfortunately, he is still underrated and not as popular as other contemporaries such as Jackie Chan, Sammo Kam-Bo Hung, and Jet Li even though he is the most critically acclaimed out of all of them and the most talented as.
* Pro MMA record are in Win-Loss-Draw and No Contest formats.
20. Quinton Jackson “Rampage”
- Country: United States
- Record: 38-14-0
There are different tactics and fighting styles in the MMA, and each fighter is usually known for a particular skill or tactic. For Jackson, (also known as Rampage) his spectacular tactics were to carry his opponent over his head and give them great slams. He was popularly known for his move and it also helped to save him on several occasions. An instance was when he was stuck in Ricardo Arona’s triangle submission. Surprisingly, he delivered himself – using this spectacular move.
19. Amanda Nunes “The Lioness”
- Country: Brazil
- Record: 20-4-0
This is one of the greatest female fighters ever to grace the MMA and the UFC. After her great defeat at the UFC 178, she was able to turn things around. Shortly after the loss, she bounced back and became an animal, defeating many of her mates including the notorious Cyborg. Amanda Nunes is gradually becoming one of the biggest names in the industry.
18. Wanderlei Silva “The Axe Murderer”
- Country: Brazil
- Record: 35-14-1, 1 NC
Nicknamed ‘The Axe Murderer’, Silva gained his nickname by how he fights. Going back to the days when he was in his prime, only a few other fighters had the courage to face him. How he would stare at his opponent and wring their hands was one of the things the world will never forget about him. What many liked about Silva was how he would chase his opponents, as he moved forward forcing his opponent to move backwards in response to the deadly pressure being mounted.
17. Randy Couture “The Natural”
- Country: United States
- Record: 19-11-0
To become the UFC champion on two different occasions in one’s career as a fighter in the MMA is not easy to achieve. Randy Couture is one of the few fighters who has been able to achieve this, thus, joining the ranks of the best UFC fighters ever. Randy was popularly known for his “dirty boxing’ tactics, which have earned him victory over his opponents on several occasions.
16. Frankie Edgar “The Answer”
- Country: United States
- Record: 23-8-1
Edgar became popular when he had a remarkable victory over B. J. Penn. Prior to the fight, Penn had smashed Diego Sanchez, and fans were expecting Penn to at least keep the momentum going for a short while. Surprisingly, Edgar had a fantastic victory over him. What surprised fans most was how he was able to prove himself as he did in several consecutive challenges after beating Penn.
15. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira “Minotauro”
- Country: Brazil
- Record: 34-10-1, 1 NC
To win the UFC Heavyweight title is no easy feat. However, Antonio Rodrigo is one of the rare fighters to earn this through his fights and victories over many big names in the industry. He was known for not wasting time in going for the submission. Unlike other fighters who will hold their opponent closely and wait for the referee to come to stand them back up, Rodrigo had spectacular moves he used in getting his opponents stuck in his trap.
14. Mauricio Rua “Shogun”
- Country: Brazil
- Record: 26-11-1
Nicknamed as Shogun, Rua is popularly known for his superior striking skills. He is also known for not rushing to go for the submission. He would make sure he satisfies his appetite by dishing out some heavy hammer fists on his opponents before going for the submission. Shogun had his training with a few other fighters at the famous Chute Boxe Academy in Brazil. Coming out of such an academy, Rua’s moves came as no surprise to fans.
13. Dan Henderson “Hendo”
- Country: United States
- Record: 32-15-0
Nicknamed Hendo, Dan Henderson was popular for his overhand right tactics. With the power in his right hand, he was able to defeat many of his opponents. Another thing that has helped Henderson survive the heavy impacts of his opponents’ blows was his iron chin. With this chin, he was able to withstand heavy blows that might have finished other fighters.
12. Dominick Cruz “The Dominator”
- Country: United States
- Record: 22-3-0
Cruz is popularly known for his superb movements, which made it hard for his opponents to predict what his next move would be. The number one item on his priority list was to not get hit. Although he is not one of the best when it comes to submission and knockout, he is able to comfortably evade many of his opponents’ hits.
11. Daniel Cormier “DC”
- Country: United States
- Record: 22-2-0, 1 NC
This is one of the few fighters to have gained success in both heavyweight and light heavyweight divisions. Cormier was able to defeat many of his opponents who would stand on his way of maintaining his position as light heavyweight champion. However, he was stopped by Jon Jones.
10. Conor McGregor “The Notorious”
- Country: Ireland
- Record: 22-4-0
Conor McGregor is one of the biggest names in the industry right now who is popularly known for his frequent trash talks. Ranked #4 in the UFC lightweight rankings and #8 in the UFC Men’s pound for pound rankings as of June 2020, McGregor is also one of the rare fighters who have been able to hold the UFC featherweight and lightweight titles two times. His left punch is one of his most favourite weapons and he uses it to have his way with his opponents. He is still young in the game and more is expected from him.
9. B.J. Penn “The Prodigy”
- Country: United States
- Record: 16-14-2
Penn is one of the few great fighters the MMA can boast of. He is one of the fastest fighters to earn the Jiu-Jitsu and the first American to bag the Jiu-Jitsu World Championship. Penn was able to defeat many of his opponents with his grappling skills. One event that fans will never forget was when he was seen licking the blood on his gloves after his victory over Joe Stevenson. “The Prodigy” deserves to be among the list of the best MMA fighters of all-time.
8. Chuck Liddell “The Iceman”
- Country: United States
- Record: 21-9-0
Chuck may not have the fancy striking skills, but his vicious hands and granite chin were two of his deadliest weapons. He has been able to deceive his opponents with his deadly striking only to surprised them with his kicks. All these have made him stand out among many of his counterparts.
7. Matt Hughes
- Country: United States
- Record: 45-9-0
Matt was known for how he would carry his opponents and smash them down, sending them into a great defeat. He had many skills in his arsenal to defeat his opponents. Matt is one of the scariest and toughest fighters in the industry. He was never satisfied with just taking his opponents down, he would always follow with a great punch, which also contributed to his reputation.
6. Demetrius Johnson “Mighty Mouse”
- Country: United States
- Record: 30-3-1
Demetrius Johnson is not only the first fighter to earn UFC flyweight championship, but he is also the only fighter to hold the record. He is holding the title and on his mission to break Anderson Silva’s record of defending the title consecutively. What makes him stand out among other fighters is his high IQ, speed, and footwork, which has made it difficult for his opponents to defeat him.
5. Fedor Emelianenko “The Last Emperor”
- Country: Russia
- Record: 39-6-0, 1 NC
Before Fedor Emelianenko came to MMA, he was a Combat Sambo champion, and this has helped him blend him succeed in the MMA. At first glance, you may write him off as unfit for a fight. But as the fight goes on, you become convinced that he is one of the best fighters the MMA has been blessed with in UFC history.
4. Khabib Nurmagomedov “The Eagle”
- Country: Russia
- Record: 28-0-0
If we are to mention a few fighters who will never be forgotten in the world of MMA, Khabib is one name that will never be left out. He does not only win his fights, he wins most of them hands-down. Fans even regard him as an animal as a result of his great moves and performances.
What makes Nurmagomedov truly remarkable is the fact that his opponents usually know his next moves, yet they still lack what it takes to stop him. You may want to ask why he is not the first on the list? He is not making it to the first position because he hasn’t had the chance perhaps after he has had the time to defend his titles consistently as a few others have.
3. Jon Jones “Bones”
- Country: United States
- Record: 26-1-0, 1 NC
In his early career, Jones was able to defeat Mauricio Rua to earn the UFC youngest champion when he was just 23. He had a rapid rise in his career and is not showing any sign of slowing down. He is always remembered for his great victory over Reyes, which was his 14th title defence. Jon Jones is simply a legend. He is often revered by pundits as one of the best fighters ever. All eyes are on Jones for what his performances will be in his next fights.
2. Anderson Silva “The Spider”
- Country: Brazil
- Record: 34-10-0, 1 NC
Though he is known for his great performance in the Jiu-Jitsu, what makes Anderson Silva stand out among other fighters in the UFC is his great striking skills. He has been able to deceive his opponents with his smooth and harmless looks, through which he is able to defeat many of his opponents. Silva was able to set his opponents into a trap by mocking them of their actions and moves. When this happens, opponents become frustrated and try to bring him down, and that is when Silva would have his way. Anderson Silva is a major contender of the title of the greatest in the UFC.
1. George St. Pierre “Rush”
- Country: Canada
- Record: 26-2-0
George St. Pierre is the best MMA fighter of all-time. Yes, he was not the best at knockouts, but his strong will was too much for many fighters to break. One thing that surprised all was that he did not have any wrestling background before launching into MMA. Yet, he was always in the best position to put his opponents down. Pierre’s reputation was further heightened when he had a great victory over Michael Bisping at UFC 217.
Final Words
Regardless of the sport, the ‘best-ever’ topic is always a controversial matter. Aside from Wayne Gretzky, Usain Bolt, Michael Phelps and perhaps Serena Williams who are unarguably the best in their sport, there are rarely a few sports where it might be obvious who the title of the greatest of all time should be bestowed.
What are your thoughts on our top-20 best MMA fighters of all-time? Please feel free to share in the comments section below.
Recently we took a look at the most violent martial artists, but now it’s time to look at the most violent fighters period. This includes people who would commit their violence hand-to-hand, along with those who used proxies such as the armies and countries they commanded. There are some figurative monsters on this list in the form of martial arts fighters, and some literal monsters. If you think that we’re trying to equate the savagery of war with what happens at a sanctioned sporting event, you’re only half wrong.
Genghis Khan
GK was slanging that D like it was going out of style.
Top Fighters In The World
Body count: In his wake, he left anywhere from 35-40 million bodies.
He was a prolific lover, with an estimated 16 million living descendants, but he was also one of history’s greatest fighters. He unified the warring factions and brought them together under his rule, kind of like if someone were to bring together the Bloods and the Crips. On the one hand, they’d have stopped gang violence but on the other hand, they would have created a much more organized and much stronger new gang.
“To crush your enemies, and see them fall at your feet – to take their horses and belongings, and to hear the lamentation of their women. That is the best life.”
Carlos Condit
Body count: 30 (33 if you include his kickboxing record)
Even though he has about a million times less destruction under his belt than Genghis Khan, who do you think would win a fight if the two of them were face to face? Exactly. Plus, Carlos was left off our previous list of martial artists, because his absolute brutality inside of the octagon transcends martial arts alone and earns him a spot here. He is the Natural Born Killer, after all.
Ching Shih
Body count: Unknown.
She is the world’s most successful pirate ever, so that’s enough to earn a spot on this list. She’s kind of like the GSP of pirates. She took on empires, except instead of Matt Hughes and BJ Penn, she took on the British, Portuguese and the Qing Dynasty. She was one of the rare pirates to retire before being killed, kind of like how GSP went out on top in his early 30s. She was born in China, and worked as a prostitute until she was captured by pirates and working her way up the ranks and becoming one of the most feared fighters the high seas have ever known. She passed away in 1844 at the age of 69.
Her fleet is estimated at 1,800 vessels with a crew of anywhere from 20,000 – 80,000. We like to imagine her shouting at them with the same voice as the announcer from Pride.
Fedor Emelianenko
Body count: 34
His nickname is The Last Emperor, but he’s not the last Russian emperor that we’ll be featuring on this list. Fedor is arguably the greatest mixed martial artist of all time, and you don’t get that title without cracking a few eggs. Many of the world’s top fighters have turned down fights with Fedor. For example, Randy Couture could have made 3 million dollars to fight Fedor at Bodog but instead opted to re-sign with the UFC and take a tenth of that amount to fight Tim Sylvia. Before entering into professional mixed martial arts, Fedor worked as a firefighter and he probably kicked the shit out of those fires.
Maori Warriors
Body count: Too high to count.
The Maori Warriors are some of history’s most feared combatants. They would eat their enemies in order to capture their mana. If you’ve ever played an RPG, it’s mana that lets you cast spells. Before attacking their enemies, they would do a war dance in order to intimidate them and throw them off their game, not unlike Anderson Silva.
Ivan the Terrible
Body count: 60,000+++
We’re hitting our scary Russian quota for this list with the inclusion of Tsar Ivan. This cruel bastard was in charge of Russia from 1533 to 1584, and he was a total freak. He started off torturing animals when he was a kid, then grew up to torture people. During his reign, he started to become very paranoid and started killing tons of innocent people thinking they were his enemies.
Bruce Lee
Body count: Who’s up for a Bruce Lee movie marathon to tally it up?
Bruce Lee is probably the most influential martial artist of all time. Can you imagine if he was competing in MMA today? The list of incredible things he accomplished in his lifetime is endless. It would be insane to compare his violence to that of Ivan the Terrible or Elisabeth Bathory, because most of Lee’s most-viewed fights happened on a movie set instead of a real battlefield. None the less, he was one of the most dangerous men on earth and the last person you would want to cross if you were a movie bad guy, so he’s earned his spot.
Ming Warriors
Body count: 40,000 in a single battle.
The Mings were very innovative in terms of inventing new weapons and new ways to destroy their enemies. They were among the first dynasties to use gunpowder, giving them a massive advantage over all others. The Ming Dynasty came to power in 1368 when the Chinese overthrew the Yuan Dynasty. Their first order of business was to create a strong enough army to defend themselves, then it was time for conquest.
Top 10 Fighters In The World
They were also trained in Shaolin Kung-Fu, and would collect the ears of their enemies like Mike Tyson.
Top Ten Fighters In The World
Attila the Hun
Body count: He ate his own sons.
Are you having flashbacks to Age of Empires yet? During his reign of terror from 434 until his death in 453, Attila the Hun was the leader of the Hunnic Empire and one of the most brutal men to ever live. From his conquest through Austria and Germany, across the Rhine into Gaul, he left a warpath of death and destruction in his wake. He drowned in his own blood on his wedding night, making that the original Red Wedding.
Top 5 Fighters In The World
Muhammad Ali
Body count: 56
He started boxing after his bike was stolen. He vowed that he would kick the ass of the person who stole his bike after reporting the theft to the police, and the officer on duty was a boxing trainer, who took the young Cassius Clay under his wing. He was banned from boxing for three years for refusing to fight in the Vietnam war. He tossed his Olympic medal into the river as a protest against the racism that was still very prevalent in his hometown. Ali fought against the world’s toughest boxers, he fought against the military industrial complex, he fought against racism… All with a violent ferocity that would make it a tragedy for him to not featured on this list.