Georges St-Pierre: GSP is the greatest welterweight of all time, having won the UFC welterweight title twice and making nine successful title defenses. He only lost to two men in his career, Hughes. 10 Best MMA Fighters-Turned-Actors. MMA is the most physically demanding sport in the world, so of course, fighters can make pretty good action heroes! The fighters are from all over the world. Amidst this, choosing the best UFC fighters of all time is equivalent to choosing the greatest MMA fighters of all humanity.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Who is the greatest MMA fighter of all time? It’s a question that many have tried to answer with no definitive outcome.

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Part of the problem is that since the rise of cage fighting and the launch of the UFC, eras have come and gone. How do you assess fighters who ruled over a specific time that had weaker competition in different promotions? Could one of today’s rising stars take out a dominant force like Chuck Liddell, Royce Gracie, Wanderlei Silva or Kazushi Sakuraba in their prime?

For our list of the 25 greatest MMA fighters of all time, we tried to balance the criteria. A fighter’s overall career resume mattered. But not as much as their performance at their peak. The eye test was important. But not as important as the competition a fighter faced and how they handled that competition.

Ultimately, we valued fighters who put together multiple wins (often in multiple divisions) over others who were considered among the greatest of all time. You might say that produced recency bias, especially considering pioneer Gracie didn’t make our list and that our No. 25 is an all-time fan favorite.

The list has also been updated to reflect high-profile wins by Stipe Miocic and Khabib Nurmagomedov.

25. Chuck Liddell

Might as well start this list with some controversy. For the record, I began watching the UFC in 2005. At the time, Chuck Liddell was the biggest star and the person most responsible for making the sport of MMA popular. He was a phenom and the fact that he barely made this list is going to upset old-school fans. Yet, it’s easy to forget Liddell’s peak run didn’t last all that long and it wasn’t against the toughest competition. During his seven-win run atop the UFC, four fights came against Tito Ortiz and Randy Couture. Liddell was a human highlight reel. But was he a better mixed martial artist than Cain Velasquez, Shogun Rua, Vito Belfort, Fabricio Werdum and Rampage Jackson, who were considered for this final spot? In the end, Liddell’s peak years and the way he finished guys put him over the edge...just barely.

24. Valentina Shevchenko

Some might find it hard to rank women and men together on a list like this. Not me. Many of the male fighters on this list never faced each other either. Valentina Shevchenko is terrifying and the greatest female striker in MMA history. She’s picked apart the likes of Jessica Eye, Holly Holm, Joanna J 1/4 u0119drzejczyk and Julianna Pena. Her only two losses since joining the UFC are to Amanda Nunes, the greatest female mixed martial artist of all time. And there’s a solid case to be made that Shevchenko won that second fight.

23. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira

Had Big Nog stopped fighting after Pride 24, he would still be considered an all-time great. At that point, he was coming off a streak of 13 straight wins against top-notch competition. Nogueira’s only knock is that he couldn’t get past Fedor Emelianenko in his prime. But no one could. Big Nog did earn big wins over Heath Herring (to win the inaugural Pride Heavyweight Championship), Bob Sapp, Dan Henderson, Ricco Rodriguez, Mirko Cro Crop, Fabricio Werdum and Tim Sylvia (for the UFC Heavyweight Championship). Nogueira was battle-worn by the time he got to the UFC and still managed to win a title in the top promotion in the world.

22. Eddie Alvarez

To truly appreciate Eddie Alvarez, you have to examine his time in both the UFC and Bellator. He was great in both and the competition Alvarez faced remains a who’s who in MMA today. Alvarez always put on a show for fans. His UFC stretch of beating Gilbert Melendez, Anthony Pettis and Rafael dos Anjos was as good as the lightweight division had seen. And let us not forget that Alvarez was a welterweight champion early in his career, showcasing his ability to excel in multiple divisions.

21. Robbie Lawler

Throughout his career, Robbie Lawler came to finish fights. That didn’t get him too far during his first run in the UFC once he ran into elite competition. Yet, Lawler’s second run in the promotion, which began in 2013, will put him in the Hall of Fame one day. His stretch as champion was nothing short of brilliant while holding two wins over Carlos Condit, Johny Hendricks and Rory McDonald (their second fight is, in my opinion, the most entertaining battle in MMA history).

20. Israel Adesanya

Too soon for Adesanya? Maybe. But look at what he’s done since entering the UFC. In his last six fights, Adesanya has consecutive wins over Brad Tavares, Derek Brunson, Anderson Silva, Kelvin Gastelum, Robert Whitaker and Yoel Romero. Silva is an all-time great, while Whitaker and Romero would have surely made this list had they not run into Adesanya. The 30-year-old has earned his spot and will only move up from here.

19. Dan Henderson

After becoming a standout with his epic bouts in Pride, Dan Henderson’s arrival to the UFC was much anticipated. But it didn’t go as planned the first time around. Still, his KO of Michael Bisping might be the best finish in UFC history. Henderson moved on to Strikeforce, where he regained his mojo and took out the great Fedor Emelianenko. Upon his return to the UFC, Hendo gave us one of the greatest fights in MMA history against Shogun Rua.

18. B.J. Penn

We have to look past the last several years of B.J. Penn’s career, because, quite frankly, they’ve been hard watch. Yet, during his prime, Penn was one of the most exciting fighters in MMA. He made some odd career choices during his first run with the UFC. But his raw talent was unmatched. After getting bounced from welterweight by Matt Hughes in 2006, Penn moved back down to lightweight and was unstoppable. His five wins in the division (four of which came with the UFC Lightweight Championship on the line) were all finishes. Penn did attempt to go back to welterweight, losing to Georges St-Pierre at UFC 94. Yet, by then he was cemented as icon.

17. Henry Cejudo

Two years ago, it’s hard to imagine we’d be putting Henry Cejudo on this list. His UFC career had been a mixed bag, beginning with two losses -- one to Demetrious Johnson and then a split decision to Joseph Benavidez after Cejudo was deducted a point for low blows. Then came one of the greatest runs in UFC history. Cejudo shocked the world and beat Johnson in their closely contested rematch. Cejudo’s last six wins are as impressive as almost any on this list, including wins over TJ Dillashaw and Dominick Cruz. In between those fights, Cejudo became a two-division champ after KO’ing Marlon Moraes to win the UFC Bantamweight Championship.

16. Matt Hughes

Coming before Georges St-Pierre is no easy task from a historical standpoint. But Matt Hughes certainly made the UFC Welterweight Division. Hughes won the championship almost by accident, in a double knockout against Carlos Newton that went Hughes’ way. From then on, Hughes was a monster. He beat Newton decisively in a rematch and then scored impressive wins against Sean Sherk and Frank Trigg. BJ Penn upset Hughes at UFC 46. But Hughes would eventually go on to avenge that loss. The competition at welterweight would get better after Hughes’ run was over. But he has holds wins over two of the biggest names on this list in their prime (including Georges St-Pierre). That, and Hughes’ unprecedented dominance gets him here.

15. Randy Couture

Randy Couture had one of the greatest careers in MMA history. But it was a roller coaster ride, making it hard to determine when his prime was. Couture had as many as four great runs with the UFC. The legend of “The Natural” began with two amazing fights against Pedro Rizzo. He would go on to lose to Josh Barnett (who tested positive for banned substances) and Ricco Rodriguez the following year. Yet, Couture bounced back at light heavyweight, beating Chuck Liddell, Tito Ortiz and splitting a two-fight series with Vitor Belfort. It wasn’t a stretch of dominance like some of the others on this list. But it was an impressive showing in two highly competitive divisions. There’s something to be said for remaining in your prime for such a long period.

14. Frankie Edgar

Everyone’s favorite underdog until he became one of the greatest fighters in history. Frankie Edgar always looked undersized. But that never stopped him from beating the best lightweights on the planet, including Sean Sherk, Hermes Franca, Jim Miller, Tyson Griffin and BJ Penn (twice). Edgar was the man who stopped Penn’s best career stretch. Two questionable decision losses to Benson Henderson pushed Edgar up to featherweight where he, again, became a title contender with wins over elite fighters. Edgar is one of the best mixed martial artists of all time in two divisions. Few can say that.

12. Max Holloway

Recent losses shouldn’t taint what Max Holloway has accomplished over the past six years. Since losing back-to-back fights to Dennis Bermudez and Conor McGregor early in his career, Holloway has 14 wins with most of them are against strong competition. That list includes Frankie Edgar, Brian Ortega, Jose Aldo (twice), Anthony Pettis, Ricardo Lamas, Jeremy Stevens, Charles Oliveira and Cub Swanson. You could say he over-reached in trying to become a two-division champ against Dustin Poirier. But Holloway has a chance to avenge his recent loss at featherweight against Alexander Volkanovski. Should he do that, Holloway’s legacy as the greatest featherweight of all time could be guaranteed.

12. Dominick Cruz

If it weren’t for injuries, Dominick Cruz might have the greatest career of any MMA fighter. And yet, it’s still quite impressive the way it is. Upon Cruz’s return to the WEC in 2008, he became a well-rounded force, beating future UFC title contenders like Joseph Benavidez and Ian McCall before getting his rematch against Urijah Faber and winning the UFC Bantamweight Championship at UFC 132. Cruz dominated that fight. But the crown jewel of his career may be his win over Demetrious Johnson at bantamweight. It’s the only clear cut win someone has over Johnson in his prime.

11. Daniel Cormier

Is easy to focus on Cormier’s career as him being the greatest light heavyweight in UFC history not named Jon Jones. But consider before Cormier joined the UFC he was dominating heavyweights like Antonio Silva and Josh Barnett in Strikeforce. Cormier’s coming-out party was a dominant performance against Frank Mir in Cormier’s UFC debut. Cormier never coasted on his wrestling, even though he could have, becoming a formidable striker. If he beats Stipe Miocic at UFC 241, Cormier will go down as the greatest heavyweight in UFC history. It’s hard to get past the two losses to Jon Jones (granted, one was overturned due to a positive drug test by Jones). And maybe we’re short-changing Cormier because of them. But he still makes the top-10.

10. Amanda Nunes

Some MMA purists won’t want to see a woman this high on the list. They’ll say Amanda Nunes didn’t face the same level of competition as the men. But take the greatest female MMA fighters of all time and Nunes has beaten all that were willing to face her, usually in spectacular fashion. That includes Cris Cyborg, Holly Holm, Miesha Tate, Holly Holm and Valentina Shevchenko (twice). After an uneven start to her career, the past half-decade has seen Nunes be as dominant as any fighter – male or female – in UFC history. Oh, and she’s a double champion who has successfully defended BOTH of her titles.

9. Jose Aldo

When you think of Jose Aldo, it’s easy to picture his 13-second knockout loss to Conor McGregor at UFC 194. Sure, it would have been nice to see Aldo try and avenge that loss. But what he accomplished before that fight was astonishing. Aldo was an assassin during his early days at WEC, with his breakthrough performance coming when he TKO’d Cub Swanson with a flying knee at WEC 41. Aldo then dominated the promotion’s mega-stars Mike Brown and Urijah Faber. When he joined the UFC, Aldo all but closed out the featherweight division until he ran into McGregor’s fist. There are some people high enough on Aldo to put him atop of this list. I’m not quite as sold on the strength his competition, especially after losses to Conor McGregor and Max Holloway. But that’s just me.

8. Stipe Miocic

From a career standpoint, a TKO loss to Stefan Struve hurts Stipe Miocic’s resume a bit. But he became a different fighter after that. After losing a close war to Junior dos Santos in 2014, Miocic fine-tuned his skills and went on the greatest run in the history for a UFC Heavyweight Division that is as competitive as its ever been. Miocic is a quiet guy. But his wins from 2015 on speak for themselves: Mark Hunt, Andrei Arlovski, Fabricio Werdum, Alistair Overeem, Junior dos Santos (in a decisive rematch). Those are all Hall of Fame level names. Miocic also beat Francis Ngannou at UFC 220, controlling a seemingly unstoppable force that may very well be the future of the heavyweight division. Miocic’s trilogy fight win over Cormier now cements him as an all-time great.

7. Conor McGregor

Is Conor McGregor really retired? If he is, he’s is an icon. No question. Don’t let the hype and showmanship fool you. McGregor was a dominant force possessing a left-hand for the ages. Following the momentum of an early win against Max Holloway in 2013, McGregor beat Diego Brandao (a former “The Ultimate Fighter” winner), tough veteran Dennis Siver, longtime contender Chad Mendes and put Jose Aldo’s lights out. McGregor then lost to Nate Diaz in a fight the former was winning until he ran out of gas. McGregor would avenge that loss in a classic rematch before beating Eddie Alvarez to become a two-division champion. If McGregor wants to move into the top five on this list, he’ll need to fight Khabib Nurmagomedov again and win. But there’s no denying his greatness even without that rematch.

6. Anderson Silva

From April 2006 through October 2012, Silva recorded 17 consecutive wins, 16 in the UFC. But it wasn’t just that streak (bested only by Jones in terms of UFC wins), it was the way Silva destroyed people. In his UFC debut, Silva brutalized Chris Leben, one of the toughest guys in the promotion’s history. Four months later, he would KO Rich Franklin to win the UFC Middleweight Championship. Franklin, a future Hall of Famer, was unstoppable for two years before Silva made him look like a scrub. Most of Silva’s fights weren’t close to competitive. He made fighters like Dan Henderson, Patrick Cote and Franklin (again) look average. Silva answered a close call to Chael Sonnen with dominating wins against Vitor Belfort, Yushin Okami and Sonnen in a quick rematch. And when Silva got bored during that time, he beat up and embarrassed light heavyweights like Stephan Bonnar, Forrest Griffin and James Irvin. Yes, Silva was dominant in an era where the competition wasn’t as strong as it is now. But was that just because Silva made those guys look so bad?

5. Demetrious Johnson

Johnson’s peak period may still be ongoing. His one loss since 2013 was a split decision to Henry Cejudo (a fighter he TKO’d during their first fight) that could have gone either way. Johnson left no question about who was the best in the world during his fights, dominating each opponent in every aspect of MMA. The only knock against Johnson is that he never went up a division after clearing out flyweight. Could he have captured two UFC belts while still in his prime? We can assume yes. But we may never know.

4. Fedor Emelianenko

There’s this idea that Fedor Emelianenko’s all-time rating takes a hit because he never fought in the UFC. In terms of looking at an entire career resume, perhaps that is true. But if we’re just looking at fighters’ prime periods, Emelianenko lays claim to the most impressive streak in MMA history with 27 consecutive wins. And he did it against some of the all-time greats, including Mark Coleman (twice), Kevin Randleman, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (twice), Mirko Cro Cop and Mark Hunt. Emelianenko’s dominance ran from 2000-2009. During that time, there isn’t a UFC champion that would have been favored in a fight against him. Yes, it would have been nice to see him take out all of the UFC’s elite during that time (Though, he beat several of them in other promotions). But it shouldn’t take away from his Mt. Rushmore of MMA status.

3. Khabib Nurmagomedov

If he is done, Nurmagomedov will go out undefeated with the answer to the question of whether anyone can beat him being no. His first true test, at least on paper, came against Rafael dos Anjos at a UFC event in 2014. That fight was not competitive. In fact, none of Nurmagomedov’s fights in the UFC have been, despite top-notch opponents like Michael Johnson, Edson Barboza, Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier. It’s hard to argue with Nurmagomedov’s dominance up until this point. His stretch against McGregor, Poirier and most recently Justin Gaethje ranks as, perhaps, the best three-fight run in UFC history. We may be a bit emotional with Khabib declaring he’s retiring, but he’s earned this spot.

2. Jon Jones

Jon “Bones” Jones didn’t waste any time making a name for himself in the UFC. His spinning back elbow against Stephan Bonnar at UFC 94 is a star-is-born moment. But Jones’ first truly great performance was technically a loss. He demolished Matt Hamill only to be disqualified for using illegal downward elbows. Hamill could barely stand to awarded the victory. From that point on, Jones was unstoppable. He didn’t just beat people. He demolished them, including seven (yes, seven!) surefire, future UFC Hall of Famers. Most of those victories coming via finishes. You could maybe make the case Jones wasn’t the same after his classic fight with Alexander Gustafsson. Yet, he went on to beat Glover Teixeira and Ovince Saint Preux (without surrendering around to either) and scored two wins over Daniel Cormier (Though, one was overturned due to a positive drug test). Jones’ recent fights haven’t been all that entertaining, especially his razor-close decision win against Dominick Reyes. Jones is moving up to heavyweight. If he wins a title there, it would be hard to argue with his GOAT status.

1. Georges St. Pierre

St. Pierre won the UFC Welterweight Championship from Matt Hughes in impressive fashion (TKO) in 2006. He took his first challenger for that belt – a game Matt Serra – lightly, leading to one of the greatest upsets in UFC history. However, Pierre’s next run with the title was flawless, showcasing the most well-rounded skill set of any fighter in MMA history. From his second win over Hughes and retribution against Serra on, Pierre barely lost a round, dominating Jon Fitch, B.J. Penn, Thiago Alves, Dan Hardy, Josh Koscheck, Jake Fields, Carlos Condit and Nick Diaz in their prime. And dominate isn’t a strong enough word. Most of those fights were barely competitive against fighters who were among the division’s elite. By the time Pierre got to Johny Hendricks, a fight he won controversially, Pierre had one foot out the door. Yet, during his peak, he was easily the greatest athlete the UFC. His return bout against Michael Bisping to win the UFC Middleweight Championship in 2017 was just the icing on the cake. You can’t go wrong with any of the fighters in this top-three. But for us, GSP was the total package.

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When the Ultimate Fighting Championship held its first event in 1993, few could’ve imagined it would become one of the most popular sporting organizations in the world. The early UFC events had little resemblance to the level of production and excellence the promotion operates with today, as fighters of all sizes and disciplines faced off in a single-night tournament that was more about brutality than athletic prowess.

Since those early pay-per-views, UFC has seen many of the greatest fighters in the brief history of mixed martial arts come through its ranks. We’re ranking the best UFC competitors in history, based on their record in that promotion, style in the ring and impact on the promotion itself. We used UFC’s online record book and Sherdog for all statistical information, which was accurate as of May 2020.

How did your favorite fighter stack up?

30. Jim Miller

UFC Record: 20-13-0 (1 no contest)

Nobody has stepped into the octagon more times than Jim Miller, with his 34 career fights tied for the most in UFC history. Despite that fact, the lightweight veteran barely ranks inside the top 40 in career earnings for the promotion, showing his status as mostly an undercard fighter. His 19 wins in the lightweight division are also the most for that weight class, although he’s never held the title.

He’s posted memorable wins over Charles Oliveira and two over Joe Lauzon, with both of the bouts against Lauzon winning honors for fight of the night.

29. Lyoto Machida

UFC Record: 16-8-0

The first of many great Brazilian fighters to make our list, Lyoto Machida became a UFC legend in 2009, when he finished off Thiago Silva and Rashad Evans in back-t0-back fights with award-winning knockouts. The Evans bout won him the UFC light heavyweight title, which he would successfully defend against his fellow countryman, Maurício “Shogun” Rua. Machida would never hold another championship in the promotion but nearly became a two-division champion when he lost a decision for the UFC middleweight crown in 2014 against Chris Weidman.

Consistently fighting the best opponents in your sport makes you a great challenger, and that’s what Machida did, also taking on Jon Jones, Quinton Jackson, Dan Henderson and Randy Couture.

28. Demian Maia

UFC Record: 22-10-0

Brazilian grappler Demian Maia is a guy who gave opponents nightmares once he got them on the mat. The former middleweight and welterweight title challenger has the second-most submission wins in UFC history, making 11 fighters tap out. He had plenty of practice in the octagon, with his 22 career wins ranking second and his 32 fights ranking third in the promotion’s history.

27. Donald Cerrone

UFC Record: 23-11-0

Despite getting ever closer to 40, Donald Cerrone continues to take on some of UFC’s toughest competitors, even if the results haven’t exactly been pretty in the past few years. “The Cowboy” clearly just loves fighting, as his 34 bouts are tied for the most in UFC history. His 23 wins are the most in the history of his promotion, and his 16 finishes and 18 fight-night bonuses are also all-time records.

With all that winning under his belt, the only thing keeping him from being higher on the list of greats is the fact that he’s never won a championship, losing emphatically in his challenge for the lightweight crown in 2015 against Rafael dos Anjos.

26. Kamaru Usman

UFC Record: 11-0-0

Who Is The Best Mma Fighter In The World

While relatively new to UFC — he has been fighting with the promotion since 2015 — Kamaru Usman has already shown he can be one of the all-time greats. “The Nigerian Nightmare” is undefeated in 11 bouts so far, with signature wins over Demian Maia, Rafael dos Anjos and Tyron Woodley, the latter fight earning him the UFC welterweight crown in 2019. He’s a master of stamina and patience, with only three of his fights being decided by finishes thus far. Usman also won “The Ultimate Fighter” tournament in 2015, making him the first of several men on this list who can claim that title.

25. Andrei Arlovski

UFC Record: 17-13-0 (1 no contest)

“The Pit Bull” is arguably the most successful fighter to ever compete in UFC’s heavyweight division, at least based on his win total. The former champ’s 17 victories, all at the top weight class, are the most in that division’s history, while his 31 total fights rank him in the top five across all divisions. His time in UFC goes all the way to 2000 and saw his most recent bout in 2019, with nine of his 13 losses coming since 2016, showing how dominant he was for a long stretch.

Longtime UFC fans will never forget his trilogy with Tim Sylvia in 2005-2006, which saw the pair battle for the heavyweight championship three times.

24. Nate Diaz

UFC Record: 15-10-0

When Nate Diaz stepped into the octagon with Conor McGregor at UFC 202 in 2016, it was the biggest pay-per-view event in the promotion’s history. In their previous fight earlier that year, Diaz became the first fighter to beat the cocky Irishman and is still one of only two. In his 25 UFC bouts so far, the lightweight/welterweight has consistently given fans plenty of bang for their buck, earning eight bonus awards for fight of the night, which is the most in history. Since they split their first two fights, an eventual rubber match with McGregor could do even more to bolster Diaz’s legacy.

23. Frankie Edgar

UFC Record: 17-8-1

While holding the UFC lightweight championship and successfully defending it three times is probably the high point of Frankie Edgar’s career, he’s got plenty more to brag about. For one, the New Jersey native defeated the legendary B.J. Penn three times, and is a seven-time recipient of the promotion’s bonus award for fight of the night. Edgar’s 17 wins rank him in the top 10 in UFC history, but no fighter has spent more time in the octagon, as his total combined fight time adds up to more than 7 hours and 15 minutes.

Fans typically get their money’s worth on one of his fights, as they nearly always go the distance.

22. José Aldo

UFC Record: 10-5-0

Yet another Brazilian master of the cage, José Aldo’s reign of 1,848 days as the UFC featherweight champion is the fourth-longest title reign ever. He’s been mostly brilliant in the biggest fights, winning eight total bouts when a title is on the line and holding the featherweight crown three different times. In 15 career UFC fights so far, only two guys have been able to knock Aldo out: Max Holloway and Conor McGregor.

21. B.J. Penn

UFC Record: 12-13-2

When B.J. Penn first fought for UFC in 2001, the promotion was mostly known for its heavyweights, but he’s credited with helping bring widespread popularity to the lower weight classes. “The Prodigy” used his pedigree in Brazilian jiujitsu to become one of only seven fighters in UFC history to win titles at two divisions. He did it in the welterweight and lightweight classes, successfully defending the latter belt on three occasions from 2008-2009. Before 2010, Penn was 11-4-1, but he would be winless in 10 of his last 11 fights, making his career record look much more pedestrian than it was.

He rightfully landed in the UFC Hall of Fame in 2015.

20. Charles Oliveira

UFC Record: 17-8-0 (1 no contest)

No fighter in UFC history has made more opponents tap out than Charles Oliveira. The Brazilian technician has won 14 bouts by submission — three more than the fighter in second place on that list — including his victory over Kevin Lee in March 2020. He’s yet to challenge for a championship, but he’s already carved a place among the legends with his knack for memorable fights and strong finishes, with only two of his 26 UFC bouts going to the cards. His 10 awards for performance of the night are also the most in UFC history.

19. Frank Mir

UFC Record: 16-11-0

The list of heavyweight icons who’ve been victims of Frank Mir in the octagon includes Brock Lesnar, Mirko Cro Cop, Tim Sylvia and Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira. The former UFC heavyweight champion has fought virtually all the great big men of the past two decades at some point and has mostly been able to dispatch them. His 13 finishes are the most in the great history of the UFC heavyweight division and Mir proved equally adept at ending fights via knockout or submission. The fact that he won 11 fights with first-round finishes further proves how great Mir was at the top level of MMA.

18. Ronda Rousey

Who Is The Best Mma Fighter Right Now

UFC Record: 6-2-0

The end of Ronda Rousey’s UFC run was disappointing for everyone involved, but when she was focused, she was one of the most dominant fighters ever. Her background as an Olympic judoka helped greatly but her immense punching power and ruthless use of armbar submissions made her a nightmare for opponents. Her fights were notoriously short — with her average fight time of 3 minutes, 6 seconds being the third shortest in UFC history — especially her 2015 submission of Cat Zingano in just 14 seconds, which is still the fastest submission victory ever.

She won the UFC women’s bantamweight championship in 2012 and successfully defended it five times before losing her final two fights in convincing fashion before moving on to a career in entertainment and pro wrestling.

17. Michael Bisping

UFC Record: 20-9-0

British fighters don’t have a great tradition of success in UFC, but Michael Bisping did everything he could to rectify that. No one in UFC history has more middleweight victories than his 16, and his 10 victories by knockout or technical knockout are tied at second all time. After winning “The Ultimate Fighter” in 2006, Bisping would win 11 of his next 14 fights. He’d win the UFC middleweight championship in 2016, a banner year that also saw him beat Anderson Silva and Dan Henderson.

16. Chuck Liddell

UFC Record: 17-7-0

From 1998-2006, Chuck Liddell was an incredible 16-2 in UFC bouts. He ruled the promotion’s light heavyweight division for much of the 2000s and became one of the most recognizable fighters in MMA history. After winning the UFC light heavyweight championship with a first-round knockout of Randy Couture in 2005, “The Iceman” successfully defended it four times, including another win over Couture and one over Tito Ortiz. Losing five of his final six UFC fights hurt his legacy a bit, but Liddell did plenty to earn his spot in the UFC Hall of Fame.

15. Randy Couture

UFC Record: 16-8-0

Professional fighting is a young man’s game, but Randy Couture proved to be an exception to that maxim in 2008, when he last held the UFC heavyweight championship — at 45 years old. He lost it to Brock Lesnar, a guy 14 years his junior, but “The Natural” would still get three more wins before his UFC career was over. Couture was the first fighter to hold titles in multiple UFC divisions, also earning the light heavyweight crown, and his six total championships are the most in history.

With all that hardware came a status in the sport that few have enjoyed, with Couture appearing in the main event of a record 18 UFC pay-per-views.

14. Conor McGregor

UFC Record: 10-2-0

Randy Couture may have headlined the most UFC pay-per-views, but Conor McGregor is the king of drawing eyeballs. The Irishman has headlined five of the six top-selling events in UFC history and has earned by far the most purse money of any fighter ever in the promotion. All that success is as much due to his notorious personality as it is to his abilities inside the octagon. After destroying José Aldo in 13 seconds to win the UFC featherweight title in 2015, he knocked out Eddie Alvarez to win the lightweight title, becoming the first fighter to ever hold two division belts at the same time.

So far, only two men have been able to stop him and they’re both on this list.

13. Cain Velasquez

UFC Record: 12-3-0

Heavyweight fighters should be absolutely frightening, and Cain Velasquez fit that bill. Of his 12 UFC victories, seven were decided by first-round knockouts and only two came via decision. That type of dominance made him a two-time UFC heavyweight champion and gave him a reign of 896 days, which is the longest in that division’s history. Among his list of victims are Brock Lesnar, Antônio Silva and Junior dos Santos, whom he had some bloody wars with in the octagon.

A look at the advanced statistics reveals even more about Velasquez’s greatness, as his striking differential of 4.08 is the best of any man in UFC history and his career control time percentage of 71.1% is fourth best.

12. Stipe Miocic

UFC Record: 13-3-0

Before making his UFC debut in 2011, Stipe Miocic had a rich background in boxing and collegiate wrestling, both of which would help him become one of the best heavyweights in MMA history. He’s lost only three fights so far and his list of competitors is full of brilliant fighters, with him holding knockout wins over Daniel Cormier, Alistair Overeem and Junior Dos Santos. The two-time and, as of this writing, current UFC heavyweight champion also has also earned a division-record nine post-fight bonus awards.

11. Khabib Nurmagomedov

UFC Record: 12-0-0

No fighter has ever defeated Khabib Nurmagomedov in a professional bout, giving him a career record of 28-0-0 since debuting in 2008. Since joining UFC in 2012, he’s been dominating the competition, quickly making his name as one of the best in the promotion’s history. As of this writing, he’s the reigning UFC lightweight champion and his impressive defense of that belt against Conor McGregor in 2018 became the most lucrative pay-per-view in UFC history.

A bout between Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson has been scheduled and called off several times over the years for various reasons, including a highly anticipated but canceled March 2020 fight. If he’s able to win that one, whenever it happens, it’s unclear who could stop his run.

10. Tony Ferguson

UFC Record: 15-1-0

Likely the best challenger to Khabib’s lightweight dominance, Tony Ferguson has been thrilling UFC fans since he won “The Ultimate Fighter” in 2011. It’s been more than eight years since his only UFC loss — a decision against Michael Johnson — and the only reason he lost the lightweight title in 2018 was because he was stripped of it following a devastating knee injury. Fans love Ferguson because he’s never had a boring fight and an eventual fight with Khabib could be one of the best matches in UFC history.

9. Daniel Cormier

UFC Record: 11-2-0 (1 no contest)

Arguably the best heavyweight in UFC today, the list of people Daniel Cormier has beaten inside the octagon is full of MMA greats. Frank Mir, Dan Henderson, Anthony Johnson and Anderson Silva are just a few who’ve fallen victim to him since 2013. His recent rivalry with Stipe Miocic has been fantastic, with both men knocking out the other once. He’s held both the UFC heavyweight and light heavyweight championships and was the first fighter in history to successfully defend titles in two divisions.

8. Max Holloway

UFC Record: 17-5-0

Since losing his 2012 UFC debut in a first-round submission, Max Holloway has proven himself to be one of the promotion’s most precise fighters. His bouts are nearly always exciting and typically end with someone lying on the mat, as Holloway’s nine career victories by knockout or technical knockout rank him in the top 10 in UFC history. From 2014-2019, he went on a 13-fight win streak, which included decisive wins over Cub Swanson, Charles Oliveira and José Aldo (twice).

The former featherweight division champ is also the only fighter in UFC history to land more than 2,000 significant strikes in his career.

7. Royce Gracie

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UFC Record: 11-1-1

Royce Gracie is so legendary in the annals of UFC that it’s honestly difficult to even judge him against other fighters. The Brazilian icon pioneered the style of precision fighting that many greats have used inside the octagon over the past few decades. He won three of the first four UFC tournaments and proved sophistication could beat power in the days where there were no weight class distinctions. In the span of just two years, Gracie earned 10 submission victories, which is a total it would take 20 years for another fighter to match.

Of course, Gracie’s competition was much less fierce than today’s UFC fighters have, but his early domination of and influence on the promotion gives him arguably the best legacy in the sport, according to USA Today.

6. Amanda Nunes

UFC Record: 12-1-0

When Amanda Nunes effectively ended Ronda Rousey’s MMA career in 2016, it made her an instant legend in the sport. She’s only added to that legacy in the years since, having not lost a fight in nearly six years and soundly beating top challengers like Cris Cyborg, Valentina Shevchenko and Holly Holm. A current champ in two divisions, “The Lioness” has held the UFC women’s bantamweight title since 2016 and the women’s featherweight title since 2018. The Brazilian holds nearly all the major records for excellence among women fighters in UFC and she honestly seems unbeatable at this point.

5. Jon Jones

UFC Record: 20-1-0 (1 no contest)

If it wasn’t for positive performance-enhancing drug tests during his prime, Jon Jones could potentially be called the best fighter in UFC history. His record certainly sparkles the most, with his win percentage of 95.24% being the best of any fighter with at least 20 fights on his resume in UFC history. Wins over Lyoto Machida, Quinton Jackson, Vitor Belfort and Daniel Cormier make his first run as UFC light heavyweight champion the stuff of legend but the failed drug test that ended it in 2017 cause a shadow that’s tough for many fans to overlook.

4. Matt Hughes

UFC Record: 18-7-0

In the history of UFC, only two men ever beat Georges St. Pierre and only one ever beat Royce Gracie — Matt Hughes can claim both. The Hall of Famer was simply brilliant in the 2000s, going 14-2 in UFC bouts from 1999-2006. That run included him winning the UFC middleweight championship twice and successfully defending the title a total of seven times. Throw in wins against Matt Serra and B.J. Penn and you’ve got a guy who consistently challenged — and took down — the icons of his weight classes during a great era for MMA.

3. Demetrious Johnson

UFC Record: 15-2-1

Nobody in MMA has done more with a small stature than Demetrious Johnson. At just 5 feet, 3 inches tall, “Mighty Mouse” has made many tough guys wish they’d never stepped into the octagon with him. His 13-fight win streak from 2012-2018 is tied as the second-longest in UFC history and his 11 successful defenses of the UFC flyweight championship are the most in a single reign of any championship in history. Longtime UFC commentator Joe Rogan has even gone as far as calling Johnson the best fighter in MMA history. His split-decision title loss to Henry Cejudo in 2018 is still considered one of the most questionable in history and brought a sad ending to Johnson’s nearly flawless UFC career.

2. Anderson Silva

UFC Record: 17-6-0 (1 no contest)

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If Anderson Silva hadn’t broken his leg during his second UFC middleweight championship fight with Chris Weidman in 2013, he’d probably be the best fighter in MMA history. Even with that horrific injury, which essentially wrecked his career, “The Spider” still makes a great case. His 16-fight win streak from 2006-2013 is the best in UFC history and may never be equaled, and his middleweight title reign of 2,457 days is the longest ever. That streak included wins over legends like Rich Franklin, Dan Henderson, Forrest Griffin and Vitor Belfort, all of whom were knocked out or submitted.

Silva was featured in the main event in 17 UFC pay-per-views and ESPN once named him the best fighter in the promotion’s history. All that equals a legacy that’s nearly unbeatable.

1. Georges St. Pierre

UFC Record: 20-2-0

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In the fight game, it’s nearly impossible to go out on top, but Georges St. Pierre managed to pull it off. His final fight saw him win the UFC middleweight championship over Michael Bisping, capping a 13-bout winning streak to end his career in the octagon. “GSP” also held the UFC welterweight crown twice and handled guys like Matt Hughes, B.J. Penn and Matt Serra, giving him a career winning percentage of 90.91. He was no knockout artist, but no fighter in UFC history has landed more strikes than his 2,591 and more takedowns than his 90 or won more decisions than his 12.

Thousands of MMA fans at Ranker voted the Canadian the best fighter in the history of the sport, and we’re inclined to agree, at least in terms of performance in UFC.

Fedor Emelianenko

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