Some of these may be obvious, some not so much. But between big title fights, iconic foes, the historical magnitude, or the pure thrill of a good scrap, here are some of the best MMA fights ever put on by the UFC. Matt Hughes vs Frank Trigg 2. 5 Best MMA Fights Of 2020. Joanna Jedrzejczyk will go down in history as one of the most gruesome fights that ever happened inside the famed UFC Octagon.

What the best UFC/MMA fight you’ve ever seen? Discussion in 'UFC Discussion' started by The Chosen, Mar 4, 2021 at 2:50 AM. Page 1 of 3 1 2 3 Next The Chosen. Rutten's best days have to be considered some of the best ever. Longevity (7): Rutten's earlier fights—Sept. 21, 1993, to March 10, 1995—were not as good as his prime. Nevertheless, he posted a 7-4 record, including two submission losses to Ken Shamrock and one decision loss to his brother Frank.

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.

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

* 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 14^th 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.

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Without further ado, here’s a rundown in no particular order of the The Greatest MMA Knockouts Ever.

1. Henderson vs. Bisping – UFC 100 – 2009

Henderson wins via KO/TKO, Punch

At the 3:20 mark of the second round, Henderson floored Bisping with one of the most brutal right hooks and one of the Greatest UFC Knockouts ever to be recorded on video.

Bisping crashed to the canvas, unconscious before he hit the mat, but Henderson wasn’t happy with the devastating punch as he also throw a massive forearm lunge to Bisping’s face. The was one of the most brutal and best finishes of 2009 in the UFC.

2. Silva vs. Belfort – UFC 126 – 2011

Silva wins via KO/TKO, Head Kick/Punches

UFC 126 proved to be a classic and it came to a fitting end in the Main Event when Anderson “The Spider” Silva knocked out Vitor Belfort with a viciously timed front head kick in the first round to retain his Middleweight Championship. Silva showed once again that he is one of the most scintillating athletes to ever step inside the Octagon and hence why we think it is one the Greatest MMA Knockouts Ever.

3. Barboza vs. Etim – UFC 142 – 2012

Barboza wins via KO/TKO, Wheel Kick

UFC 142 was tipped to be the one of the best cards in UFC history. Edson Barboza vs. Terry Etim was an electric bout where we witnessed one of the greatest KO’s. You will always remember where and when it happened, it was so memorable. Barboza whirled his body in a full 360-degrees and landed a heel straight onto Etim’s jaw. Terry froze and crashed to the mat. Nobody likes to be the victim of a brutal spinning wheel kick.

4. Jackson vs. Arona – Pride Critical Countdown – 2004

Jackson wins via KO/TKO, Slam

In June of 2004, Quinton Jackson took on the talented Ricardo Arona. Near the end of the first round, We witnessed the greatest slam in MMA history when Jackson threw Arona to the canvas and knocked him out cold and sufficiently escaping the triangle choke.

5. Gonzaga vs. Filipovic – UFC 70 – 2007

Gonzaga wins via KO/TKO, Head Kick

When Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic entered the UFC in 2007, many felt it was only a matter of time before he challenged for the UFC Heavyweight Championship. However, the Brazilian heavyweight Gabriel Gonzaga sent his title hopes crashing to the ground with one of the greatest and most unexpected knockouts in MMA history.

6. Couture vs. Machida – UFC 129 – 2011

Machida wins via TKO/KO, Head Kick

Best Mma Photos Ever

Lyoto Machida delivered one of the Greatest UFC Knockouts of all-time and significantly burnished the martial arts credentials of his instructor Steven Seagal by blasting Randy Couture into retirement with a Karate Kid-style Crane Kick never before witnessed in high level MMA.

7. Barry vs. Kongo

Kongo wins via KO/TKO, Head Kick

Check Kongo stunned everyone when he produced a knock out win vs. Pat Barry just seconds after appearing to be knocked out himself. It was truly remarkable that he managed to achieve such a fascinating KO and Joe Rogan described it to be the greatest comeback he has ever seen.

8. Griffin vs. Silva – UFC 101 – 2009

Silva wins via KO/TKO, Punch

It was “The Matrix” in the making, when UFC champ Anderson Silva yet again produced something extraordinary. His clinical head movement and quick reflexes were just too much for Griffin and he caught Griffin with a quick jab and KO’d Forrest and dropped him to the floor.

9. Arlovski vs. Emelianenko – Affliction 2 – 2009

Emelianenko wins via TKO/KO, Punch

Long considered the best heavyweight fighter in MMA history, Fedor Emelianenko had been criticized in 2007 and 2008 for facing exhibition-caliber competition instead of the best in the heavyweight division. In January of 2009, that all changed, when Fedor faced former UFC Heavyweight Champion Andrei Arlovski for the WAMMA Heavyweight Championship, and flattened the Belarusian in the first round.

10. Silva vs. Jackson II – Pride 28 – 2004

Best Mma Fighter Ever

Silva wins via KO/TKO, Knee

The second fight between these fighters was almost identical to the first, only this time, it was even more brutal. The sequence opened with a crushing hook square to the face by Silva that torqued Jackson’s chin and neck off to one side. Seeing his opponent stunned, Silva latched a firm grasp on Jackson’s neck and unloaded one of the most brutal Thai clinch sequences ever witnessed on Jackson’s skull. In a moment that would live on prominently in highlight reels for years to come, Silva unloaded knees to the face of the staggering Jackson as the two moved across the length of the canvas and it only took one more knee before the fight was ended and Jackson lay face down, unconscious on the ropes.

Do you agree with our rundown of the greatest MMA Knockouts ever? If not let us know!

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