There have been many great MMA fighters throughout the years but the question on everyone's mind is the same, who is the greatest MMA fighter of all time? This question is very difficult to answer and there is no one way to classify such a position.
For our ranking we considered many different things like the fighters competition, accomplishments, and how good they really were at their prime. Fighters with titles in multiple divisions and with a bigger number of fights also have the upper hand over others in this list.
Many fighters on this list also fought way past their prime and quickly declined but we are mostly focused on the skill, wins, and competition of these fighters at their best. Let's go ahead and take a look at the top 25 greatest MMA fighters of all time!
25. Valentina Shevchenko
Valentina Shevchenko is quite possibly the most elite female striker in the history of MMA. Shevchenko has a long history of winning world championships in Muay Thai as she has won 8 gold medals and one silver while representing both Kyrgyzstan and Peru.
Shevchenko has defeated the likes of Holly Holm, Julianna Pena, and Jessica Eye. She is intimidating and quite possibly the best female striker the MMA has ever seen.
24. Antonio Nogueira
Antonio Nogueira or "Big Nog" is one of the few fighters to be the Pride Heavyweight Fighting Champion and the Ultimate Fighting Champion (UFC). Nogueira had some of the best grappling skills the division has ever seen and he took down some big names like Dan Henderson, Tim Sylvia, and Fabricio Werdum.
Nogueira came to the UFC from Pride and still managed to win a title which is very impressive.Big Nog retired with a record of 46 total fights, 34 wins, and 21 of those wins by submission which is no surprise to anybody because of how good his grappling skills were. Nogueira got inducted into the UFC's Hall of Fame in July 2016.
23. Max Holloway
Max Holloway made a strong case to be part of this privileged list after putting on a show on countless occasions. One of the best strikers in MMA history, he took down some big-name opponents throughout his career.
Jose Aldo, Charles Oliveira, Anthony Pettis, Brian Ortega, and Frankie Edgar have all lost at least once to Holloway. Besides, he became the first American to win the UFC featherweight championship.
22. Robbie Lawler
"Ruthless" Robbie Lawler is one of the most aggressive fighters we have seen. Definitely of the most entertaining fighters to watch on this list Lawler really knew how to put on a show and is the only fighter to have won three "Fight of the Year" awards consecutively.
Lawler had some tough fights against the likes of Carlos Condit and Rory McDonald and his run as champion was excellent. Ruthless really is the perfect nickname for the fighter.
21. Matt Hughes
Matt Hughes had some of the best techniques to slam his opponents to the ground and wrestle them into inevitable defeat. Hughes would get his opponents to the ground and it was almost a won fight by then because his ground game was at another level. Matt Hughes also has excellent submission skills and good power behind his punches which made him a man to fear.
Hughes has wins over some top level opponents like Sean Sherk, BJ Penn, and the one and only Georges St-Pierre. Hughes retired with a record of 54 total fights, 45 wins, and 9 losses. He had some next-level ground skills and unmatched sominance in the ring.
20. Eddie Alvarez
Eddie Alvarez won world championships in both the UFC and the Bellator MMA and he is on this list for his performance in both. Alvarez was a champion in both welterweight and lightweight divisions showing that he can perform in multiple divisions and what he provided was pure eye candy for the fans.
"The Underground King" defeated some strong opponents like the likes of Anthony Pettis, Rafael dos Anjos, and Eduard Folayang. Eddie Alvarez always gave the fans a good fight and is a two division champion.
19. Israel Adesanya
Israel Adesanya has earned his spot on this list and can only go up from here as he is currently still an active fighter. He has already defeated some big names like Anderson Silva, Kelvin Gastelum, Yoel Romero and Robert Whittaker.
Nicknamed the "Last Stylebender" for his style of fighting, Adesanya is considered one of the best strikers in the world of MMA. He has shown some serious skill from the very beginning, winning his first 20 fights in a row!
18. Henry Cejudo
Henry Cejudo had a rough start in the UFC losing his first two matches and not looking like anything promising. However, in his rematch with Demetrious Johnson he pulled off the upset and shocked all UFC fans. After that fight began one of the most incredible runs ever seen.
Cejudo is a two division champion winning in both flyweight and bantamweight while also being the only person to win a UFC title and an Olympic gold medal. He retired with a record of 18 total fights, 16 wins, and 2 losses, his very first two fights.
17. Ronda Rousey
Ronda Rousey made a successful transition from judo to mixed martial arts, getting off to a 12-0 start to her career in the octagon after winning a bronze medal in the 2008 Summer Olympics. She backed up her trash talking with great results, as she won a bantamweight belt.
Inducted into the Hall of Fame for her contribution to promote women's UFC, Rousey's rose to fame let her try her luck in WWE and even in the big screen, as she made an appearance in the Fast and Furious franchise.
16. Randy Couture
Randy Couture is one of the few MMA fighters to become a champion in two different weight classes. Couture was at his prime for a long period of time especially compared to some other fighters on the list and he is a former three-time UFC heavyweight champion and two-time light heavyweight champion.
"The Natural" has competed in a record 16 title fights and has some very memorable wins over big names like Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz. He also reclaimed his UFC heavyweight title while in his 40's to which to a lot of people is "too old" to compete, but Couture proved them wrong.
15. Chuck Liddell
Chuck Liddell was once the most dominant light heavyweight in the league and one old school fans will remember forever. "The Iceman" had vicious hands and knew how to take a punch. He had memorable fights and even took out some of the biggest names like Vitor Belfort, Tito Ortiz, and Randy Couture.
Liddell retired with a record of 30 fights, 21 wins, and 9 losses. Watching the Iceman was always a crowd favorite as his aggressive style made for some of the most entertaining matches we have ever seen. He was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in July 2009.
14. Dan Henderson
Dan Henderson had some absolutely epic fights at Pride. He is someone who has good knockout power and his knockout against Michael Bisping is one of our favorites. Hendo had good grappling skills, a monstrous overhand right, and an iron chin that came in handy against some of his tougher opponents.
Hendo was a Pride Welterweight Champion, Pride middleweight Champion, and strikeforce light heavyweight Champion. He also had some very notable wins like his bouts against Vitor Belfort, Big Nog, Mauricio Rua, and Fedor Emelianenko. He never got the UFC title but still had a spectacular career and defeated some of the UFC's top ever fighters.
13. B.J. Penn
B.J. Penn had some rough times in the UFC for sure but there is no denying that in his prime he was an absolute machine. At the lightweight division he was a beast and he was a UFC champion in both lightweight and welterweight divisions. Even though he doesn't have the most impressive of records there is no denying that Penn had raw talent and went through four divisions to fight.
"The Prodigy" had a record of 32 total fights, 16 wins, 14 losses, and 2 draws. He also has some impressive wins over big opponents like Matt Hughes, Jens Pulver, and Diego Sanchez. Penn's matt work and grappling skills were next level and he is also one of the fastest people ever to receive a black belt in Jiu-Jitsu.
12. Dominick Cruz
Dominick Cruz is the only person who was able to defeat Demetrious Johnson in his prime. Cruz had fantastic movements that were very unique to him and his fighting style that made him stand out and if it weren't for injuries he would be even higher up on this list.
"The Dominator" Has had some very notable wins like his bouts against TJ Dillashaw, Demetrious Johnson, and Brian Bowles. He retired with a record of 26 total fights, 23 wins, and 3 losses. Besides his impressive record, Cruz brought a new style of fighting to the UFC and his great footwork and style made him impossible for opponents to hit.
11. Daniel Cormier
Daniel Cormier found success in both light heavyweight and heavyweight divisions as he was a champion in both and is the second fighter in the history of UFC to defend titles in two different weight classes and was the first to ever do it in two different divisions.
Cormier retired with a record of 26 fights, 22 wins, 3 losses, and 1 no contest. He has won a world championship in every promotion that he has fought in. Some notable wins Cormier had were against the likes of Josh Barnett, Alexander Gustafsson, and Dan Henderson. He truly dominated almost every opponent he came up against.
10. Stipe Miocic
Stipe Miocic was a two-time UFC heavyweight champion with next level boxing ability and advanced wrestling techniques. Miocic has a record of 24 total fights, 20 wins, 15 wins by knockout, and 4 losses. He took some heavy losses but then turned it around and went on one of the best streaks the UFC has ever seen.
He has taken out some of the biggest names the sport has seen and many that are on this same list like Fabricio Werdum, Alistair Overeem, and Daniel Cormier, until his loss to Francis Ngannou.
9. Amanda Nunes
Amanda Nunes is the first woman to become a two-division champion (Bantamweight and Featherweight) and the third fighter in all of UFC history to hold titles in two different weight classes along with Conor McGregor and Daniel Cormier. We believe that Nunes is the best female MMA fighter of all time and she can back that up with her results.
Nunes is the only fighter in the UFC to defend two titles while actively holding them. She has some very notable wins against some of the top female fighters of all time like Valentina Shevchenko, Holly Holm, Cristiane Justino, and Ronda Rousey. Her knockout power is also impressive and most of her wins have been by knockout.
8. Jose Aldo
Jose Aldo was the first ever UFC featherweight champion after the WEC/UFC merger and is a former three-time UFC featherweight champion. He remained undefeated for over a decade and is one of the most dominant featherweights of all time. His quick loss against McGregor makes some fans forget just how good he truly has been.
Aldo was a monster in his WEC days. He has a record of 38 total fights, 31 wins, and 7 losses. He also defeated some big names like Cub Swanson, Mike Brown, and Urijah Faber. Many consider Aldo as the greatest featherweight in MMA history.
7. Conor McGregor
Conor McGregor is a social media and trash-talking icon. Besides all the showy stuff, there is no denying that McGregor is a serious top fighter, his left hand is one of the best to have ever been in the sport.
McGregor is mostly known for defeating Jose Aldo by knocking him out in the first 13 seconds making it the fastest UFC title fight in history. He also has other very notable wins like his bouts with Max Holloway, Chad Mendes, Nate Diaz, and Eddie Alvarez. Conor was also the first fighter to defend UFC titles in two different weight classes.
6. Demetrious Johnson
Demetrious Johnson is the one of the best flyweight champion that the UFC has had. Ever since he claimed the throne he has defended it and is tied for the most consecutive title defenses at 11. He has also landed the most takedowns in UFC flyweight history.
The "Mighty Mouse" has some notable wins against opponents like Henry Cejudo, Miguel Torres, and Joseph Benavidez. He has a record of 36 total fights, 31 wins, 4 losses, and one draw. We don't know if anyone can rival just how good Johnson is at the flyweight division.
5. Fedor Emelianenko
Fedor Emelianenko never fought in the UFC like the majority of the other fighters on this list but that doesn't take away from the fact that he is an absolute machine and has one of the most impressive undefeated streaks at 28 consecutive wins. He is often called the best heavyweight fighter ever.
"The Last Emperor" has some very notable wins against great opponents like the likes of Mark Hunt, Mirko Filipovic, and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. He has a record of 47 total fights, 40 wins, 6 losses, and 1 no contest. Many consider him the best of all time and he has a serious record to back that claim up.
4. Anderson Silva
Anderson Silva would absolutely destroy people when he fought. He holds the record for the longest title hold in the UFC at 2,457 days and also recorded 16 consecutive victories during that reign as well. Silva is without a question one of the greatest MMA fighters of all time.
"The Spider" retired with an MMA record of 46 total fights, 34 wins, 11 losses, and 1 no contest. He had some wins against some of the best fighters like Vitor Belfort, Rich Franklin, and Dan Henderson. Silva had one of the best counter attacking games ever seen in the sport and his fights were always crowd pleasers for the fans.
3. Jon Jones
Jon "Bones" Jones has the record for being the youngest UFC champion at 23 years old. Jones is a former two-time UFC light heavyweight champion and holds many records in that division like most title defenses, longest win streak, most submission victories, and most wins.
Jones has a record of 28 total fights, 26 wins, 1 loss, and 1 no contest with his only loss being a controversial disqualification against Matt Hamill. He has defeated big names like Shogun Rua, Lyoto Machida, Vitor Belfort, and Daniel Cormier.
2. Georges St-Pierre
Georges St-Pierre has the most insane all around skills of any MMA fighter ever. He won UFC championships in both welterweight and middleweight divisions and is considered by many as the greatest fighter in the history of MMA.
St-Pierre has defeated big names like the likes of Matt Hughes, Nick Diaz, Carlos Condit, and BJ Penn. He was also ranked as the #1 welterweight in the world for many years before retiring in 2013 with a record of 28 fights, 26 wins, and 2 losses.
1. Khabib Nurmagomedov
Khabib Nurmagomedov was the longest reigning UFC lightweight division champion and his excellent grappling has won him many fights and cemented him as the best fighter in MMA history. Not only does he win all his fights, he also does it in a dominating fashion.
"The Eagle" retired with a perfect record of 29 total fights and 29 wins, something unheard of in MMA. He has wins over some of the most dominant forces in the sport like Michael Johnson, Rafael Dos Anjos, and Conor McGregor.
