Top 100 UFC Fighters

"The fiercest warriors to ever step into the Octagon"

From its early days to the modern era, the UFC has seen countless fighters rise to prominence. This list ranks the top 100 UFC fighters based on their achievements, skills, and impact on the sport. Whether you're a die-hard fan or a casual viewer, this list showcases the legends who have shaped the UFC into the powerhouse it is today.

Topics

• Top 100 UFC Fighters
  • Topics
  • Overview
  • Cheat
  • Topic 1: "Early Era Legends"
  • Topic 2: "Modern Era Dominators"
  • Topic 3: "Female Pioneers"
  • Topic 4: "Knockout Artists"
  • Topic 5: "Submission Specialists"
  • Top 100 List
  • Top 100 Table
  • Conclusion

Overview

• Title: "Top 100 UFC Fighters"
• Subtitle: "The Greatest Fighters in UFC History"
• Tagline: "The fiercest warriors to ever step into the Octagon"
• Description: "A comprehensive ranking of the top 100 UFC fighters, past and present, considering their skills, impact, and legacy."
• Keywords: UFC, MMA, Fighters, Champions, Legends, Combat Sports, Octagon, UFC Hall of Fame, Knockouts, Submissions

Cheat

# Top 100 UFC Fighters
- The Greatest Fighters in UFC History
- The fiercest warriors to ever step into the Octagon
- A ranking of 100 UFC fighters from various eras and weight classes
- 5 Topics

## Topics
- Early Era Legends: Royce Gracie, Ken Shamrock, Mark Coleman, Tito Ortiz, Randy Couture...
- Modern Era Dominators: Anderson Silva, Jon Jones, Georges St-Pierre, Daniel Cormier, Khabib Nurmagomedov...
- Female Pioneers: Ronda Rousey, Amanda Nunes, Valentina Shevchenko, Holly Holm, Joanna Jedrzejczyk...
- Knockout Artists: Chuck Liddell, Conor McGregor, Francis Ngannou, Vitor Belfort, Wanderlei Silva...
- Submission Specialists: Demian Maia, Frank Mir, BJ Penn, Nate Diaz, Charles Oliveira...

Topic 1: "Early Era Legends"

"The pioneers who paved the way for UFC’s rise"

The UFC's early era saw a blend of fighters from various martial arts backgrounds. These legends are known for their adaptability, toughness, and for setting the foundation for modern mixed martial arts.

1. Royce Gracie: Pioneered Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in MMA
2. Ken Shamrock: One of UFC’s first stars, a submission specialist
3. Mark Coleman: The father of ground-and-pound
4. Randy Couture: UFC's first major multi-division champion
5. Tito Ortiz: Dominated the light heavyweight division in the early 2000s
6. Dan Severn: Known for his wrestling and toughness
7. Bas Rutten: Legendary fighter with a diverse skill set
8. Frank Shamrock: Early lightweight champion and innovator
9. Don Frye: Famous for his brawling style and toughness
10. Pedro Rizzo: Striker who competed in UFC’s early heavyweight division
11. Pat Miletich: First UFC welterweight champion
12. Jens Pulver: UFC’s first lightweight champion
13. Oleg Taktarov: Early submission expert in UFC
14. Evan Tanner: Middleweight champion with a unique journey
15. Matt Hughes: Dominant welterweight with a wrestling background
16. Rich Franklin: Dominated middleweight division in the mid-2000s
17. Tank Abbott: Brawler who brought street-fighting into UFC
18. Jeremy Horn: Known for his grappling and submission game
19. Kazushi Sakuraba: "The Gracie Hunter," renowned in Pride and UFC
20. Vitor Belfort: Early UFC prodigy with knockout power

Topic 2: "Modern Era Dominators"

"Champions who redefined dominance in the Octagon"

The modern UFC era has been dominated by fighters with a complete skill set—athletes who combine striking, grappling, and incredible fight IQ to become champions.

1. Anderson Silva: Longest title reign in UFC history
2. Jon Jones: Unbeaten light heavyweight champion with unparalleled versatility
3. Georges St-Pierre: Legendary welterweight and middleweight champion
4. Khabib Nurmagomedov: Undefeated lightweight champion
5. Daniel Cormier: Champion in two divisions (light heavyweight, heavyweight)
6. Stipe Miocic: Record for most heavyweight title defenses
7. Israel Adesanya: Dynamic striker and middleweight champion
8. Kamaru Usman: Dominant welterweight with elite wrestling
9. Max Holloway: Featherweight champion known for his striking volume
10. Henry Cejudo: Olympic gold medalist and two-division UFC champion
11. Robert Whittaker: Former middleweight champion with well-rounded skills
12. Dustin Poirier: Lightweight contender with knockout power and resilience
13. Tony Ferguson: Lightweight legend with a wild fighting style
14. Alistair Overeem: Heavyweight kickboxer and UFC contender
15. Alexander Volkanovski: Featherweight champion with strong wrestling
16. Colby Covington: Known for his pressure and wrestling at welterweight
17. Justin Gaethje: Lightweight knockout artist with relentless pace
18. Francis Ngannou: Fearsome knockout power in the heavyweight division
19. Jan Blachowicz: Light heavyweight champion with powerful striking
20. Gilbert Burns: Welterweight contender with jiu-jitsu and striking

Topic 3: "Female Pioneers"

"The women who revolutionized MMA in the UFC"

The UFC has seen the rise of incredible female fighters who have broken barriers and dominated the Octagon, setting new standards in women’s MMA.

1. Ronda Rousey: First women’s bantamweight champion and MMA trailblazer
2. Amanda Nunes: Greatest female fighter in UFC history, two-division champion
3. Valentina Shevchenko: Dominant flyweight champion with striking precision
4. Joanna Jedrzejczyk: Long-reigning strawweight champion
5. Holly Holm: Knocked out Ronda Rousey to win the bantamweight title
6. Rose Namajunas: Two-time strawweight champion known for her resilience
7. Jessica Andrade: Strawweight and flyweight contender with knockout power
8. Julianna Peña: Shocked the world by defeating Amanda Nunes for the bantamweight title
9. Miesha Tate: Bantamweight champion and rival to Ronda Rousey
10. Cris Cyborg: Featherweight champion with brutal knockout power
11. Zhang Weili: Strawweight champion with a well-rounded skill set
12. Carla Esparza: First-ever UFC women’s strawweight champion
13. Germaine de Randamie: Featherweight champion with elite striking
14. Kat Zingano: Longtime contender at bantamweight
15. Michelle Waterson: Karate-based fighter with a deep skill set
16. Aspen Ladd: Featherweight and bantamweight contender with knockout power
17. Irene Aldana: Mexican contender known for her boxing skills
18. Tecia Torres: A consistent contender in the strawweight division
19. Tatiana Suarez: Wrestling prodigy and undefeated UFC contender
20. Raquel Pennington: Veteran fighter known for her toughness and grit

Topic 4: "Knockout Artists"

"The most feared strikers in UFC history"

Some fighters have become known for their ability to finish fights with one punch or kick, leaving their opponents out cold and fans on their feet.

1. Chuck Liddell: The "Iceman" was a knockout king at light heavyweight
2. Conor McGregor: UFC’s first simultaneous two-division champion, known for his striking
3. Francis Ngannou: The hardest-hitting puncher in UFC history
4. Wanderlei Silva: Known for his brutal knockouts in Pride and UFC
5. Vitor Belfort: Lightning-fast hands and knockout power
6. Junior dos Santos: Heavyweight with devastating knockout power
7. Anthony Johnson: Knockout artist known for his vicious power
8. Derrick Lewis: Holds the record for most knockouts in UFC heavyweight history
9. Mirko Cro Cop: Pride and UFC fighter known for his head kicks
10. Anderson Silva: His precision striking led to many knockout victories
11. Jose Aldo: Featherweight legend with knockout kicks
12. Robbie Lawler: Known for his heavy hands and knockout power
13. Dan Henderson: His "H-Bomb" punch knocked out many fighters
14. Thiago Santos: Knockout artist at middleweight and light heavyweight
15. Edson Barboza: Known for his spinning kicks and striking
16. Rich Franklin: Former middleweight champion with knockout power
17. Paulo Costa: Powerful middleweight known for his explosive striking
18. Shane Carwin: Heavy-handed heavyweight knockout artist
19. Mark Hunt: Known for his walk-off knockouts in the UFC
20. Michael Bisping: Middleweight champion with a well-rounded striking game

Topic 5: "Submission Specialists"

"Masters of the ground game who dominated with their grappling skills"

Submission artists have the ability to end fights in an instant, using chokes, joint locks, and their grappling expertise to overwhelm opponents.

1. Demian Maia: One of the best Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioners in MMA
2. BJ Penn: Lightweight and welterweight champion with elite grappling
3. Nate Diaz: Submission artist and fan favorite
4. Frank Mir: Heavyweight known for his devastating submission game
5. Charles Oliveira: Record holder for most submission victories in UFC history
6. Fabricio Werdum: Heavyweight grappler and former champion
7. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira: Known for his toughness and submission game
8. Royce Gracie: UFC Hall of Famer and submission pioneer
9. Jacare Souza: Middleweight contender with top-tier jiu-jitsu skills
10. Khabib Nurmagomedov: Dominant grappler with an incredible ground game
11. Tony Ferguson: Known for his wild submission attempts and creativity
12. Joe Lauzon: Lightweight veteran with numerous submission victories
13. Kenny Florian: Featherweight and lightweight contender known for his submissions
14. Shinya Aoki: Lightweight submission specialist with a diverse ground game
15. Ryan Hall: Featherweight with unique leg lock submissions
16. Rani Yahya: Bantamweight submission artist with elite grappling
17. Urijah Faber: Bantamweight pioneer known for his guillotine choke
18. Donald Cerrone: Veteran fighter with slick submission skills
19. Jim Miller: Lightweight veteran with a long history of submission wins
20. Marcin Tybura: Heavyweight grappler with solid submission skills

Top 100 List

1. Royce Gracie (Early Era Legends)
2. Anderson Silva (Modern Era Dominators)
3. Jon Jones (Modern Era Dominators)
4. Georges St-Pierre (Modern Era Dominators)
5. Khabib Nurmagomedov (Modern Era Dominators)
6. Ronda Rousey (Female Pioneers)
7. Chuck Liddell (Knockout Artists)
8. Demian Maia (Submission Specialists)
9. Francis Ngannou (Knockout Artists)
10. Amanda Nunes (Female Pioneers)
11. Tito Ortiz (Early Era Legends)
12. Randy Couture (Early Era Legends)
13. Daniel Cormier (Modern Era Dominators)
14. Stipe Miocic (Modern Era Dominators)
15. Vitor Belfort (Knockout Artists)
16. Valentina Shevchenko (Female Pioneers)
17. BJ Penn (Submission Specialists)
18. Nate Diaz (Submission Specialists)
19. Holly Holm (Female Pioneers)
20. Ken Shamrock (Early Era Legends)
21. Matt Hughes (Early Era Legends)
22. Conor McGregor (Knockout Artists)
23. Dan Henderson (Knockout Artists)
24. Wanderlei Silva (Knockout Artists)
25. Charles Oliveira (Submission Specialists)
26. Jon Jones (Modern Era Dominators)
27. Alistair Overeem (Modern Era Dominators)
28. Max Holloway (Modern Era Dominators)
29. Henry Cejudo (Modern Era Dominators)
30. Robbie Lawler (Knockout Artists)
31. Cris Cyborg (Female Pioneers)
32. Tony Ferguson (Submission Specialists)
33. Rose Namajunas (Female Pioneers)
34. Gilbert Burns (Modern Era Dominators)
35. Kamaru Usman (Modern Era Dominators)
36. Fabricio Werdum (Submission Specialists)
37. Israel Adesanya (Modern Era Dominators)
38. Junior dos Santos (Knockout Artists)
39. Mark Hunt (Knockout Artists)
40. Rich Franklin (Early Era Legends)
41. Jeremy Horn (Early Era Legends)
42. Pat Miletich (Early Era Legends)
43. Pedro Rizzo (Early Era Legends)
44. Michael Bisping (Knockout Artists)
45. Jessica Andrade (Female Pioneers)
46. Carla Esparza (Female Pioneers)
47. Zhang Weili (Female Pioneers)
48. Urijah Faber (Submission Specialists)
49. Jim Miller (Submission Specialists)
50. Donald Cerrone (Submission Specialists)
51. Jose Aldo (Knockout Artists)
52. Frank Mir (Submission Specialists)
53. Sean O'Malley (Modern Era Dominators)
54. Marcin Tybura (Submission Specialists)
55. Kazushi Sakuraba (Early Era Legends)
56. Shane Carwin (Knockout Artists)
57. Anthony Pettis (Modern Era Dominators)
58. Edson Barboza (Knockout Artists)
59. Bas Rutten (Early Era Legends)
60. Mirko Cro Cop (Knockout Artists)
61. Miesha Tate (Female Pioneers)
62. Thiago Santos (Knockout Artists)
63. Paulo Costa (Knockout Artists)
64. Dominick Cruz (Modern Era Dominators)
65. Nate Marquardt (Submission Specialists)
66. Kevin Lee (Modern Era Dominators)
67. Alexander Gustafsson (Modern Era Dominators)
68. Ben Askren (Modern Era Dominators)
69. Alexander Volkanovski (Modern Era Dominators)
70. Tecia Torres (Female Pioneers)
71. Irene Aldana (Female Pioneers)
72. Kat Zingano (Female Pioneers)
73. Julianna Peña (Female Pioneers)
74. Michelle Waterson (Female Pioneers)
75. Jeremy Stephens (Knockout Artists)
76. Donald Cerrone (Knockout Artists)
77. Shinya Aoki (Submission Specialists)
78. Nate Diaz (Knockout Artists)
79. Jacare Souza (Submission Specialists)
80. Oleg Taktarov (Early Era Legends)
81. Pedro Munhoz (Submission Specialists)
82. Ryan Hall (Submission Specialists)
83. Darren Till (Modern Era Dominators)
84. Mark Coleman (Early Era Legends)
85. Kenny Florian (Submission Specialists)
86. Michael Chandler (Modern Era Dominators)
87. Jim Miller (Submission Specialists)
88. Derrick Lewis (Knockout Artists)
89. Uriah Hall (Knockout Artists)
90. Tank Abbott (Early Era Legends)
91. Dan Severn (Early Era Legends)
92. Anderson Silva (Knockout Artists)
93. Evan Tanner (Early Era Legends)
94. Kazushi Sakuraba (Submission Specialists)
95. Paul Felder (Modern Era Dominators)
96. Forrest Griffin (Modern Era Dominators)
97. Don Frye (Early Era Legends)
98. Rani Yahya (Submission Specialists)
99. Kenny Florian (Modern Era Dominators)
100. Brandon Moreno (Modern Era Dominators)

Top 100 Table

Rank	Name	Topic	Tagline
1	Royce Gracie	Early Era Legends	"Pioneered Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in MMA"
2	Anderson Silva	Modern Era Dominators	"Longest title reign in UFC history"
3	Jon Jones	Modern Era Dominators	"Unbeaten light heavyweight champion"
4	Georges St-Pierre	Modern Era Dominators	"Legendary welterweight and middleweight"
5	Khabib Nurmagomedov	Modern Era Dominators	"Undefeated lightweight champion"
6	Ronda Rousey	Female Pioneers	"First women’s bantamweight champion"
7	Chuck Liddell	Knockout Artists	"The 'Iceman' was a knockout king"
8	Demian Maia	Submission Specialists	"Best Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner"
9	Francis Ngannou	Knockout Artists	"Hardest-hitting puncher in UFC history"
10	Amanda Nunes	Female Pioneers	"Greatest female fighter in UFC history"
11	Tito Ortiz	Early Era Legends	"Dominated the light heavyweight division"
12	Randy Couture	Early Era Legends	"First major multi-division champion"
13	Daniel Cormier	Modern Era Dominators	"Champion in two divisions"
14	Stipe Miocic	Modern Era Dominators	"Record for most heavyweight title defenses"
15	Vitor Belfort	Knockout Artists	"Lightning-fast hands and knockout power"
16	Valentina Shevchenko	Female Pioneers	"Dominant flyweight champion"
17	BJ Penn	Submission Specialists	"Lightweight and welterweight champion"
18	Nate Diaz	Submission Specialists	"Submission artist and fan favorite"
19	Holly Holm	Female Pioneers	"Knocked out Ronda Rousey to win the title"
20	Ken Shamrock	Early Era Legends	"Submission specialist and UFC star"
21	Matt Hughes	Early Era Legends	"Dominant welterweight with a wrestling base"
22	Conor McGregor	Knockout Artists	"First simultaneous two-division champion"
23	Dan Henderson	Knockout Artists	"Known for his 'H-Bomb' punch"
24	Wanderlei Silva	Knockout Artists	"Brutal knockouts in Pride and UFC"
25	Charles Oliveira	Submission Specialists	"Most submission victories in UFC history"
26	Jon Jones	Modern Era Dominators	"Dominated light heavyweight"
27	Alistair Overeem	Modern Era Dominators	"Heavyweight kickboxer and contender"
28	Max Holloway	Modern Era Dominators	"Featherweight champion with striking volume"
29	Henry Cejudo	Modern Era Dominators	"Olympic gold medalist and two-division champ"
30	Robbie Lawler	Knockout Artists	"Heavy hands and knockout power"
31	Cris Cyborg	Female Pioneers	"Featherweight champion with knockout power"
32	Tony Ferguson	Submission Specialists	"Creative and wild submission attempts"
33	Rose Namajunas	Female Pioneers	"Two-time strawweight champion"
34	Gilbert Burns	Modern Era Dominators	"Jiu-jitsu specialist and UFC contender"
35	Kamaru Usman	Modern Era Dominators	"Dominant welterweight wrestler"
36	Fabricio Werdum	Submission Specialists	"Heavyweight grappler and former champion"
37	Israel Adesanya	Modern Era Dominators	"Middleweight champion with striking"
38	Junior dos Santos	Knockout Artists	"Heavyweight knockout power"
39	Mark Hunt	Knockout Artists	"Walk-off knockouts in the UFC"
40	Rich Franklin	Early Era Legends	"Former middleweight champion"
41	Jeremy Horn	Early Era Legends	"Known for his grappling and submissions"
42	Pat Miletich	Early Era Legends	"First UFC welterweight champion"
43	Pedro Rizzo	Early Era Legends	"Striker in UFC's early heavyweight division"
44	Michael Bisping	Knockout Artists	"Middleweight champion with striking"
45	Jessica Andrade	Female Pioneers	"Powerful strawweight and flyweight fighter"
46	Carla Esparza	Female Pioneers	"First strawweight champion"
47	Zhang Weili	Female Pioneers	"Strawweight champion with well-rounded skills"
48	Urijah Faber	Submission Specialists	"Bantamweight pioneer and submission expert"
49	Jim Miller	Submission Specialists	"Lightweight veteran with submission wins"
50	Donald Cerrone	Submission Specialists	"Veteran with slick submissions"
51	Jose Aldo	Knockout Artists	"Featherweight legend with knockout kicks"
52	Frank Mir	Submission Specialists	"Heavyweight submission specialist"
53	Sean O'Malley	Modern Era Dominators	"Rising bantamweight star"
54	Marcin Tybura	Submission Specialists	"Heavyweight grappler with submissions"
55	Kazushi Sakuraba	Early Era Legends	"The Gracie Hunter"
56	Shane Carwin	Knockout Artists	"Heavy-handed heavyweight knockout artist"
57	Anthony Pettis	Modern Era Dominators	"Dynamic striker with a unique style"
58	Edson Barboza	Knockout Artists	"Spinning kicks and precision striking"
59	Bas Rutten	Early Era Legends	"Legendary fighter with a diverse skill set"
60	Mirko Cro Cop	Knockout Artists	"Known for head kicks"
61	Miesha Tate	Female Pioneers	"Bantamweight champion and rival to Ronda"
62	Thiago Santos	Knockout Artists	"Knockout artist at light heavyweight"
63	Paulo Costa	Knockout Artists	"Explosive striker in middleweight division"
64	Dominick Cruz	Modern Era Dominators	"Bantamweight legend with elusive style"
65	Nate Marquardt	Submission Specialists	"Middleweight with strong grappling skills"
66	Kevin Lee	Modern Era Dominators	"Lightweight contender with wrestling"
67	Alexander Gustafsson	Modern Era Dominators	"Contender in light heavyweight division"
68	Ben Askren	Modern Era Dominators	"Wrestler and former Bellator champ"
69	Alexander Volkanovski	Modern Era Dominators	"Featherweight champ with wrestling"
70	Tecia Torres	Female Pioneers	"Consistent contender in strawweight division"
71	Irene Aldana	Female Pioneers	"Mexican contender with boxing skills"
72	Kat Zingano	Female Pioneers	"Bantamweight contender"
73	Julianna Peña	Female Pioneers	"Upset Amanda Nunes for the bantamweight title"
74	Michelle Waterson	Female Pioneers	"Karate-based fighter with deep skills"
75	Jeremy Stephens	Knockout Artists	"Heavy-hitting featherweight"
76	Donald Cerrone	Knockout Artists	"Fan favorite with striking"
77	Shinya Aoki	Submission Specialists	"Lightweight submission specialist"
78	Nate Diaz	Knockout Artists	"Fan favorite with knockout power"
79	Jacare Souza	Submission Specialists	"Top-tier jiu-jitsu skills in middleweight"
80	Oleg Taktarov	Early Era Legends	"Early UFC submission expert"
81	Pedro Munhoz	Submission Specialists	"Bantamweight contender with submissions"
82	Ryan Hall	Submission Specialists	"Known for leg locks and grappling"
83	Darren Till	Modern Era Dominators	"Middleweight with striking power"
84	Mark Coleman	Early Era Legends	"The father of ground-and-pound"
85	Kenny Florian	Submission Specialists	"Lightweight and featherweight contender"
86	Michael Chandler	Modern Era Dominators	"Explosive lightweight fighter"
87	Jim Miller	Submission Specialists	"Veteran with a long submission history"
88	Derrick Lewis	Knockout Artists	"Record for most UFC heavyweight knockouts"
89	Uriah Hall	Knockout Artists	"Middleweight with explosive striking"
90	Tank Abbott	Early Era Legends	"Brought street fighting to the UFC"
91	Dan Severn	Early Era Legends	"Wrestling pioneer in UFC"
92	Anderson Silva	Knockout Artists	"Precision striking led to many KOs"
93	Evan Tanner	Early Era Legends	"Middleweight champion with unique journey"
94	Kazushi Sakuraba	Submission Specialists	"The 'Gracie Hunter' submission artist"
95	Paul Felder	Modern Era Dominators	"Lightweight striker with tough chin"
96	Forrest Griffin	Modern Era Dominators	"TUF 1 winner and former light heavyweight champ"
97	Don Frye	Early Era Legends	"Known for his brawling style and toughness"
98	Rani Yahya	Submission Specialists	"Elite grappler in the bantamweight division"
99	Kenny Florian	Modern Era Dominators	"Featherweight and lightweight contender"
100	Brandon Moreno	Modern Era Dominators	"Flyweight champion with relentless style"

Conclusion

This comprehensive list of the top 100 UFC fighters celebrates the greatest athletes who have shaped the sport of MMA. These fighters have displayed a wide range of skills, from knockout power to submission mastery, and have earned their places in UFC history.