Top 10 fighters in MMA history

Compiling a ranking of the greatest MMA fighters is indeed no easy task. Everyone has different criteria: duration of dominance, level of opposition, number of title defenses, statistics, influence on the industry. But in this article, we have tried to combine both sports achievements and historical legacy to highlight the top 10 fighters in history.

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1st place — Jon Jones

Pro record: 28 wins, 1 loss, 1 no contest.

Titles: UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, UFC Heavyweight Champion.

Career period: 2008 — 2025.

Perhaps no one will argue with the top position in the ranking. Jon Jones is the most talented fighter in history. The American became the youngest champion in UFC history at just 23 and dominated the cage for two decades. His phenomenal fight IQ, unique anthropometry, and ability to adapt to any opponent made him virtually unbeatable. The only formal loss in his career came from a controversial disqualification for elbow strikes in a fight he was clearly winning (against Matt Hamill). Jones' move to heavyweight and winning the championship belt there finally cemented his status as the greatest fighter in mixed martial arts history.

2nd place — Fedor Emelianenko

Pro record: 40 wins, 7 losses.

Titles: Pride FC Heavyweight Champion, multiple Combat Sambo World Champion.

Career period: 2000 — 2023.

"The Last Emperor" epitomizes the golden era of mixed martial arts, when fights were as brutal as possible. For nearly a decade, Fedor remained undefeated, clearing his path of giants, kickboxing champions, and the best wrestlers on the planet in the Japanese promotion Pride. His humble behavior outside the ring, combined with lightning-fast hand speed and devastating ground game, made millions of people around the world fall in love with MMA. Even at the twilight of his career in Bellator, he continued to draw full arenas, remaining a living symbol of the birth of a great sport. Therefore, the legendary Russian fighter deserves to be in the second place in our ranking.

3rd place — Anderson Silva

Pro record: 34 wins, 11 losses, 1 no contest.

Titles: UFC Middleweight Champion, Cage Rage Middleweight Champion.

Career period: 2000 — 2020.

The legendary "Spider" brought aesthetics, plasticity, and ease to the octagon, which previously seemed unthinkable in the harsh world of mixed martial arts. His UFC middleweight championship lasted 2457 days, during which he managed to make ten successful title defenses and deliver a streak of 16 consecutive wins. Silva turned his fights intoturning fights into a true art form, dodging opponents' blows with lowered hands and instantly punishing them with precise counterattacks. Anderson showed the world that fighting is a kind of art.

4th place — Khabib Nurmagomedov

Professional record: 29 wins, 0 losses.

Titles: UFC Lightweight Champion.

Career period: 2008 — 2021.

Khabib retired from the sport at the absolute peak of his abilities, leaving behind a perfect and unattainable record for most. His signature style, based on dominant wrestling, exhausting pressure, and tight control on the mat, was not deciphered by any of his 29 opponents. The Russian fighter went through the toughest UFC lightweight division, finishing stars such as Conor McGregor, Dustin Poirier, and Justin Gaethje early. Almost no one doubts that the Russian could have dominated the sport for another 3-4 years and captured a second title in the world's best league. But unfortunately, Nurmagomedov did not do this. That's why he didn't rise above fourth place in the ranking.

5th place — Demetrious Johnson

Professional record: 25 wins, 4 losses, 1 draw.

Titles: UFC Flyweight Champion, ONE Championship Flyweight Champion.

Career period: 2007 — 2024.

"Mighty Mouse" long remained the main embodiment of perfect technical skill in mixed martial arts. He set a staggering UFC record, defending his flyweight title 11 times in a row and literally cleaning out the entire division. Johnson combined cosmic speed, perfect wrestling, and the ability to finish opponents with rare and unexpected moves. His subsequent transition to the ONE Championship promotion and winning the championship belt there only reinforced his status as a great master regardless of the organization and rules.

6th place — Georges St-Pierre

Professional record: 26 wins, 2 losses.

Titles: UFC Welterweight and Middleweight Champion.

Career period: 2002 — 2019.

The Canadian fighter became a benchmark for professionalism and a scientific approach to training in MMA. Georges dominated the welterweight division for many years due to his perfect timing for leg takedowns and impeccable cardio, which allowed him to fully control the course of almost every fight. Four years after retiring from the welterweight division, he triumphantly returned to the octagon to win the middleweight title in the UFC and forever inscribe his name in history.

7th place — Jose Aldo

Professional record: 32 wins, 10 losses.

Titles: UFC Featherweight Champion, WECin the featherweight division.

Career period: 2002 — 2025.

"King of Rio" remained the dominant and absolute leader of the featherweight division for a whole decade, crushing opponents in WEC and UFC. His lethal low kicks and almost perfect takedown defense became the gold standard of MMA, which the new generation of fighters learned from. Jose successfully defended his UFC title seven times, repeatedly proving his tactical superiority over the most dangerous contenders of his era. Even after losing the belt, the Brazilian found the strength to move down to a lighter division and successfully compete there with young prospects, maintaining his legendary status.

8th place — Islam Makhachev

Professional record: 28 wins, 1 loss.

Titles: former UFC lightweight champion, current UFC welterweight champion.

Career period: 2010 — present.

No surprise here. Islam Makhachev has already done enough to etch his name among the best fighters in the history of the industry. The status of a UFC champion in two divisions, the first place in the P4P ranking, and the current streak of 16 consecutive wins put the Russian in the same league as legends like Jones and Silva. Makhachev combines phenomenal ground control with constantly progressing and very diverse striking. His dominant and calculated style leaves virtually no chance for opponents to impose their game, making Islam one of the most complete fighters of the modern era.

9th place — Chuck Liddell

Professional record: 21 wins, 9 losses.

Titles: UFC light heavyweight champion.

Career period: 1998 — 2010.

The legendary "Iceman" was one of the main pioneers of the golden era of UFC and a real crowd favorite during the formation of modern mixed martial arts. His uncompromising fighting style, focus on quick knockout, and colorful image attracted millions of new fans to the screens. Chuck had an incredibly heavy right hand punch, with which he coldly extinguished the lights of the tops of his time. There is no doubt that the "Iceman" deserves to be in our ranking.

10th place — Conor McGregor

Professional record: 22 wins, 6 losses.

Titles: UFC featherweight champion, UFC lightweight champion.

Career period: 2008 — present. 

Yes, if you look at Conor purely from a sports perspective, he is unlikely to be among the strongest and most versatile fighters of all time. But one cannot ignore the fact that the Irishman has revolutionized the world of martial arts. The historic knockout in the fight against Aldo, the loudest fight in the industry against Khabib, the status of a double UFC champion andGenius trash-talk - all this makes us include "Infamous" in our top ten. It was he who took mixed martial arts to a new level in terms of media and economic components.