Although the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) was established in 1993, the fighting league did not gain widespread recognition until 2001, when Dana White was elected president. Although boxing was formerly the most popular combat sport, the UFC now has a dominant position, and Jon Jones’ most recent triumph in his first Heavyweight Championship defense reaffirmed his superiority.
Numerous outstanding UFC competitors from every weight class have also come and gone. From a crazy beginning, we have watched this organization develop into one of the most well-known sports leagues worldwide. Having said that, these are the top 25 UFC fighters ever.
*Note: Following Jon Jones’ triumph at UFC 309, this rating was revised. Numerous stars have risen in the UFC in recent years, even since the original publication of this article. Some legends have to be removed from this list for this update as a result. They received honorable mentions if they were.
Nogueira, HM. Antonio Rodrigo
Record of Career: 34-10-1, 1 NC
Class of Weight: Heavyweight
Awards: UFC Hall of Fame, Knockout of the Night, and two Fight of the Night
UFC Titles Won: Temporary Heavyweight
Defenses for the UFC Title: 0
Brazil became well-known in the MMA world thanks in part to Antonio Nogueira. He could always find a way to win and was an amazing all-around fighter. Nogueira is a genuine sporting legend.
Junior dos Santos, HM
21-9-0 is the career record.
Class of Weight: Heavyweight
Three Knockout of the Night and three Fight of the Night awards
UFC Titles Won: Heavyweight
Defenses for the UFC Title: 1
There was a time when Junior dos Santos was the world’s top heavyweight fighter. Few could stop him because of his unique knockout power. Given that he lost his last four fights, Dos Santos most likely stayed active for an excessive amount of time—one year. He was an extremely frightening man before that.
HM. Edgar Frankie
HM. Edgar Frankie
Record for Career: 23-11-1
Class of Weight: Lightweight, Featherweight, and Bantamweight
Knockout of the Night, two Performance of the Night, and eight Fight of the Night awards
UFC Titles Won: Lightweight
Three UFC Title Defenses
Frankie Edgar, arguably one of the greatest boxers in MMA history, frequently entered the ring with a well-thought-out strategy. Despite spending a lot of time at featherweight and bantamweight, he should be regarded as one of the greatest lightweights of all time.
Alistair Overeem, HM
Record of Career: 47-19-0, 1 NC
Class of Weight: Heavyweight, Light Heavyweight
Awards: Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion, DREAM Heavyweight Champion, Fight of the Night, and Performance of the Night
Belts Obtained: 0
Defenses of Title: 0
Even before entering the UFC, Alistair Overeem was already a legend. Having competed in almost every league possible, he is regarded as one of the greatest fighters in MMA history. His impressive 47 total victories more than make up for his 19 losses, which isn’t ideal for one of the greatest fighters of all time, but that’s the life of a heavyweight. Although Overeem suffered some significant defeats in the UFC, he was constantly a contender for the belt.
HM. Dan Henderson
Record for Career: 32-15-0
Weight Classes: Light Heavyweight, Heavyweight, Middleweight, and Welterweight
Knockout of the Night, 4x Fight of the Night, 2x Performance of the Night, and UFC Middleweight Tournament winner PRIDE Welterweight & Middleweight Champion, Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion, UFC Hall of Fame, 2011 Fight of the Year, and 2007 MMA Fighter of the Year
Belts Obtained: 0
Defenses of Title: 0
Dan Henderson, one of the most thrilling knockout fighters in mixed martial arts, has shown himself to be a formidable opponent wherever he competes. After dominating non-UFC leagues, he maintained his position at the top of the rankings for the duration of his career. Many generations of MMA fans witnessed Henderson’s genius because he had one of the longest careers in UFC history. Henderson never managed to win a title in the UFC, despite winning belts in other promotions.
Bisping, Michael
30-9-0 is the career record.
Class of Weight: Light Heavyweight, Middleweight
Awards: UFC Hall of Fame, 5x Fight of the Night, 2x Performance of the Night, and the Ultimate Fighter 3 Light Heavyweight Tournament winner
UFC Titles Won: Middleweight
Defenses for the UFC Title: 1
After winning the Ultimate Fighter, Michael Bisping, one of the most successful fighters in UFC history, made a name for himself. He then routinely topped the rankings and put on thrilling performances, including one of the greatest upsets ever when he defeated Luke Rockhold without warning.
Ngannou, Francis
17-3 is the career record.
Class of Weight: Heavyweight
Six Performance of the Night awards
UFC Titles Won: Heavyweight
Defenses for the UFC Title: 1
Francis Ngannou is the hardest puncher in history. Perhaps the most terrifying boxer to ever don gloves was the heavyweight. After just one title defense, Ngannou left the UFC due to contract problems, therefore his reign didn’t last as long as it should have. Despite having the potential to be a heavyweight G.O.A.T., Ngannou ended up being one of the biggest what-ifs in UFC history.
Pereira, Alex
12-2 is the career record.
Class of Weight: Light Heavyweight, Middleweight
Awards: Fivex Performance of the Night, Fight of the Night
Middleweight, Lightweight, and Heavyweight UFC Belts Won
Three UFC Title Defenses
Conor McGregor is the only person who has accomplished so much in such a short period of time. Alex Pereira is now 37 years old and didn’t enter the UFC until 2021. But in that short time, Pereira won middleweight and light heavyweight belts, developed a legendary rivalry with Israel Adesanya, and had one of the greatest single-year runs ever in 2024, which included three knockout wins.
Pereira has knockout power in his punches and can inflict harm with leg kicks. Even though Poatan is older, he has frequently stepped up for the UFC on short notice, and he may soon have the opportunity to become the first triple champion. At the moment, Pereira is the UFC’s biggest (active) star.
Gracie Royce
15-2-3 is the career record.
Class of Weight: Light Heavyweight, Middleweight, and Welterweight
Awards: UFC Hall of Fame, UFC Viewers’ Choice Award, three UFC Tournament victories, and four most-fights-in-one-night
UFC Titles Won: N/A
Defenses for the UFC Title: N/A
Royce Gracie cannot be left out of a list of the best UFC fighters. He fought before weight classes were required and is considered the sport’s father. With his MMA Gi, Gracie was well-known as a submission artist. He and Ken Shamrock were the first people to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Gracie won his first 11 UFC bouts and was perhaps the first great UFC fighter.
Cruz, Dominick
24-4-0 is the career record.
Class of Weight: Bantamweight
Awards: Most victories in UFC/WEC Bantamweight history, Performance of the Night, and four Fight of the Night (14)
UFC Titles Won: Bantamweight
Three UFC Title Defenses
Throughout his career, which concluded in 2022, Dominick Cruz—famous for his unconventional methods—was among the top martial artists. He was at the forefront of the sport for years after making a seamless transition from the WEC to the UFC during the merger.
Usman Kamaru
20-4-0 is the career record.
Class of Weight: Welterweight
Awards: Fight of the Night, 4x Performance of the Night, Ultimate Fighter 21 Welterweight Tournament Winner, and the most wins in a row in Welterweight history (15).
Welterweight UFC Belts Won
Five UFC Title Defences
Despite losing his last three fights, Kamaru Usman has five title defenses under his belt and is still vying for the welterweight championship against Georges St-Pierre. Fans are hoping Usman can get back on track after he had the third-longest winning streak in UFC history. In any case, the Nigerian Nightmare has already had a career filled with legend.
BJ Penn
16-14-2 is the career record.
Class of Weight: Middleweight, Welterweight, and Lightweight
Awards: Hall of Fame, Knockout of the Night, Tapout of the Night, Two Fights of the Night, and Two Submissions of the Night
Lightweight and Welterweight UFC Belts Won
Three UFC Title Defenses
BJ Penn was a beast in his peak, even though his record may not be there. He is considered to be among the most dangerous submission artists in the history of the UFC. Penn’s record appears worse than it could have been due to his late career downturn.
Adesanya, Israel
24-4 is the career record.
Class of Weight: Light Heavyweight, Middleweight
Awards: Two Fight of the Night and six Performance of the Night
UFC Titles Won: Two Middleweight Titles, One Interim Middleweight Title
Five UFC Title Defences
In the octagon, Israel Adesanya is patient, but he usually picks his moments correctly. Before and during his title run, Adesanya won 12 straight middleweight bouts, making him maybe the second-greatest 185-pound fighter in history. Anderson Silva is the only fighter who is superior to him in that sense, and at UFC 234, The Last Style Bender defeated The Spider.
Makhachev, Islam
Record for Career: 26-1
Class of Weight: Lightweight
Three Fight of the Night and two Performance of the Night awards
UFC Titles Won: Lightweight
Three UFC Title Defenses
Islam Makhachev is rapidly rising in these rankings, and it may not be long until he is ranked in the same range as Khabib Nurmagomedov, his friend and guru. Makhachev has already achieved one of the most astounding records in history at 26-1, and he has done it by using his exceptional wrestling and takedown skills, just like the majority of Dagestani fighters. However, don’t be misled; the current Lightweight Champion is capable of competing with the best of them.
Hughes, Matt
45-9-0 is the career record.
Class of Weight: Welterweight
Awards: UFC Hall of Fame, 2005 Submission of the Year, Submission of the Night, and two Fight of the Night
Belts Won: Two Welterweight
Defenses of Title: 7
Possibly the best pure wrestler of all time is Matt Hughes. He never gave up until the bell was rung, and his strong motor kept his opponents on the defensive most of the time. Like Randy Couture, Hughes was a major contributor to the UFC’s rise to fame.
Liddell, Chuck
21-8-0 is the career record.
Class of Weight: Heavyweight, Light Heavyweight
Awards: UFC Hall of Fame, two Fight of the Night, and two Knockout of the Night
Light Heavyweight Belts Obtained
Title Defenses: Four
Chuck Liddell made the UFC famous in the early 2000s with his fierce knockouts while sporting his renowned mohawk. When most people initially started watching MMA, Liddell was probably their favorite fighter. He fought carelessly, but it usually worked, and it was entertaining to watch his fights.
Max Holloway
Record for Career: 26-8-0
Class of Weight: Lightweight, Featherweight
Awards: Most wins in UFC Featherweight history (20), 6x Fight of the Night, 4x Performance of the Night, and Knockout of the Night
Attained UFC Titles: Featherweight, BMF
Three UFC Title Defenses
Max Holloway is undoubtedly one of the most thrilling competitors in UFC history, and his performances are consistently amazing. Every time Holloway steps into the octagon, he puts on a show and loves to stand and bang. He is a true fighter. Holloway ranks #1 in terms of both significant strikes landed (3,457) and total strikes landed (3,706), and second in terms of fight length (8 hours, 2 minutes) overall.
He claims to be the UFC’s best boxer, and he’s probably not mistaken. This was demonstrated by Holloway’s outstanding performance against Calvin Kattar and his UFC 300 knockout of Justin Gaethje. That knockout, which was for the BMF title and occurred just before the buzzer after Holloway steered the fight—which he was winning—to the middle of the cage, is maybe the greatest in UFC history.
It’s not like Holloway hasn’t stepped up in the most important situations, but only legends have been able to slow him down (three defeats to Alexander Volkanovski, two to Dustin Poirier, and one to Conor McGregor). He continues to have the title of “baddest motherf*” in the UFC despite his numerous spectacular victories.
Volkanovski, Alexander
Record for Career: 26-4
Class of Weight: Featherweight
Awards: Performance of the Night, Fight of the Night three times
UFC Titles Won: Featherweight
Five UFC Title Defences
There’s a reason Alexander Volkanovski is known as “The Great.” Although Volkanovski has lost three of his last four UFC bouts, no one will question his accomplishments to date or his chances of recovering. Volkanovski won his first twelve UFC bouts.
Randy Couture
Record for the Career: 19-11-0
Class of Weight: Heavyweight, Light Heavyweight
Awards: UFC Hall of Fame, UFC Viewer Choice Award, UFC Tournament Winner, and two Fight of the Night
Three heavyweight titles, two light heavyweight titles, and an interim light heavyweight title were won.
Three title defenses
Among the most significant combatants in UFC history is Randy Couture. He is renowned for using powerful wrestling to maul opponents and for his grind-it-out approach against the cage. Couture is a legend in the UFC. Even though Couture was long past his peak, his dominance of James Toney at UFC 118 showed the tremendous advantage mixed martial artists have over boxers. Although he didn’t have both titles at once, Couture was the first UFC competitor to win two titles at once.
Cejudo, Henry
Career Record: 16–4
Weight Classes: Bantamweight and Flyweight
Awards: Fight of the Night, 3x Performance of the Night, and 4th All-Time Double-Champ
UFC Titles Won: Flyweight and Bantamweight
UFC Title Rebuttals: Two
Henry Cejudo, the fourth UFC fighter to win the title of “Champ-Champ,” eventually took home his first title before steamrolling for a second. Given that he is on the shortlist of individuals who can hold two titles at the same time, he must be ranked among the top 25 fighters. Because he has won gold three times, Cejudo is known as Triple C.
In addition to his two UFC titles, Cejudo won a gold medal in freestyle wrestling at the Olympics. In a cage, he clearly excelled in that area, but his standup was also far superior to what one might anticipate from someone with a wrestling experience.
Aldo José
32-9-0 is the career record.
Class of Weight: Lightweight, Featherweight, and Bantamweight
WEC Featherweight Champion, four Fight of the Night, and two Performance of the Night awards
Two featherweight titles were won.
Defenses of Title: 7
There have only ever been five UFC Featherweight Championship champions. Jose Aldo was the first. Between the WEC and the UFC, Aldo once went nine years without losing. He unretired in 2024 and is still active today. Aldo accomplished a lot more during his UFC career, but regrettably, he may always be most remembered for taking a punch from Conor McGregor.
McGregor, Conor
22-6-0 is the career record.
Class of Weight: Welterweight, Featherweight, and Lightweight
The first UFC double champion, Knockout of the Night, 7x Performance of the Night, 2x Fight of the Night, and the 13-second fastest title fight victory in UFC history Fighter of the Year in 2015, Highest Paid Athlete in 2021
Featherweight and Lightweight Belts Obtained
Defenses of Title: 0
Conor McGregor simply knows how to make people happy. He attracted attention with his mouth, then supported it with his fists. Nobody anticipated that McGregor, the first-ever “Champ-Champ,” would become the highest-paid athlete in the world in 2021.
After suffering a severe injury in 2021, The Notorious is presently recuperating, but it’s possible that he will return in 2025. It’s unclear if or when McGregor will make a comeback. He was scheduled to face Michael Chandler in 2024, but he ultimately withdrew from that bout. He doesn’t actually need the money, after all. He had one of the greatest primes ever, even though his CV wasn’t the best in UFC history overall. He is without a doubt the most significant UFC fighter of all time. Without McGregor, the sport wouldn’t be nearly as developed as it is now.
McGregor has a claim to be the most gifted striker in UFC history, despite his lack of strength and grappling skills. His 13-second knockout of Jose Aldo, the greatest in UFC history, demonstrated his inventiveness and effectiveness with both fists and legs.
Amanda Nunes
23-5-0 is the career record.
Women’s Featherweight and Women’s Bantamweight weight classes
Awards: Five times Performance of the Night, First Fighter in UFC History to Defend Two Titles at the Same Time, Third UFC Double-Champ, and Most Women’s UFC Title Wins (10).
Women’s Bantamweight (2x) & Featherweight Belts Won
Seven total title defenses (5 bantamweight, 2 featherweight)
Being the first fighter to ever defend titles in three divisions at the same time, Amanda Nunes, the third “Champ-Champ” in UFC history, completely destroyed two weight classes at once. It may be a long time before anyone can even challenge Nunes, who is by far the best female fighter of all time.
Cormier, Daniel
Record for Career: 22-3-0, 1 NC
Class of Weight: Heavyweight, Light Heavyweight
Awards: Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion, 3x Performance of the Night, 2x Fight of the Night, and 2nd UFC Double-Champ
Achieved Belts: Heavyweight, Light Heavyweight
Title Defenses: Four
“Champ-Champ” number two in UFC history. There is no denying that Daniel Cormier is a genuine sporting legend. He is among the world’s top wrestlers, but he can compete with the greatest in the world in standup as well. In the clinch, Cormier was the most dominant. Cormier was the only competitor that felt more at ease being in the middle of things during a battle. Throughout his MMA career, he only ever lost to two opponents, both of whom we shall discuss later.
Miocic Stipe
20-4-0 is the career record.
Class of Weight: Heavyweight
Five Performance of the Night Awards, three Fight of the Night Awards, and Knockout of the Night Awards
Belts Won: Two Heavyweight
Title Defenses: Four
The greatest heavyweight fighter of all time, Stipe Miocic, just retired from the UFC after losing to a competitor who ranks even higher on our ranking. Because heavyweights have the ability to knock out opponents at any time, this weight class fluctuates more than any other. Throughout his MMA career, Miocic has demonstrated himself to be an elite athlete. Like other heavyweights, Miocic possesses power, but his lethal boxing combinations, accuracy, and intelligence set him apart as a puncher.
Johnson, Demetrious
27-3-1 is the career record.
Class of Weight: Flyweight, Bantamweight
Awards: Winner of the UFC Flyweight Championship, 2019 ONE Flyweight World Grand Prix Champion, 3x Fight of the Night, 4x Performance of the Night, Submission of the Night, and Knockout of the Night
Attained Belts: Flyweight
11 Title Defenses
Demetrious Johnson placed second all-time in the number of title defenses after silently defending the Flyweight title 11 times in a row. One of the most exciting weight classes in the UFC today is the Flyweight division, which Johnson is credited with popularizing.
Mighty Mouse is the type of fighter that could probably give much bigger opponents a run for their money, even though he only fought at 125 pounds (and eventually moved up to 135 to become a double champ). Following his involvement in a trade that propelled him to the ONE Championship, Johnson even enjoyed success outside of the UFC. You may view his submission victory over Ray Borg from his time in the UFC. The flying armbar, which is widely regarded as the best submission in UFC history, is a prime illustration of Johnson’s skill in the cage.
Nurmagomedov Khabib
29-0 is the career record.
Class of Weight: Welterweight, Lightweight
Awards: 2020 UFC Honors Submission of the Year, three times Performance of the Night
Belts Obtained: Minimal weight
Three title defenses
Khabib Nurmagomedov led the pace in each and every bout he took part in, going 29-0. His strength in wrestling makes professional wrestlers appear inexperienced. He was even more lethal with his ground-and-pound after he had fighters on the ground. Perhaps the greatest of all time is Khabib. The biggest event in UFC history was the result of his feud with Conor McGregor, and if The Eagle hadn’t retired in his prime, he most likely could have maintained an unblemished record for a lot longer.
Silva, Anderson
Record of Career: 34-11-0, 1 NC
Class of Weight: Light Heavyweight, Middleweight
Two Submission of the Night, five Fight of the Night, and seven Knockout of the Night awards longest title reign (2,457 days) in UFC history
Titles Won: Middleweight
Ten Title Defenses
Anderson Silva was the finest in his peak and had one of the most dominant title reigns in UFC history. There was no question that he is among the best UFC fighters of all time once he dropped his hands down and used movement as his primary defense. Every spectator knew what was going to happen next: a knockout.
Silva had a lengthy and powerful heyday, and his striking was unrivaled. His late career was the only thing preventing him from taking the top rank.
St-Pierre Georges
26-2-0 is the career record.
Class of Weight: Middleweight, Welterweight
The UFC Hall of Fame, four Fight of the Night awards, Knockout of the Night, Submission of the Night, and Performance of the Night
Two Welterweight and Middleweight titles were won.
Title Defenses: 9
Georges St-Pierre had a reputation for dominating the battle and sticking to his strategy. More impressively, St-Pierre would frequently capitalize on his opponent’s advantages and beat them at their own game. He is possibly the best UFC competitor ever. The only two opponents St-Pierre lost to were Matt Hughes and Matt Serra, both of whom he later defeated by redemption.
Jones, Jon
Record for Career: 28-1-0, 1 NC
Class of Weight: Heavyweight, Light Heavyweight
Knockout of the Night, 2 Submission of the Night, 3 Performance of the Night, 4 Fight of the Night, The UFC Hall of Fame, the longest reign of a light heavyweight champion (1,501 days), the longest unbeaten run in UFC history (20), the youngest UFC champion (23 years old), and the most victories in UFC title fights (16)
Two Light Heavyweight and Heavyweight belts were earned.
You may ask Dana White to attest to the fact that Jon Jones, the Tom Brady/Michael Jordan of the UFC, is the best MMA fighter of all time. Jon Jones was only 23 when he won the Light Heavyweight title, and he went on to defend it 12 times. Jones advanced to Heavyweight and defeated Ciryl Gane at UFC 285 after defeating every opponent in the division. He most recently defeated heavyweight G.O.A.T. Stipe Miocic, and Bones has more historic bouts planned.
Although he has experienced his share of issues outside of the octagon, Jones is a formidable opponent. He is a terrifying opponent because of his technical technique and athletic prowess. He has never truly lost in the octagon because he is a full and flawless fighter. He was disqualified from a battle he was winning against Matt Hamill because to (now legalized) 12-6 elbows, which is the lone stain on his record.
