Top 10 Greatest UFC Fighters of All Time

The premier combat sports promotion has seen many top talents give it their all and shine in their element like no other. Some have gone undefeated for most rounds in their fighting tenure, while others have achieved historic title stats. Even so, fans and pundits are often divided on the top 10 fighters and greatest names in the UFC ranks.

Whether it be Georges ‘Rush’ St-Pierre, Khabib Nurmagomedov, or the widely regarded WMMA GOAT, Amanda Nunes, here’s a look at the names that set the hallmark of combat standards.

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Top 10 Greatest UFC Fighters of All Time

1. Jon Jones

Modern times know of Jon Jones as the man who repeatedly backed out of the biggest heavyweight pay-per-view showdown against Tom Aspinall. But as a consensus GOAT fighter, ‘Bones’ has made his case and somewhere along the line, there’s a morcel of truth that he had very little left to prove.

Outside of a very early DQ by referee Steve Mazzagatti for his 12-6 “up-down” elbow strikes on Matt Hamill, Jones has never faced defeat. With the Association of Boxing Commissions and Combative Sports lifting that ban, the fighter even made a plea to have retired on undefeated stats.

Per UFC leaderboards, Jones also has the most title fight wins and the second-most takedown defense (95%). But more than those, it’s his aptitude for a fight and his battle IQ that have made Jon Jones who he is. Jones is now retired from active competition, having defended the heavyweight gold for the first time at UFC 309 last autumn.

2. Khabib Nurmagomedov

Khabib Nurmagomedov is widely considered one of the most recognizable names in the spectrum of MMA, and ‘The Eagle’ more than makes his case as an all-time top 10. For one, his rivalry with Conor McGregor has given way to a historic matchup at UFC 229, with $6,636,000 disclosed payouts! The spark of rivalry exists as a prime MMA topic even now.

For another, the Dagestani dynasty, AKA Team Khabib, has had many undefeated or otherwise top talents that have made their mark. His protégé, the former longtime 155-pound champ Islam Makhachev, was the promotion’s #1 Pound-for-pound fighter until very recently.

As for Nurmagomedov himself, he retired undefeated at 29-0. He chose not to lace up anymore after a win over Justin Gaethje at their UFC 254 PPV lightweight title fight. The matchup won him the Best Submission ESPY, Best Fighter honors, and some lifetime accolades after.

3. Georges St-Pierre

St-Pierre’s legacy as one of the most well-rounded martial artists is acknowledged by all. When it comes to the art of fighting, ‘Rush’ is what many adhere to. Even at age 44, the fighter often goes viral practicing and keeping in shape with equal ease.

Tapology’s #1 voted fan-favorite fighter, St-Pierre even made a ‘Marvel’ movie role due to his fighting acumen and popularity. Often called a welterweight GOAT, he made nine successful defenses. He avenged all his losses and hung it up after capturing the middleweight crown.

4. Demetrious ‘Mighty Mouse’ Johnson

Demetrious Johnson is often considered the most unheralded and underappreciated case of a champ with a complete understanding of MMA. Tapology’s #2 voted best fighter, Johnson, logged the most consecutive title defenses in UFC competition [11] at flyweight.

He boasted unparalleled fight skills, and the inaugural flyweight champ’s flying armbar at UFC 216 was one for the ages. However, Johnson’s high skill ceiling meant the competition went stale fast. After facing Henry Cejudo and a highly publicized trade-off, he crossed over to ONE FC.

5. Amanda Nunes

Amanda Nunes elevated WMMA standards into a new zenith during her time. She was a unique name as a two-weight champ to have successfully defended her straps. ‘Lioness’ defeated big standouts like Cris Cyborg, Valentina Shevchenko, and even Ronda Rousey.

Her X5 Performance of The Night Bonus, most WMMA KOs logged, and championship status at bantamweight/featherweight solidified her path as one of the greatest fighters.

6. Ronda Rousey

Rousey is considered the pioneer of WMMA standards. She starred in the first female fight at UFC 157 and was the inaugural WMMA bantamweight titleholder. Rousey, 12-2-0, was also the first American woman judoka to win bronze at the 2008 Summer Olympics.

From early on, her performances spelled pure dominance, making her state her case for the best of the best. She is best known for her stints at UFC and WWE and has made quite a name for herself.

7. Daniel Cormier

Daniel Cormier is a class of his own when it comes to fighting. A two-time Olympian, StrikeForce HWY Grand Prix/UFC heavyweight and light heavyweight champ, ‘DC’ has been remarkable. The second two-weight champ in competition history, holding both hardware simultaneously, placed him on the apex list of combatants.

While his personal life was strife with a lot of struggles, Cormier made his mark true. His rivalry and dynamic with those like Jones and Stipe Miocic will live on for ages to come and characterize the sport.

8. Conor McGregor

Conor McGregor is a name that revolutionized the sport with more and more mainstream media attention. The Euro-style striker isn’t known for his records or fight stats, but for how he made the fight culture a household name.

But that doesn’t mean the Team SBG Ireland fighter isn’t void of his skillset. McGregor’s standup, during his peak heyday, produced dazzling KOs. Something that people flocked to. He was the first and only fighter to pioneer crossover boxing during an active contract.

Even now, ‘The Notorious’ touts the top 5 biggest pay-per-view outputs to date. While contentious for a number of reasons, the Irishman surely makes his case for the top 10 UFC names.

9. Kamaru Usman

It’d be criminal not to include Kamaru Usman in the list, when even UFC CEO Dana White says he’s the current welterweight GOAT. His 15-fight win streak, featuring a 5-0 defense in his first reign, is something that sets him above the rest.

Part of the ‘Three African Kings’ on the roster, his high-profile fights set him apart like no other. Double victories over formidable brand names like Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal set the bar even higher. He even took the challenge to the explosive Khamzat Chimaev on short notice. Usman recently rebounded from his three-fight losing streak and sent a surging contender packing. Now, he aspires to get back to his glory days.

10. Anderson Silva

With a long win streak, Anderson Silva is often characterized by his striking mastery in MMA. Matter of fact, if not for power output, many consider him one of the greatest strikers, and even now, social media is flooded with snippets of him and his techniques.

‘Spider’ was unanswerable in his prime due to his striking, and his title reign spanned a historic 2,457 days. While King of Brazil, Jose Aldo, and Charles Oliveira have their fame, Brazilian superstar Silva and his record-breaking career stats have been ones to look up to.