Wonder which fighters are among the best UFC fighters of all time? Do you enjoy watching boxing? How about Capoeira or Jiu-jitsu? Well how about enjoying all of them in one fight? The Ultimate Fighting Championship offers spectators the opportunity to contemplate all of the above-mentioned combat styles and more, all in a single competition! In 1993, Rorion Gracie and Art Davie made this a reality when they decided to host a competition among eight brave fighters, with the purpose of proving which combat style was more effective in a man-to-man fight. That competition was UFC 1, and was held at the McNichols Sports Arena in Denver, Colorado (which has since been razed).
Since that first event, which was attended by just 8,000 people and seen by less than 100,000 on pay-per-view (PPV), mixed martial arts and the UFC in particular have become mainstream successes. Sold-out events are now hosted around the world, and the PPV buy rates climb into the millions for some events. What we’ve seen from UFC 1 until now is fighters morph from largely single disciplines into well-rounded fighters that are skilled in all aspects of the mixed-martial arts game; be it stand-up, take-downs, submissions, or wrestling. While not even the best of these fighters could be considered one of the deadliest weapons in the world, they are indeed human weapons that an average person would have no chance at sub-doing in a melee.
Would you like to know who the top five of these human weapons are? Read on to find out who are the best UFC fighters of all time.
5. Mark “The Hammer” Coleman
Mark “The Hammer” Coleman made his way to the Hall of Fame of the Ultimate Fighting Championship after being the first ever UFC Heavyweight Champion and having pretty much invented the ground and pound. Holding a record of 16-10-0 (W-L-D), The Hammer’s favorite technique was to drop his opponents to the floor with a double-leg take-down and then unleash vicious ground and pound on them. He was an expert in wrestling and weighed over 200 pounds. Would you have entered the Octagon to confront this beast?
To find out which four are the best UFC fighters of all time, keep reading on the next page.
4. Forrest Griffin
With a 19-7-0 (W-L-D) record, this Political Science graduate has won several Light Heavyweight Championships, as well as the title of The Ultimate Fighter from the hit reality series of the same name. This guy does not stick to one technique; he is up for anything as long as it gets his rival on the ground and out of the fight! Griffin made his way to the Wall of Fame of the UFC after such exploits as winning the Fight of the Night Award twice, against both Anderson Silva and Rashad Evans, and receiving the Submission of the Night against Mauricio Rua.
3. Anderson “The Spider” Silva
Anderson “The Spider” Silva needs no introduction. The Brazilian ultimate fighter holds an outstanding record of 33-6-0 (W-L-D) and is known for his well rounded-ness and speed. Silva holds several records; he made 10 successful title defenses and had 9 consecutive UFC wins, surpassing the legendary Royce Gracie. Even though today the record stands at 16 consecutive wins, Silva marked an era and is still making history. He is an expert in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu and has won the UFC Middleweight Championship as well as the Cage Rage Championship among others. Fun fact to know: The Spider is his nickname and Spiderman is his hero.
2. Anthony “Showtime” Pettis
Anthony “Showtime” Pettis is one of the most remarkable fighters the UFC has ever had. Pettis is currently the lightweight title holder. His nickname says it all; this guy does not go into the Octagon only to win, he always puts on a show for the audience to enjoy. When asked about his favorite technique, this lightweight champion replied: “I am a very flashy fighter so I like any technique that makes the audience go crazy“. But don’t be deceived by his show, for “Showtime” holds a record of 17-2-0 (W-L-D) and he is a master of Jiu-jitsu, Taekwondo, kickboxing and much more.
1. Royce Gracie
Leaving the best for last is exactly what I did. Royce Gracie is by far THE BEST Ultimate Fighter in history! This Brazilian fighter is one of the best grapplers in the world and he is seen as the godfather of Mixed Martial Arts. He was the first fighter to be included into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2003. Son of the iconic Brazilian Master of Jiu-jitsu, Helio Gracie, Royce firmly grasped the Jiu-jitsu technique. Back in 1993, Royce beat Akebono in less than 3 minutes, and let’s not forget that Akebono weighed over 480 pounds and was the Sumo Grand Champion. Gracie holds a record of 13-2-2 (W-L-D); nevertheless, the most important fact to keep in mind is that most UFC fighters point him out as their inspiration and motivation to become ULTIMATE FIGHTERS.
By Tarek Hamdan
