By MMA Ratings Staff
For a sport that is relatively young compared to others, MMA has produced some talented fighters. Although many people will have their own ideas about who the best have been so far, not many will argue against the fact that they all should be on this list in some form. For those that are new to the sport, here are some of the best MMA fighters, both men and women, of all time:
5. Ronda Rousey
There has been more than a little controversy surrounding Ronda Rousey over the years. She is seen by many as a fake and a fraud, and someone that is a product of media hype. However, she has beaten some of the best female fighters in the world. After her defeat to Holly Holm, she struggled to cope with the criticism and abuse she suffered, but this doesn’t detract from the fact that she is a hugely capable fighter.
Before his recent win over Stipe Miocic, Daniel Cormier would probably have been best remembered for his loss in 2015 to arch-rival Jon Jones. It is probably a match that many would want to recover from a damaged drive by Secure Data Recovery due to its importance. However, ever since Jones was found to have failed a steroid test after their second bout, there has been a lot of sympathy towards Cormier. This double champion is now considered by to be one of the best fighters in MMA history.
3. Jon Jones
Although he has recently been subject to many detractors because of his steroid use, Jon Jones is still thought to be one of the best MMA fighters of all time. His unorthodox approach and spectacular kicks and punches have made him difficult to beat. He also adds a good knowledge of wrestling as well to make him a formidable foe.
Georges St-Pierre, or GSP as he’s known, has ruled the 170-pound division of MMA for many years. Virtually undefeated, with wins over every fighter he’s faced, this karateka was lethal in the ring with excellent combinations. He made a triumphant return to the sport at middleweight to win a title there, but has not fought since due to injury.
Although he has been criticized by many MMA fans for avoiding world-class opposition in the UFC, Fedor Emelianenko has an amazing track record. He fought in the heavyweight division for many years, and in that time, fought some of the best in the world. It was only towards the end of his career that his ability and winning streak started to falter. His Sambo-centric wrestling and excellent Jiu-Jitsu technique allowed him to beat fighters such as Mark Hunt and Andrei Arlovski. And combined with the fact that at 5’11” tall he is one of the sport’s smaller heavyweight fighters, that gives him the top spot.
There are many other fighters worthy of mention, but these five are arguably the best of all time.
