Top 10 Greatest MMA Fighters of All Time | J&J Talk

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Hello fight fans and subs of J&J Talk – we’re back with one of your most highly requested topics.

As the UFC readies to welcome crowds back in cage side, this spring feels like a time of rebirth for the sport of mixed martial arts. It’s a perfect time to look back at all the great fighters who have graced and continue to grace the cage.

You asked for a top 10 countdown, and we answered – here are our picks for MMA’s greatest fighters ever.

10. Dominick Cruz

For years, Dominick Cruz reigned over the bantamweight division, racking up championship wins in the WEC and later the UFC. Known for his highly technical footwork and movement, Cruz is a master tactician who understands the science of fighting.

With a mind that’s comparable to an MMA supercomputer, Cruz is also a talented commentator who can break down complex concepts for the average fan. He’s still active on the roster, too, scoring a win over Casey Kenney in March.

09. Daniel Cormier

A man who shares the commentary table (and initials) with our previous entry, DC is one of the UFC’s few two-division champions, having held the light heavyweight and heavyweight titles simultaneously. Cormier is known for his high-pressure wrestling style, but has also shown knockout power and submission skills.

Though he’s comfortably retired now, Cormier is still a UFC constant thanks to his commentary and media roles. He also shares his Olympic wrestling knowledge with the sport’s up and comers, serving as the coach of Gilroy High School since 2018.

08. Stipe Miocic

Up next is DC’s greatest heavyweight rival, Stipe Miocic. He’s the man who set the heavyweight title defense record, racking up two stoppage wins over former UFC and Strikeforce champs, and a decision over Francis Ngannou. Though Ngannou got his revenge, Miocic is still in the game, and is known to make adjustments in rematches (See DC 2 and 3, JDS 2).

What makes Miocic’s record-setting title run even more impressive is that he did it all while holding down another job. He works as a firefighter paramedic in his hometown of Cleveland, Ohio.

07. Jose Aldo

Brazil’s Jose Aldo holds claim to the greatest featherweight championship run of all time. Through his WEC and UFC reigns, he logged stoppage victories with spectacular Muay Thai striking and some of the most incredible takedown defense the sport has ever seen.

While many fighters move up weight classes, Aldo dropped to bantamweight later in his career. Though he came up short in his bid to become a double champion, he is still active and last won in December.

06. Henry Cejudo

Joining Daniel Cormier on the list of simultaneous double champs is Henry Cejudo. He’s also an Olympic gold medalist, earning him the moniker of “Triple C.” Cejudo boasts wins over some all-time greats in both the flyweight and bantamweight divisions.

After his victory over Dominick Cruz in May of 2020, Cejudo unexpectedly announced his retirement. But given he’s still relatively young, many speculate he could return. Should he challenge for and win the featherweight title, he’d be the first three-division champ in UFC history and upgrade his moniker to “C4.”

05. Anderson Silva

If there’s any other man who joins Jose Aldo in introducing Western audiences to the lethality of Muay Thai striking, it’s Anderson Silva. The knockout artist was so proficient in the 8-point style, he earned the nickname “The Spider.” He’s known for several creative techniques, such as an uppercut elbow and elbow strikes from a triangle choke position.

Silva truly hit his prime when he entered the UFC, going on a historic middleweight title run and shattering records. He also ventured up to light heavyweight three times during his reign, scoring a trio of first-round stoppages, including one over a former world champion one-fight removed from the title.

04. Khabib Nurmagomedov

A Sambo prodigy who wrestled bears in his youth, Khabib Nurmagomedov is a candidate for the best grappler the sport has ever seen. Not only has Nurmagomedov never lost a fight at 29-0, but he’s arguably never lost a round and never even been rocked by a strike.

While every opponent knew what he was going to do, no one could stop him. And while his abrupt retirement after three title defenses left fans wanting more, Nurmagomedov seems content to coach and pass on his skills to others. As a coach, he currently boasts a record of 4-0.

03. Jon Jones

Jon Jones is arguably the most well-rounded fighter the sport has ever seen. With a diverse striking game, strong wrestling base, and dangerous submission skills, he’s a threat anywhere the fight goes. Jones is perhaps best known for his fight IQ, using a mastery of range and timing to topple greats and generate a near-perfect record.

After setting the record for most wins in UFC title fights with 14, the light heavyweight king is now in the process of moving to heavyweight. With wins there, Jones could likely move up even higher in all-time rankings.

02. Georges St.-Pierre

While the man known as GSP came from a karate background, he quickly picked up wrestling despite no prior training. Not only was he a natural athlete, but his ability to learn and perfect skills quickly helped him stay ahead of his division. He continued his evolution as a fighter across two title reigns spanning over a decade.

After setting the record of most welterweight wins with 19 and most welterweight title wins with 13, he would announce a temporary retirement. In 2017, after four years away, he would return to middleweight and claim the championship, becoming the fourth multi-division champ in UFC history.

01. Fedor Emelianenko

In a sport where even the greatest can fall in an instant, it’s rare to see a fighter put together an uninterrupted streak of dominance. That’s exactly what Fedor Emelianenko did between his debut in 2000 and the summer of 2010, racking up a decade of dominant victories in a run that was the first of its kind.

Despite an unassuming appearance and frequent size disadvantage, he boasted a combination of strength and speed that would crumble larger opponents and trounce specialists at their own game. He’s won titles and tournaments across multiple MMA organizations, most notably in Pride. While Emelianenko never fought in the UFC, he did defeat multiple UFC champions during his historic unbeaten streak.