Best MMA Fighters From North Carolina
The state of North Carolina has produced numerous top combat sports athletes. This includes some really good MMA fighters.
Here is a list of the best MMA fighters from North Carolina.
Derek Brunson
Derek Brunson is easily one of the best MMA fighters from North Carolina, if not the best. The veteran UFC middleweight has been one of top ranked fighters in the division for years.
Brunson came into the sport of MMA and quickly began making waves. He entered the UFC in 2014 and it was obvious that he was going to be a force in the future.
During his almost decade in the UFC, Brunson earned numerous big wins. He stopped former champion Lyoto Machida, Uriah Hall, Dan Kelly, Kevin Holland, and Darren Till.
Derek has now moved over to PFL, where he made a statement by beating former champ Ray Cooper III. The North Carolina will look to earn his first world title and earn big paychecks in his new home.
David Branch
David Branch is a former UFC veteran and one of the best MMA fighters from North Carolina. Branch has had stints in every major MMA organization from the UFC, Bellator, PFL, and Strikeforce.
In his career, Branch has earned some impressive wins over some of the best fighters in the sport. Everyone from former BJJ world champions Vinny Magalhaes, Jesse Taylor, Yushin Okami, and Thiago Santos.
At 42, Branch is now signed with ONE Championship in 2022 but has yet to make his debut. He has earned a 22-7 record and would like to rack up a few more wins before calling it a career.
Spencer Fisher
Spencer Fisher was one of the best MMA fighters from North Carolina during the late 2000s in the UFC. “The King” put on some of the most exciting performances in his 10-year career.
During his career, Spencer earned 3 FOTN honors and 1 SOTN bonus. Most notable were his epic battles with Sam Stout, which were exciting classics.
The two first faced each other in 2007 in the main event of a UFC Fight Night in 2007 and later in 2012. Funny enough, the last bout between the two was the last of Fisher’s career and he went out with a bang.
This fight earned the last FOTN honors for the fighters and capped off an impressive career for Fisher.
Jordan Rinaldi
Next on our list of the best MMA fighters from North Carolina is former UFC vet Jordan Rinaldi. The Charlotte native fought in both the lightweight and featherweight divisions during his career.
He was successful early on in his fighting career and earned a spot in the UFC in 2016. During his 5-fight run in the UFC, Rinaldi went 2-3 with a big win over tough MMA veteran Jason Knight.
After losing his last fight to Arnold Allen, Rinaldi called it a career with a record of 14-7.
Jason Miller
Last on our list of the best MMA fighters from North Carolina is the controversial Jason “Mayhem” Miller. Mayhem is unfortunately known for his psychotic breaks, but he was a good MMA fighter.
In his career, Miller fought in every major promotion and fought numerous legends. He fought the legend Georges St. Pierre and submitted Japanese legend Sakuraba. We hope that Miller gets the help he needs in the future.
