The 10 Greatest Champions in MMA History
When you need to determine who is the best in a particular sport, sports arise. As a rule, this is due to the subjective opinion of everyone. For example, Michael Jordan is considered the greatest player of all time in basketball. But not all people agree with this.
MMA is a relatively young sport. Only a few professionally run and sanctioned competitions are available to analyze the best. However, comparing active fighters in the early years of the sport and those fighting for titles now takes a lot of work. For this reason, the opinions of many people differ significantly.
With that being said, some fighters have undoubtedly made significant contributions to the sport and achieved great success in their respective careers. Below, we have compiled a list of what many consider to be the top 10 GOATs in MMA history.
Anderson Silva
- Years Active: 1997-2020
- MMA Record: 34-11-0
- Weight Class: Middleweight
- Nickname: The Spider
Anderson “The Spider” Silva is no surprise on this list, widely regarded as one of the most inspiring champions in MMA history. Silva distinguished himself from others in his division with his cerebral approach to fighting, supplemented by unconventional training techniques.
He won the Cage Rage middleweight championship before unifying it with the UFC middleweight championship in just three fights, against Rich Franklin, Travis Lutter, and Nate Marquardt. Silva then defended the belt an impressive ten times.
Jose Aldo
- Years Active: 2002-present
- MMA Record: 31-8-0
- Weight Class: Bantamweight
- Nickname: Junior
Jose Aldo is the first and current UFC featherweight champion. He was awarded the championship in a ceremony before UFC 123 in November 2010 after already defending his WEC featherweight title twice. Aldo won his first title defense by unanimous decision over both Mark Hominick and Kenny Florian.
Aldo’s most impressive performance was at UFC 142 when he knocked out Chad Mendes in the first round. He recently won a 140-pound boxing match against Emmanuel Zambrano and will fight Jeremy Stephens in a six-round bout in the co-main event of Gamebred Boxing 4 on April 1 in Milwaukee. In their 2018 match, Aldo was a -135 favorite according to UFC betting odds.
Georges St-Pierre
- Years Active: 2002–2013, 2017
- MMA Record: 26-2-0
- Weight Class: Middleweight
- Nickname: Rush
Georges St. Pierre put an end to Matt Hughes’ dominant reign as the UFC welterweight champion, and then went on to become the most dominant welterweight champion in UFC history. What made GSP stand out from other champions was his ability to overcome setbacks that would have ended the careers of most MMA fighters.
The Canadian successfully defended the title nine times before retiring from MMA, but returned in 2017 to win the middleweight belt from Michael Bisping before retiring as the middleweight champion.
Demetrious Johnson
- Years Active: 2007-present
- MMA Record: 24-4-1
- Weight Class: Bantamweight
- Nickname: Mighty Mouse
Johnson successfully defended his belt 11 times during his long reign as the UFC champion, defeating top competitors such as Henry Cejudo, Joseph Benavidez, and John Dodson. His reign ended with a controversial loss to Henry Cejudo in a rematch, after which he was traded to ONE Championship in a unique cross-promotion trade that saw the UFC acquire Ben Askren.
Fedor Emelianenko
- Years Active: 2000–2012, 2015–2023
- MMA Record: 40-7-0
- Weight Class: Heavyweight
- Nickname: The Last Emperor
During the PRIDE era, The Last Emperor was a remarkably dominant champion. He won the heavyweight Grand Prix, defended his title three times, and achieved an impressive 27-fight winning streak. His opponents during his reign included notable fighters such as Mark Hunt, Mirko Cro Cop, and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (whom he defeated twice), as well as Mark Coleman (whom he defeated twice) among others.
Khabib Nurmagomedov
- Years Active: 2008–2020
- MMA Record: 29-0-0
- Weight Class: Lightweight
- Nickname: The Eagle
Khabib Nurmagomedov is frequently mentioned among the most dominant champions in MMA history, with a reputation as one of the most dominant grapplers of all time. The Eagle is known for his takedowns, and once on the ground, he relentlessly lands heavy strikes. Khabib defended the UFC lightweight title three times before announcing his retirement in 2020, ending his career with a perfect 29-0-0 professional record.
Randy Couture
- Years Active: 1997–2011
- MMA Record: 19-11-0
- Weight Class: Light Heavyweight
- Nickname: The Natural
It would be a mistake to leave Randy Couture out of any conversations about the greatest of all time in MMA. The Natural has a storied career with notable victories over some of the biggest names in the sport, including Tito Ortiz, Vitor Belfort, Chuck Liddell, and Tim Sylvia. His ability to compete in multiple weight classes and his impressive longevity in the sport further cement his legacy.
Ronda Rousey
- Years Active: 2010–2016
- MMA Record: 12-2-0
- Weight Class: Bantamweight
- Nickname: Rowdy
Ronda Rousey‘s dominance in women’s MMA is unparalleled. She ruled the bantamweight division with an iron fist, defending her title six times in a row with a string of quick and devastating finishes. Rowdy’s signature armbar submission became a feared weapon that she used to dispatch some of the biggest names in the sport, including Miesha Tate, Sarah Kaufman, and Cat Zingano, among others.
Amanda Nunes
- Years Active: 2008–present
- MMA Record: 22-5-0
- Weight Class: Bantamweight
- Nickname: The Lioness
Amanda is a two-division champion who has easily defeated top fighters such as Miesha Tate, Ronda Rousey, Cris Cyborg, and Holly Holm, finishing each of them in just one round. With two victories over the highly regarded Valentina Shevchenko, Nunes has established her GOAT status during a six-year unbeaten streak. Even if she bounces back from her recent loss to Julianna Pena, it will only add to her legacy as a dominant champion and serve as a reminder of her GOAT status.
Jon Jones
- Years Active: 2008–present
- MMA Record: 26-1-0
- Weight Class: Light Heavyweight
- Nickname: Bones
No one in MMA can compare to Jones’ dominance. He became the youngest UFC champion when he defeated Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, and has never legitimately lost the belt. Though controversies led to Bones being stripped of the title several times, no one has handed him a legitimate loss. He has successfully defended his light-heavyweight title 11 times and is currently preparing for his heavyweight debut. Jones even urged Daniel Cormier to commentate on his UFC 285 return, as you can read here.
