In the weeks following UFC 148, Anderson Silva has been hailed by many as the greatest MMA fighter in history. Detractors of Silva can no doubt name a few other worthy mixed martial artists that deserve the title as the greatest of all time. Selecting the best MMA fighters is a tough job. There are many to consider.
One could look back and bring up fighters such as Helio or Carlos Gracie, but comparing these to modern fighters can be tricky. Today's MMA fighters compete under a unified set of rules and under different conditions, so rather than consider both historic fighters and modern fighters, here is a selection of fighters who have been in the mix since 1993 and the first UFC.
Anderson Silva is arguably one of the best fighters of all time, a versatile athlete skilled in Muay Thai, as well as having black belts in Judo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He also holds a yellow rope in Capoeira, a Brazilian martial art that incorporates fighting and dance elements. He holds a highly impressive professional MMA record with 32 wins and just four losses. The majority of his wins have been by TKO, and he holds the UFC record for the most knockdowns, as well as the longest winning streak of a UFC fighter.
Randy Couture is certainly another candidate for the best of all time. While his record is not quite as strong as Silva's, he has a professional record of 19 wins and 11 losses. In addition, he is one of only two fighters to hold championship titles in two weight classes. His fighting record also includes wins against some of the sport's toughest competitors, including Vitor Belfort and Chuck Liddell. He was fighting well into his late 40s, retiring at the age of 47 after a loss against Lyoto Machida.
Not all of the great fighters are Ultimate Fighting Champions, however. Fedor Emelianenko has earned an impressive reputation with fights in Pride and RINGS. He was undefeated for nearly ten years, defeating 27 opponents from 2001 until a loss against Fabricio Werdum in 2010. In addition to MMA fights, he has won multiple gold medals at the World Sambo Championships and the Russian Sambo Championships.
While these three are certainly strong contenders for the best MMA fighter of all time, there are many others who deserve consideration. Some fans would make a case for fighters such as Matt Hughes or perhaps Georges St. Pierre or even BJ Penn as the best in the arena. Whichever fighter you prefer, as the MMA evolves, there will be some new blood dominating the sport and vying for a shot on everyone's Top Ten lists.
One could look back and bring up fighters such as Helio or Carlos Gracie, but comparing these to modern fighters can be tricky. Today's MMA fighters compete under a unified set of rules and under different conditions, so rather than consider both historic fighters and modern fighters, here is a selection of fighters who have been in the mix since 1993 and the first UFC.
Anderson Silva is arguably one of the best fighters of all time, a versatile athlete skilled in Muay Thai, as well as having black belts in Judo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He also holds a yellow rope in Capoeira, a Brazilian martial art that incorporates fighting and dance elements. He holds a highly impressive professional MMA record with 32 wins and just four losses. The majority of his wins have been by TKO, and he holds the UFC record for the most knockdowns, as well as the longest winning streak of a UFC fighter.
Randy Couture is certainly another candidate for the best of all time. While his record is not quite as strong as Silva's, he has a professional record of 19 wins and 11 losses. In addition, he is one of only two fighters to hold championship titles in two weight classes. His fighting record also includes wins against some of the sport's toughest competitors, including Vitor Belfort and Chuck Liddell. He was fighting well into his late 40s, retiring at the age of 47 after a loss against Lyoto Machida.
Not all of the great fighters are Ultimate Fighting Champions, however. Fedor Emelianenko has earned an impressive reputation with fights in Pride and RINGS. He was undefeated for nearly ten years, defeating 27 opponents from 2001 until a loss against Fabricio Werdum in 2010. In addition to MMA fights, he has won multiple gold medals at the World Sambo Championships and the Russian Sambo Championships.
While these three are certainly strong contenders for the best MMA fighter of all time, there are many others who deserve consideration. Some fans would make a case for fighters such as Matt Hughes or perhaps Georges St. Pierre or even BJ Penn as the best in the arena. Whichever fighter you prefer, as the MMA evolves, there will be some new blood dominating the sport and vying for a shot on everyone's Top Ten lists.
About the Author:
Nolan Barias likes writing about mixed martial arts benefits. To get additional info about jiu jitsu San Diego or to find mixed martial arts classes in San Diego, visit The Arena MMA website today.
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