Who is the best MMA fighter of all time?

1. Top Ten Best Fighters In The World Ever
2. Top Ten Best Fighters In The World History
3. Top 10 Best Ufc Fighters In The World
4. Top 10 Best Fighters In The World All Time

Who is the best UFC fighter ever? Read on the find out.

Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) had become one of the major sports that has won the hearts of many. The MMA came into limelight during the days of “the underground” where there were basically no rules and sanctioned fighters were allowed to do all sorts of moves, including hair pulling and groin strikes.

Best masters of martial arts, movie stars that earned their status through years of practice and professional world champions. They are admired, feared or even hated by those who envy them. They are the greatest fighters of all time and this list is a representation of how the society ranks them. Khabib Nurmagomedov, Jon Jones, and Israel Adesanya are three of the top pound-for-pound athletes competing in mixed martial arts today. The pound-for-pound concept ranks fighters according to talent, potential, accomplishments, recent level of competition, and victories. They tend to create arguments, and Insider's is no different. Currently top 10 fighter aircraft in the world are these: Nr.1 Lockheed Martin / Boeing F-22 Raptor (USA) The F-22 Raptor air superiority fighter is almost invisible to radars. This aircraft carries a powerful array of weaponry. It is the most advanced and most expensive production fighter.

To determine who the best fighters are, among the numerous fighters to have graced the MMA, we have considered factors such as their dominance in the game, their skills, and their peaks. Yet, it still boils down to endless debate when trying to determine who the greatest fighters of all-time are.

This article gives insight into the top-20 of the best MMA fighters ever. History will never forget their contributions and how they have been able to gain the hearts of fans in the MMA space.

Here are the Best MMA Fighters of All-Time in UFC History

* Pro MMA record are in Win-Loss-Draw and No Contest formats.

20. Quinton Jackson “Rampage”

• Country: United States
• Record: 38-14-0

There are different tactics and fighting styles in the MMA, and each fighter is usually known for a particular skill or tactic. For Jackson, (also known as Rampage) his spectacular tactics were to carry his opponent over his head and give them great slams. He was popularly known for his move and it also helped to save him on several occasions. An instance was when he was stuck in Ricardo Arona’s triangle submission. Surprisingly, he delivered himself – using this spectacular move.

19. Amanda Nunes “The Lioness”

• Country: Brazil
• Record: 20-4-0

This is one of the greatest female fighters ever to grace the MMA and the UFC. After her great defeat at the UFC 178, she was able to turn things around. Shortly after the loss, she bounced back and became an animal, defeating many of her mates including the notorious Cyborg. Amanda Nunes is gradually becoming one of the biggest names in the industry.

18. Wanderlei Silva “The Axe Murderer”

• Country: Brazil
• Record: 35-14-1, 1 NC

Nicknamed ‘The Axe Murderer’, Silva gained his nickname by how he fights. Going back to the days when he was in his prime, only a few other fighters had the courage to face him. How he would stare at his opponent and wring their hands was one of the things the world will never forget about him. What many liked about Silva was how he would chase his opponents, as he moved forward forcing his opponent to move backwards in response to the deadly pressure being mounted.

17. Randy Couture “The Natural”

• Country: United States
• Record: 19-11-0

To become the UFC champion on two different occasions in one’s career as a fighter in the MMA is not easy to achieve. Randy Couture is one of the few fighters who has been able to achieve this, thus, joining the ranks of the best UFC fighters ever. Randy was popularly known for his “dirty boxing’ tactics, which have earned him victory over his opponents on several occasions.

16. Frankie Edgar “The Answer”

• Country: United States
• Record: 23-8-1

Edgar became popular when he had a remarkable victory over B. J. Penn. Prior to the fight, Penn had smashed Diego Sanchez, and fans were expecting Penn to at least keep the momentum going for a short while. Surprisingly, Edgar had a fantastic victory over him. What surprised fans most was how he was able to prove himself as he did in several consecutive challenges after beating Penn.

15. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira “Minotauro”

• Country: Brazil
• Record: 34-10-1, 1 NC

To win the UFC Heavyweight title is no easy feat. However, Antonio Rodrigo is one of the rare fighters to earn this through his fights and victories over many big names in the industry. He was known for not wasting time in going for the submission. Unlike other fighters who will hold their opponent closely and wait for the referee to come to stand them back up, Rodrigo had spectacular moves he used in getting his opponents stuck in his trap.

14. Mauricio Rua “Shogun”

• Country: Brazil
• Record: 26-11-1

Nicknamed as Shogun, Rua is popularly known for his superior striking skills. He is also known for not rushing to go for the submission. He would make sure he satisfies his appetite by dishing out some heavy hammer fists on his opponents before going for the submission. Shogun had his training with a few other fighters at the famous Chute Boxe Academy in Brazil. Coming out of such an academy, Rua’s moves came as no surprise to fans.

13. Dan Henderson “Hendo”

• Country: United States
• Record: 32-15-0

Nicknamed Hendo, Dan Henderson was popular for his overhand right tactics. With the power in his right hand, he was able to defeat many of his opponents. Another thing that has helped Henderson survive the heavy impacts of his opponents’ blows was his iron chin. With this chin, he was able to withstand heavy blows that might have finished other fighters.

12. Dominick Cruz “The Dominator”

• Country: United States
• Record: 22-3-0

Cruz is popularly known for his superb movements, which made it hard for his opponents to predict what his next move would be. The number one item on his priority list was to not get hit. Although he is not one of the best when it comes to submission and knockout, he is able to comfortably evade many of his opponents’ hits.

11. Daniel Cormier “DC”

• Country: United States
• Record: 22-2-0, 1 NC

This is one of the few fighters to have gained success in both heavyweight and light heavyweight divisions. Cormier was able to defeat many of his opponents who would stand on his way of maintaining his position as light heavyweight champion. However, he was stopped by Jon Jones.

10. Conor McGregor “The Notorious”

• Country: Ireland
• Record: 22-4-0

Conor McGregor is one of the biggest names in the industry right now who is popularly known for his frequent trash talks. Ranked #4 in the UFC lightweight rankings and #8 in the UFC Men’s pound for pound rankings as of June 2020, McGregor is also one of the rare fighters who have been able to hold the UFC featherweight and lightweight titles two times. His left punch is one of his most favourite weapons and he uses it to have his way with his opponents. He is still young in the game and more is expected from him.

9. B.J. Penn “The Prodigy”

• Country: United States
• Record: 16-14-2

Penn is one of the few great fighters the MMA can boast of. He is one of the fastest fighters to earn the Jiu-Jitsu and the first American to bag the Jiu-Jitsu World Championship. Penn was able to defeat many of his opponents with his grappling skills. One event that fans will never forget was when he was seen licking the blood on his gloves after his victory over Joe Stevenson. “The Prodigy” deserves to be among the list of the best MMA fighters of all-time.

8. Chuck Liddell “The Iceman”

• Country: United States
• Record: 21-9-0

Chuck may not have the fancy striking skills, but his vicious hands and granite chin were two of his deadliest weapons. He has been able to deceive his opponents with his deadly striking only to surprised them with his kicks. All these have made him stand out among many of his counterparts.

7. Matt Hughes

• Country: United States
• Record: 45-9-0

Matt was known for how he would carry his opponents and smash them down, sending them into a great defeat. He had many skills in his arsenal to defeat his opponents. Matt is one of the scariest and toughest fighters in the industry. He was never satisfied with just taking his opponents down, he would always follow with a great punch, which also contributed to his reputation.

6. Demetrius Johnson “Mighty Mouse”

• Country: United States
• Record: 30-3-1

Demetrius Johnson is not only the first fighter to earn UFC flyweight championship, but he is also the only fighter to hold the record. He is holding the title and on his mission to break Anderson Silva’s record of defending the title consecutively. What makes him stand out among other fighters is his high IQ, speed, and footwork, which has made it difficult for his opponents to defeat him.

5. Fedor Emelianenko “The Last Emperor”

• Country: Russia
• Record: 39-6-0, 1 NC

Before Fedor Emelianenko came to MMA, he was a Combat Sambo champion, and this has helped him blend him succeed in the MMA. At first glance, you may write him off as unfit for a fight. But as the fight goes on, you become convinced that he is one of the best fighters the MMA has been blessed with in UFC history.

4. Khabib Nurmagomedov “The Eagle”

• Country: Russia
• Record: 28-0-0

If we are to mention a few fighters who will never be forgotten in the world of MMA, Khabib is one name that will never be left out. He does not only win his fights, he wins most of them hands-down. Fans even regard him as an animal as a result of his great moves and performances.

What makes Nurmagomedov truly remarkable is the fact that his opponents usually know his next moves, yet they still lack what it takes to stop him. You may want to ask why he is not the first on the list? He is not making it to the first position because he hasn’t had the chance perhaps after he has had the time to defend his titles consistently as a few others have.

3. Jon Jones “Bones”

• Country: United States
• Record: 26-1-0, 1 NC

In his early career, Jones was able to defeat Mauricio Rua to earn the UFC youngest champion when he was just 23. He had a rapid rise in his career and is not showing any sign of slowing down. He is always remembered for his great victory over Reyes, which was his 14^th title defence. Jon Jones is simply a legend. He is often revered by pundits as one of the best fighters ever. All eyes are on Jones for what his performances will be in his next fights.

2. Anderson Silva “The Spider”

• Country: Brazil
• Record: 34-10-0, 1 NC

Though he is known for his great performance in the Jiu-Jitsu, what makes Anderson Silva stand out among other fighters in the UFC is his great striking skills. He has been able to deceive his opponents with his smooth and harmless looks, through which he is able to defeat many of his opponents. Silva was able to set his opponents into a trap by mocking them of their actions and moves. When this happens, opponents become frustrated and try to bring him down, and that is when Silva would have his way. Anderson Silva is a major contender of the title of the greatest in the UFC.

1. George St. Pierre “Rush”

• Country: Canada
• Record: 26-2-0

George St. Pierre is the best MMA fighter of all-time. Yes, he was not the best at knockouts, but his strong will was too much for many fighters to break. One thing that surprised all was that he did not have any wrestling background before launching into MMA. Yet, he was always in the best position to put his opponents down. Pierre’s reputation was further heightened when he had a great victory over Michael Bisping at UFC 217.

Final Words

Regardless of the sport, the ‘best-ever’ topic is always a controversial matter. Aside from Wayne Gretzky, Usain Bolt, Michael Phelps and perhaps Serena Williams who are unarguably the best in their sport, there are rarely a few sports where it might be obvious who the title of the greatest of all time should be bestowed.

What are your thoughts on our top-20 best MMA fighters of all-time? Please feel free to share in the comments section below.

Over a period of six years of conflict, from 1939 to 1945, aircraft designs had progressed in leaps and bounds.

From the obsolete biplane to the world’s first fighter, from crude two-engined bombers to radical designs of the B-29 Superfortress heavy bombers, World War Two had seen the most radical use of aircraft in the battlefield.

Here are ten of the best!

Soviet Yakovlev Yak-3

The Soviet Yak fighter (Yakovlev Yak-3) was a Soviet dog-fighter that was used in World War 2. This was a robust craft, and its maintenance was very easy therefore making it liked by all ground crew and pilots. They were first developed in 1941 but didn’t see service until three years later, 1944. 4848 of these aircraft were manufactured in total. Their main use was as tactical fighters, engaging in dogfights in the lower sky (13,000 ft and lower).

The Yak was considered to be one of the lightest and smallest aircraft to be used as a major combat fighter from all the other combat fighters that were used within World War 2. It provided excellent performance due to its power-to-weight ratio, which was extremely high.

World War 2 French ace, Marcel Albert, considered the Yak to be a far superior aircraft to the Spitfire and P-51D Mustang, having flown the Yak in the USSR.

Following the end of the War, the Yak flew with the Polish and Yugoslav Air Forces and then, in 1952, retired from service.

Messerschmitt Me 262

The Germans began designing this jet-powered aircraft before the Second World War even started. They had engine problems and interference from top-level officials that kept this amazing machine grounded until 1944.

It was faster than any Allied aircraft including the British Gloster Meteor and it was heavily armored as well. The 262 was used in many situations like the light bomber, might fighters and reconnaissance.

The Pilots that flew the 262 had 542 confirmed allied kills, though some believe it may have been higher. The only way the Allies had a chance of winning were to destroy the planes before they could even get off the ground.

With its engine reliability issues and the Allied attacks of oilfields, this plane became very ineffective in late-war situations. With all this the 262 had almost no real effect on the war as a whole, they were placed into actions too late, and not enough of them were ever made.

Grumman F6F Hellcat

The F6F was the plane that carried the US on its back all the way to the gates of Tokyo. The F6F was a very good rival to the Vought F4U Corsair at being a carrier-based fighter.

The F6F was, much better at carrier landings, however, which made the Hellcat a very viable option as the main fighter for the Navy in World War II. The F4U was used mostly in land-based missions by the U.S. Marine Corps.

The F6F was similar to the Wildcat in a few ways but was actually a completely new design; it was powered by a 2,000 HP engine, the same engine that was in the F4U and the P-47 Thunderbolt Fighters. The F6F was actually called the “Wildcat’s big brother.”

The F6F was an amazing carrier-fighter, it debuted in 1943, in an attempt to counter the amazing Mitsubishi A6M Zero and it helped to secure air superiority in the Pacific. The quality came from its straightforward and basic design, the F6F was almost never modified and had a total of 12,200 built in just two years.

The F6F was credited with destroying over 5,000 aircraft while in service for both the U.S. and the Royal Navy’s Fleet Air Arm. No other Allied naval aircraft even came close, after the war the F6F was slowly fazed out of frontline mission but was still used as a night fighter up until 1954.

Focke-Wulf Fw-190

The 190 is literally one of the best fighters of all time, no Allied plane that fought against it will ever forget what it could do. It was introduced in 1941; the fighter almost immediately started to tear through the RAF and was putting down major punishment of Allied bombers.

The 190 was highly respected by all the Allied pilots and it was a perfect fighter, fighter-bomber, and anti-tank aircraft. Oberleutnant Otto Kittel – who was an amazing pilot – scored almost all of his 267 killed in a 190.

The 190 was a single-engine, single-seat fighter designed by Kurt Tank. It had a counterpart, the Messerschmitt Bf 109, but the 190 became the backbone of the Luftwaffe’s Jagdwaffe (Fighter Force).

Top Ten Best Fighters In The World Ever

It was powered by a BMW engine and because of this it was able to lift larger loads than the 109, it also allowed it to be used as a night-fighter, day-fighter, ground-attack aircraft and fighter-bomber.

Messerschmitt Bf 109

If you look at Aviation history then you will see that the 109 was one of the best planes of all time. It even rivaled the British Spitfire, which is an amazing feat.

It was graceful in the air as a dancer, no other plane could even touch it in high altitudes, however when it accompanied bombers over Great Britain it usually fought at low altitudes, which it was not made for. It carried 20mm cannons, and it would become the most important fighter plane in the Luftwaffe.

The 109 was a German World War II fighter aircraft designed by two men by the names of Robert Lusser and Willy Messerschmitt during the 1930s. The 109 was one of the only true modern planes in the war; it included features such as a retractable landing gear, all-metal monocoque construction, and a closed canopy. It was actually powered by a liquid-cooled, inverted-V12 Aero engine.

It was first used in the Spanish Civil war and even stayed in use until the dawn of the fighter age near the end of World War II; it was still the backbone of the Luftwaffe’s Fighter Force. Slowly but surely it was being replaced by the superior Focke-Wulf Fw 190.

The original plan for the 109 was for it to be an interceptor, but later models were built for a variety of tasks, fighter-bomber, day-fighter, night-fighter, all-weather fighter, recon plane, ground-attack aircraft and of course a bomber escort.

The 109 was the most produced fighter in history, they produced a total of 33,984 airframes from 1936 -1945.

P-51 Mustang

The P-51 Mustang Fighter, a North American Aviation, is one of the most iconic fighter / fighter bombers that is single-seated and was used during World War 2. In total over 15,000 of these were manufactured.

The Mustang was designed originally to be used with the Allison V-1710 engine – making it a very good aircraft. When the B & C models were made of the P-51, they added a Rolls Royce Merlin engine and this completely transformed its performance at high altitude (15,000+ feet) which meant it matched or even bettered that of the Luftwaffe’s fighters.

The final version of the P-51 was the P-51D, and this was powered by yet another engine, the Packard V-1650-7, and was fully armed with .50 caliber M2 machine guns (6 in total on each aircraft).

From late in 1943 P-51’s were used to escort bombers in raids over occupied Europe and over Germany, all the way to Berlin. The P-51’s with the Merlin engines were also used as fighter-bombers which made sure that the Allied ruled supreme in the air in 1944.

The P-51 was also used in service with Allied air forces in Italian, Mediterranean and North African areas of service and also saw action in the Pacific War against the Japanese. Within World War 2, P-51 pilots claim to have shot down 4,950 enemy aircraft.

P-38 Lightning

Top Ten Best Fighters In The World History

Want to know about one of the greatest Allied fighters ever? How about two turbocharged engines, range, firepower and the best aerodynamics of the era made the P-38 one of the top choices ever. Its only drawback was its altitude capabilities but even still, it dominated the Pacific.

The P-38 with its iconic twin booms and a single, central nacelle in the cockpit and armament were contained was nicknamed the “fork-tailed devil” by the Luftwaffe and “two planes, one pilot” by the Japanese.

The P-38 had many roles which included dive bombing, ground-attack, level bombing, interception, recon, night fighting, evacuation mission, radar and visual pathfinding for bombers, and long-range fighting.

The P-38 saw most of its success in the Pacific and China-Burma-India Operations; it was used by the U.S.’ top ace pilots, Charles H. MacDonald (36 victories), Thomas McGuire (38 victories) and Richard Bong (40 Victories).

The P-38 was the main fighter in the Southwest Pacific Theater until a large force of P-51D Mustangs was brought in towards the end of the war.

P-47 Thunderbolt

The Thunderbolt was one of the heaviest and largest fighter planes ever built; it was also only powered by a single piston engine. It was only built from 1941-1945 and was equipped with eight .50-calibre machine guns, four per wing which were absolutely devastating.

When it had a full payload the Thunderbolt weighed around 8 tons; it would carry five-inch rockets or just a single bomb that weighed 2,500 pounds; it could even carry over half of the B-17 which was insane for a fighter plane.

It even out killed the P-51 Mustang during the first three months of 1944, having 540 kills to the Mustang’s 389, but eventually the Mustang over took it in kills, 972 for the Mustang and 409 for the P-47 in the second quarter of the year. The Thunderbolt even flew more attack missions than the P-51s, P-40s and P-38s combined.

Not only was the Thunderbolt one of the main fighters for the U.S. in World War II, but also served with the British, French, and Russians. Brazilian and Mexican squadrons were given the P-47 instead.

The cockpit was roomy and very comfortable, the pilot had an amazing line of sight. Even today the Thunderbolt name lives on with the Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II.

Spitfire

The Spitfire is most likely the most famous aircraft from the World War II era. It was the king of low-altitudes, it will be known forever as the plane that turned the tide in the Battle of Britain.

It’s main foe in that battle was the 109, the Spitfire made the Germans stay low with their bombers, which was not ideal for the 109 but it was perfect for the Spitfire.

In the Battle of Britain, the Spitfire gained fame by having the highest victory-to-loss ratio among British aircraft. Bob Tuck (27 kills), Johnnie Johnson (34 kills) and Douglas Bader (20 Kills) were the ace fighters in that battle.

The Spitfire was also the most produced fighter for the British and was continuously produced throughout the war.

Mitsubishi Zero

When the Zero was first introduced into the war it was considered the absolute standard in carrier-based fighters, combining both long range and maneuverability. During the early part of the war it became the most feared dogfighter of all of the aircraft in existence, its average kill-to-death ratio was 12 to 1.

But by 1943 the introduction of better equipment and tactics made it where the Allied pilots could compete with the Zero.

The IJNAS would also use the Zero as a land-based fighter. In 1943, the weaknesses of the Zero were really starting to show, it could no longer compete against the newer planes coming in with their greater speed, firepower, armor and their ability to match its maneuverability.

Top 10 Best Ufc Fighters In The World

Even though the Zero was outdated by 1944, the plane was still in use on the front lines because of newer designs being pushed back and the Japanese having production difficulties.

Top 10 Best Fighters In The World All Time

During the final years of World War II, the Zero was even used in kamikaze mission. The Zero was the most produced aircraft for the Japanese during World War II.