28.05.202227.05.2017

In the history of mixed martial arts, especially the UFC, there have been many fighters who have demonstrated exemplary skill and technique. The scale of strength, endurance and physical strength these people illustrate how diverse this type sports However, among many experienced fighters, only a few names are mentioned when it comes to the "Greatest of All Time".

Below are the names of five fighters who have been considered among the best in the world of mixed martial arts for many years. These fighters displayed technique, skill and impressive statistics that cemented them as MMA's greatest ever exponents, but the ranking also took into account their overall impact on the sport.

No. 1 Fedor Emelianenko

Fedor Emelianenko is a fighter who is considered a true MMA legend. The best athletes in the world respect him, and fans never tire of admiring “The Last Emperor.”

Technique: Unlike many fighters who use a variety of punches and kicks, Emelianenko always acted quite simply, focusing his attention on heavy punches. However, what made Fedora a brilliant fighter was her ability to perfectly adapt to any situation and think strategically. An experienced sambist and judoka, he performed throws and takedowns at the most opportune moments. Emelianenko was one of the fighters who unleashed everything in his arsenal on his opponents, demonstrating mixed martial arts at its brightest.

Career overview: being 182 centimeters tall, the legendary Russian fighter won 36 fights with 5 defeats and has a 10-year winning streak, an achievement that not everyone can boast of. In addition, in 2010, Emelianenko was named the fighter of the decade, defeating the best representatives of his era. " The Last Emperor"not only achieved numerous awards such as: Pride champion, four-time champion world and nine-time Russian champion combat sambo, but is also recognized by fighters and fans as one of the “Greatest of All Time.”

#2 Anderson Silva

Anderson Silva is popular among fans and fighters alike due to his varied style and ability to escape punches like he once did great Mohammed Ali. Born and flying the Brazilian flag, Silva has a reach of 197 cm, with a height of 188.

Technique: Known primarily for his stand-up style, Silva used various elements of taekwondo, Brazilian Muay Thai and boxing to evade his opponents' blows and punch so hard that they remained shaken even after the fight was over. One of the reasons for the effectiveness of the legendary "Spider" was the inability of opponents to unravel the secrets of his style. This made Silva completely unpredictable.

Career overview: Having in track record With 34 wins and 8 losses, Silva brought flamboyance and personality to the cage, showing today's fighters what a real show is all about. Of “The Spider’s” 34 victories, more than half came by knockout, which indicates that Anderson has good hit. In addition, Silva is a fighter who has held the title for 2,457 days, making 10 consecutive successful defenses. Personally, UFC President Dana White calls Anderson Silva one of the greatest fighters mixed style in history.

No. 3 Georges St. Pierre
Quebec native Georges St-Pierre is considered one of the best tactical fighters of all time. The Canadian earned the nickname "Rush" due to his ability to give himself completely to a fight and maintain an inexhaustible supply of energy throughout the fight. St-Pierre may not have put on a great show in the cage, but he certainly has earned a ton of respect for his strategic and tactical approach to business.

Technique: What made Georges St-Pierre truly great was his versatility. The ability to change tactics depending on the opponent made him dangerous for any fighter. Whether it was trading punches, grappling or wrestling, Georges was good in each of these aspects. The ability to read his opponent and apply the necessary technical elements made the Canadian fighter deadly.

Career overview: Georges St-Pierre's record includes 25 victories and 2 defeats. The Canadian became the UFC champion in quite at a young age and for a long time was considered the best fighter in the welterweight category. "Rush" retired in 2013 with the second-longest streak of successful title defenses. Last year, St-Pierre returned and became the middleweight champion, thus adding another achievement to his credentials. Due to health problems, “Rush” was forced to resign as champion and retire from the sport again. With his skill and incredible achievements, Georges St-Pierre ignited an entire generation of Canadian fighters who now compete in the world's leading promotions.

No. 4. John Jones
Standing at 193 centimeters tall, Jon Jones is an American fighter of the modern era who has been churning out victories one after another.

Technique: Jones showed tremendous athleticism and courage, knocking out his opponents with unconventional and unpredictable punches. His all-round abilities and ability to win on the ground have often been compared to those of Anderson Silva and Georges St-Pierre. From powerful blows from knees to lightning-fast backfists, Jon Jones demonstrated constant improvement in his striking technique from fight to fight. Jones' creative ability to move around his opponents in unorthodox ways while throwing devastating punches has made Jones one of the contenders for the title of greatest MMA fighter of all time.

Career overview: Jon Jones' record is 22 wins, one loss and one no contest. Jones has defeated countless legendary UFC champions such as Rashad Evans, Lyoto Machida, Quinton Jackson and others. In addition to being considered the best fighter in the pound-for-pound promotion during his reign, John became the youngest UFC champion, taking on the gold belt at the age of 23. The American fighter made eight successful title defenses, after which he began to have problems outside the Octagon. Last July, Jones made a phenomenal comeback, defeating reigning champion Daniel Cormier by technical knockout, however, it later turned out that his doping test gave a positive result and the fight was eventually declared invalid. On at the moment Proceedings are underway and the great champion faces a four-year disqualification. Many famous publicists call Jon Jones the best light heavyweight fighter in the world.

No. 5. Royce Gracie
Royce Gracie is considered the founding father of MMA. The legendary Brazilian fighter was born into a family that virtually brought jiu-jitsu to the world of mixed martial arts. More than anyone else, Gracie remains one of the greatest fighters of all time due to his contributions to MMA. Royce not only proposed a simplified fighting technique, but essentially made this sport what it is now. Not only did Gracie popularize Brazilian jiu-jitsu, he also opened the eyes of fighters around the world that victory could be won not only with fists, but with grappling and wrestling on the canvas. Many fans consider Royce Gracie to be the most influential figure in MMA history.

Technique: Gracie was a fighter who was impossible to resist once you were in his grasp. While most fighters used only striking techniques, Royce's grappling skills were so unsurpassed that even the most experienced and powerful striker was forced to give up in an instant. No matter who he fought, be it a master of karate, taekwondo or boxing, Gracie won as soon as he managed to take his opponent to the canvas. And it’s not that many fighters at that time were not familiar with Brazilian jiu-jitsu, one of the reasons for its success was the ability to skillfully maneuver against his opponent, regardless of the position in which he was. His strength was patience, and whether it was a submission through side control or a transition to guard from the clinch, Gracie knew exactly what to do.

Career overview: With a height of 185 centimeters, during his career Royce Gracie won 15 victories, suffered two defeats and finished three fights in a draw. What's more impressive, however, is that after joining the UFC, he won the first three of the organization's four tournaments, with 11 wins and one draw. UFC Hall of Famer Royce Gracie is the first tournament champion in the promotion's history, with most of his victories coming by submission. Gracie was also a fighter who had the most long fights, both in the UFC and in Pride, which speaks to his incredible endurance.

There are certainly plenty of fighters who deserve a spot on this list, but the aforementioned MMA figures are the most talked about among MMA fans and professionals alike. Since each fighter fought in different weight categories and different periods of time, it is impossible to assign the title to any of them " The greatest fighter MMA of all times." After all, their example of dominating the world of mixed martial arts inspired and motivated many young guys who are still storming the heights of MMA to this day.

There are only two Russians in the top 10. Rating of MMA fighters for March

« Soviet sport"presents an updated ranking of the best fighters in the world. There were many changes in the March ranking.

Sovetskysport presents an updated ranking of the best fighters in the world. There have been many changes in the March rankings.

There are still only two Russians in the top 10 of their weight categories. Khabib Nurmagomedov takes sixth place in lightweight, and Magomed Bibulatov is in ninth place in the flyweight division.

The rating of fighters is calculated in the same way as the FIFA rating in football. If you defeat a strong opponent, you get more points. If you defeat a weak one, you get few points or nothing at all. If you don’t fight for two years, you drop out of the rankings.

P.S. If a fighter changed weight category in the last fight, then he will be rated in this division. For example, Conor McGregor, who previously competed in the featherweight division, defeated Eddie Alvarez in the lightweight division. That is why he is not in the featherweight rating, but is on the first line of lightweights .

WORLD RANKING OF MMA FIGHTERS

MARCH

Heavyweight

1.Stipe Miocic (USA, 16 wins, 2 losses)
2.Fabricio Werdum (Brazil, 21-6-1)
3. Alistair Overeem (Holland, 42-15)
4.KaneVelasquez (USA, 14-2)
5.Junior dos Santos (Brazil, 18-4)
6.Josh Barnett (USA, 35-8)
7.Mark Hunt ( New Zealand, 12-10-1)
8. Derrek Lewis (USA, 18-4)
9. Ben Rothwell (USA, 36-10)
10. Francis Ngannou (France, 10-1)

…18(0).Vitaly Minakov (Russia, 19-0)
20.(0).Alexander Volkov (Russia, 27-6)
24.(0).Denis Goltsov (Russia, 19-4)
25.(0).Ivan Shtyrkov (Russia, 9-0)
29.(0).Fedor Emelianenko (Russia, 36-4)
31.(0).Evgeniy Erokhin (Russia, 17-5)
37.(+1).Sergey Pavlovich (Russia, 10-0)
40.(0).Alexey Oleynik (Russia, 56-10-1)
45.(0).Shamil Abdurakhimov (Russia, 17-5)
52.(-1).Mikhail Mokhnatkin (Russia, 9-1-2)
52.(+1). Kazbek Saydaliev (Russia, 7-1)
55.(-2). Sergei Kharitonov (Russia, 24-7)
63.(0).Kirill Sidelnikov (Russia, 11-4)
65.(0).Zelimkhan Umiev (Russia, 9-1)
69.(0).Salimgerey Rasulov (Russia, 15-7)
71.(0).Valentin Moldavsky (Russia, 5-1)
84.(-2).Konstantin Erokhin (Russia, 9-3)

Light heavyweight

1. Jones Jones (USA, 22-1)
2.Anthony Johnson (USA, 22-5)
3. Daniel Cormier (USA, 18-1)
4. Phil Davis (USA, 17-3)
5.Ryan Bader (USA, 22-5)
6. Glover Teixeira (Brazil, 26-5)
7.Alexander Gustafsson (Sweden, 17-4)
8. Mauricio Rua (Brazil, 25-10)
9. Jimi Manuwa (Great Britain, 16-2)
10.Liam McGeary (Great Britain, 11-1)

…16(+1).Rashid Yusupov (Russia, 7-1)

19.(+1).Viktor Nemkov (Russia, 24-6)
26.(+1). Gadzhimurad Antigulov (Russia, 19-4)
30.(+1).Magomed Ankalaev (Russia, 7-0)
31.(+1).Shamil Gamzatov (Russia, 10-0)
45.(-3).Adlan Amagov (Russia, 14-2-1)
47.(+2).Maxim Grishin (Russia, 24-7)
62.(-1).Azamat Murzakanov (Russia, 6-0)
79.(-1).Ilya Shcheglov (Russia, 6-1)
81.(+1).Muslim Makhmudov (Russia, 9-3)
89.(+1).Maxim Futin (Russia, 6-4)
96.(NEW).Kurban Omarov (Russia, 6-0)

Average weight

1.Michael Bisping (Great Britain, 30-7)
2. Yoel Romero (Cuba, 12-1)
3.Luke Rockhold (USA, 15-3)
4. Ronaldo Souza (Brazil, 24-4)
5.Chris Wideman (USA, 13-2)
6.Geghard Mousasi (Armenia/Holland, 41-6-2)
7. Robert Whittaker (Australia, 17-4)
8. Anderson Silva (Brazil, 34-8)
9. Kelvin Gastelum (USA, 14-2)
10.Vitor Belfort (Brazil, 25-14)

...19.(0). Alexander Shlemenko (Russia, 54-9)
22.(-1). Ramazan Emeev (Russia, 15-3)
31.(-1). Anatoly Tokov (Russia, 25-3)
48.(-1). Vitaly Bigdash (Russia, 9-0)
54.(-2). Vyacheslav Vasilevsky (Russia, 29-5)
58.(-1). Alexey Butorin (Russia, 11-1)
60.(-1). Salamu Abdurakhmanov (Russia, 8-1)
63.(-1). Vladimir Mineev (Russia, 8-1)
82.(0). Muslim Khizriev (Russia, 8-1)
83.(0).Abdulsupian Alikhanov (Russia, 8-2)
91.(+1).Artem Frolov (Russia, 8-0)
100.(NEW).Vagab Vagabov (Russia, 21-1-1)

Welterweight

1. Tyron Woodley (USA, 17-3-1)
2.Stephen Thompson (USA, 13-2-1)
3.Robbie Lauler (USA, 27-11)
4. Demian Maia (Brazil, 24-6)
5.Jorge Masvidal (USA, 32-11)
6.Donald Cerrone (USA, 32-8)
7.Nate Diaz (USA, 19-11)
8. Neil Magny (USA, 19-5)
9. Lorenz Larkin (USA, 18-5)
10.Emil Weber Mick (Norway, 9-2)

…14(0)Andrey Koreshkov (Russia, 19-2)
46.(-1). Albert Tumenov (Russia, 17-4)
57.(+1). Abubakar Nurmagomedov (Russia, 13-1)
65.(0). Alexander Yakovlev (Russia, 23-8-1)
66.(+1).Albert Duraev (Russia, 9-3)
75.(+1).Beslan Ushukov (Russia, 14-2)
78.(+1).Beslan Isaev (Russia, 35-9)
80.(+1).Omari Akhmedov (Russia, 16-4)
82.(-28).Alexey Kunchenko (Russia, 16-0)
83.(0).Mukhamed Berkhamov (Russia, 10-0)
100.(0).Sultan Aliyev (Russia, 14-2)

Lightweight

1. Conor McGregor (Ireland, 21-3)
2. Eddie Alvarez (USA, 28-5)
3.Tony Ferguson (USA, 22-3)
4. Edson Barbosa (Brazil, 19-4)
5. Rafael dos Anjos (Brazil, 25-9)
6.(0). Khabib Nurmagomedov (Russia, 24-0)
7.Michael Chandler (USA, 16-3)
8. Benson Henderson (USA, 24-7)
9.Michael Chisa (USA, 14-2)
10.Justin Gaethje (USA, 17-0)

…17.(0). Rustam Khabilov (Russia, 21-3)
26(0). Rashid Magomedov (Russia, 19-2)
33.(+1). Mairbek Taisumov (Russia, 25-5)
38.(0). Islam Makhachev (Russia, 14-1)
41.(+22). Akhmed Aliyev (Russia, 15-4)
45.(-1). Abdul-Aziz Abdulvakhabov (Russia,14-1)
48.(0). Khusein Khaliev (Russia, 16-1)
61.(-3). Ustarmagomed Gadzhidaudov (Russia,8-3)
64.(0). Alexander Sarnavsky (Russia, 35-5)
68.(+1). Eduard Vartanyan (Russia, 15-3)
69.(-1). Magomed Mustafaev (Russia, 13-2)
73.(0). Murad Machaev (Russia, 20-2)
80.(-1). Andrey Koshkin (Russia, 16-5)
87.(+1). Abukar Yandiev (Russia, 10-1)

Featherweight

1. Jose Aldo (Brazil, 26-2)
2.Max Holloway (USA, 17-3)
3. Frankie Edgar (USA, 21-5-1)
4. Anthony Pettis (USA, 19-6)
5. Ricardo Lamas (USA, 17-5)
6. Cub Swanson (USA, 24-7)
7. Jeremy Stephens (USA, 25-13)
8.Patrico Freire (Brazil, 25-4)
9.Darren Elkins (USA, 22-5)
10. Brian Ortega (USA, 11-0)

…13.(-1). Marat Gafurov (Russia, 15-0)
16.(0). Magomed Idrisov (Russia, 7-0)
32.(+2). Salman Zhamaldaev (Russia, 13-1)
47.(+2). Zabit Magomedsharipov (Russia, 12-1)
48.(+2). Magomedrasul Khasbulaev (Russia,25-7)
54.(+1). Rasul Mirzaev (Russia, 17-1)
66.(+3). Zubaira Tukhugov (Russia, 18-4)
86.(+1). Movlid Khaibulaev (Russia, 11-0)
96.(+2). Adlan Bataev (Russia, 7-0)
98.(+2). Marat Balaev (Russia, 7-0)

Bantamweight

1. Cody Garbrandt (USA, 11-0)
2.Dominic Cruz (USA, 22-2)
3.TJ Dillashaw (USA, 14-3)
4. Jimmy Rivera (USA, 20-1)
5.Eduardo Dantas (Brazil, 19-4)
6.John Lineker (Brazil, 29-8)
7.Marlon Moraes (Brazil, 18-4-1)
8.Bibiano Fernandez (Brazil, 20-3)
9. Darrion Caldwell (USA, 10-1)
10. Yuri Alcantara (Brazil, 34-7)

…33.(-1). Magomed Magomedov (Russia, 13-1)
39.(-2). Bekbulat Magomedov (Russia, 17-1)
48.(-1). Timur Valiev (Russia, 11-2)
49.(-1). Khusein Askhabov (Russia, 14-0)
53.(-1). Rakhman Dudayev (Russia, 19-4)
57.(-1). Said Nurmagomedov (Russia, 9-1)
69.(-1). Petr Yan (Russia, 6-1)
71.(+20). Mikhail Malyutin (Russia, 34-12)
73.(-2). Oleg Borisov (Russia, 18-2-1)
74.(-2). Pavel Vitruk (Russia, 14-2)
81.(-2). Makharbek Karginov (Russia, 8-0)

Flyweight

1. Demetrius Johnson (USA, 25-2-1)
2. Joseph Benavidez (USA, 25-4)
3. Kueji Horiguchi (Japan, 18-2)
4. Henry Sejudo (USA, 10-2)
5. Jussier da Silva (Brazil, 19-4)
6. Wilson Reis (Brazil, 22-6)
7.Brandon Moreno (Mexico, 13-3)
8.Tim Elliott (USA, 13-7-1)
9.(0). Magomed Bibulatov (Russia, 13-0)
10.Sergio Pettis (USA, 15-2)

16.(0). Ali Bagautinov (Russia, 14-5)
21.(0). Askar Askarov (Russia, 8-0)
48.(0). Velimurad Alkhasov (Russia, 4-0)
56.(+10). Vartan Asatryan (Russia, 12-5)
62.(-2). Yunus Evloev (Russia, 20-8)
77.(-2). Rasul Albaskhanov (Russia, 5-2)

source: “Soviet Sport”

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10 best MMA fighters peace. Why is Cormier better than Khabib?

What is a p4p rating?

To put it simply, pound for pound ratings are perceived as rating fighters from different weight classes, who are compared as if they all weighed the same and were considered potential opponents. When comparing, current achievements, potential, subjective impression and anything else are taken into account - right down to charisma and integrity of the image. We studied the ratings of the top 10 fighters in the world from the sites Sherdog, Tapology, Fightmatrix, ESPN, MMAweekly and UFC (since the five previous ratings included only UFC fighters) and made up the consolidated top ten.

10. Henry Cejudo (USA)

31 years old; over 56.7 kg; 13 wins, 2 losses

What did you do: freestyle wrestling

Short: the first Olympic champion to become UFC champion. Cejudo had two attempts - against one of the most dominant UFC champions, Demetrious Johnson, and on the second, Cejudo defeated Johnson, who had previously defended the title 11 times.

9. Stipe Miocic (USA)

36 years old; over 93 kg; 18 wins, 3 losses

What did you do: baseball, wrestling, boxing

Short: about everyone who comes next, by default you can write “he hits well, fights well.” Miocic gave the impression of a big, strong, smiling man who worked as a fireman, until it turned out that nature gave him such data with which he could beat perhaps the best kickboxer, grappler and boxer in the UFC in two years. Miocic became the most successful heavyweight in the history of the promotion, defending the title three times and losing only to Daniel Cormier. You will meet him on the first line.

8. Georges St. Pierre (Canada)

37 years old; up to 77.1 and up to 83.9 kg; 26 wins, 2 losses

What did you do: karate, wrestling

Short: obviously the most controversial position in the ranking. Georges St-Pierre returned to the UFC last November after a 47-month hiatus and promptly beat middleweight champion Michael Bisping. Given that St-Pierre's previous career has been outstanding - a welterweight championship and 9 title defenses - he could well be in the top 10, but at the moment St-Pierre is not saying anything about continuing his MMA career and, It is unlikely that it will go away completely. It is important that he is not in three of the six rankings studied, but MMAWeekly, for example, puts the Canadian in second place, and if you consider him as an active fighter, this is very easy to accept.

7. Robert Whitaker (Australia)

27 years old; up to 83.9 kg; 20 wins, 4 losses

What did you do: karate

Short: Whitaker remains one of the UFC's most enigmatic champions, but also one of the youngest men on the list of the best fighters on the planet. Probably one balances the other. He has an aggressive striking technique, an excellent ability to endure in the cage and carry out long fights, but so far his frequency of appearances is rather alarming: two fights each in 2015 and 2016, one each in 2017 and (most likely) 2018 .

5-6. Demetrius Johnson (USA)

32 years old; up to 56.7 kg; 27 wins, 3 losses

What did you do: wrestling, pankration

Short: Johnson defended his title 11 times UFC champion, And more None of the champions have defenses. Unfortunately, the flyweight division brought the fighter into the flyweight spotlight, and even two fights with Olympic champion Cejudo and the hobby computer games did not make Johnson more popular. He is now on the UFC's doorstep as part of a trade deal with One FC.

5-6. TJ Dillashaw (USA)

32 years old; up to 61.2 kg; 16 wins, 3 losses

What did you do: struggle

Short: Usually, when talking about top fighters, they cite some amazing winning streaks, but Dillashaw was the one who broke such a streak. He once beat Renan Barao, who came into the fight against Dillashaw on a 32-fight win streak. Bookmakers multiplied their bet on Dillashaw by 10 if he won.

In the last two years, TJ has focused on facing off against heavily tattooed former teammate Cody Garbrandt, winning both times. Dillashaw also sparred with boxer Lomachenko, and he communicates well with Sergey Kovalev.

4. Tyron Woodley (USA)

36 years old; up to 77.1 kg; 19 wins, 3 losses

What did you do: struggle

Short: Woodley won the title by confidently knocking out the reigning champion, but after that he began to upset him. His next three fights ended in judges' decisions. Just when it looked like the UFC could solve the problem with the help of a new champion, undefeated Liverpudlian big man Darren Till, Woodley confidently dealt with him, submitting Till in the second round. Woodley's mom personally reassured the young challenger after his defeat.

3. Khabib Nurmagomedov (Russia)

30 years old; up to 70.3 kg; 27 wins, 0 losses

What did you do: wrestling, combat sambo

Mentioned but not included

The UFC's rankings include Conor McGregor, and this can be interpreted as a political decision: if you have a fighter who brings maximum quantity fighting money, it’s strange not to advertise it with your own resource.

MMAweekly.com is the only site that offered two girls to consider: Chris Justino and Rose Namajunas.

Tony Ferguson was also mentioned - his fight with Khabib has already failed four times, but we would be ready to wait for a fifth attempt.

About Khabib

It is difficult to assess Khabib’s third place; in the last two fights he was initially considered the obvious favorite, and this, on the one hand, is an indicator of class, on the other hand, it will generate distrust in his achievements. His competitors in this ranking more often won battles when bookmakers doubted their choice.

But if you imagine Khabib weighing 100 kg, you can break your head about their fight with Daniel Cormier: with an equal fight, Khabib’s endurance would be traded for Daniel’s ability to knock out, and then you can start arguing. At the same time, Cormier’s candidacy does not raise any questions among any of the publications: he is first in six out of six cases.

The fight between Cormier and Derrick Lewis will be the central event of UFC 230. It will take place on November 3 in New York (in the morning of November 4, Moscow time). You can watch the live broadcast of UFC 230 on the Match TV channel. The broadcast starts at 5:00 am (Moscow time) on November 4.

Photo: Sam Wasson / Stringer / Getty Images Sport / Gettyimages.ru, Joe Scarnici / Stringer / Getty Images Sport / Gettyimages.ru, Getty Images / Getty Images Sport / Gettyimages.ru, Rey Del Rio / Stringer / Getty Images Sport / Gettyimages.ru , RIA Novosti/Said Tsarnaev, globallookpress.com, Harry How / Staff / Getty Images Sport / Gettyimages.ru

All undefeated fighters' careers start the same and end differently. Some end their careers early, like Cole Conrad, without ever having to wait for real tests. Others go through fire and water, victories and defeats, and remain forever in the history of sports. Still others burst like soap bubbles and, after the first misfire, never return to their previous level. Almost no one is destined to remain at the top and leave undefeated. Among the elite of modern MMA there are quite a few bright fighters whose records are still decorated with a wonderful zero in the defeat column, and therefore it is especially interesting to watch their fates.

(Russia), 29 years old, over 93 kg, 14-0

It took four-time world sambo champion Vitaly Minakov, representing the FN team, three years to get used to MMA and systematically move from amateur to professional sport. He quickly broke into the elite of mixed martial arts. He scattered his rivals throughout the Grand Prix with lightning, then, almost without noticing resistance, crushed Alexander Volkov and, finally, passed the maturity test to the Sheikh of the Congo. Now he has several more fights awaiting him under his contract with Bellator, including a rematch with Volkov or a meeting with another undefeated titled sambo wrestler Blagoy Ivanov. Soon Vitaly will be faced with a choice - go to the UFC and take risks or stay in Bellator without a chance to become a world legend.

Chris Weidman (USA), 29 years old, up to 84 kg, 11-0

One of the best American wrestlers, Chris Weidman, became the first champion with a clean record since Lyotu Machida (Jon Jones managed to spoil it with disqualification). The path to the top was surprisingly short. Through the championship in the Ring of Combat personnel forge, Weidman got to the UFC, where after five fights he reached the title fight. Many believe that he was very lucky that by that time the king of the middleweight of the last decade, Anderson Silva, was tired both in soul and body, and therefore lost twice absurdly. But lightning doesn’t strike the same tree several times, which means there’s something about this guy. Now he faces a series of new challenges with a title defense that could drag on for years. First in line are Silva's compatriots Machida and Vitor Belfort.

(Russia), 25 years old, up to 70 kg, 22-0

Before joining the UFC, only a few knew the Russian, who had almost no serious rivals. Now Nurmagomedov is one of best wrestlers of his division, confidently winning all six fights in best league peace. In recent fights, he left no chance for the rated Pat Healy and Rafael dos Anjos, but he is not progressing so quickly yet. There are several reasons for this. Firstly, the competition in the division is strong, like nowhere else, and for title fight an impressive queue lined up, and secondly, Khabib is still little known in America, and not every MMA fan will find his style spectacular. Finally, sudden injuries and failures of opponents also contribute. We hope Nurmagomedov gets a big fight this year.

The sport of MMA (Mixed Martial Arts), which translated from English means “mixed martial arts,” appeared relatively recently. In art mixed fights Athletes of different weight categories take part. Over the 25 years of its existence, legendary personalities have appeared in the ranks of MMA who have gone down in the history of the sport as the most invincible. Modern martial art is widely popular among sports fans and is developing rapidly. The article presents the best MMA fighters of all time.

10.

best American fighter, who became a five-time UFC champion. The athlete took part in 30 fights, of which he won 19. The wrestler was the first to win the champion title in the heavy and light heavy weight categories. Couture began to study professional boxing still in the army. From that moment on, sport became his main hobby and activity. Last Stand, in which he won, took place in 2010. His opponent is James Tonney, who did not intend to lose to Captain America. The ambitious James's expectations were not met, and he lost to Couture in the 1st round. The athlete’s multiple victories and possession of the champion title in two solid weight categories include him in the ranks

9. Chuck Lidell

Chuck Lidell nicknamed "Ice", is one of the most skilled fighters throughout the history of MMA. In the 90s he gains fame and first victories in the light heavyweight categories. For 4 years (1999-2003), Chuck maintained the bar of an invincible fighter. The fight with Randy Couture becomes a defeat for him. The next meeting of world champions took place in 2005. The fight for the UFC champion belt became victorious for Chuck. He becomes a four-time UFC champion. The athlete leaves MMA in 2010. To this day, Lidell holds the record for knockouts in the entire history of the sport.

8.

remained in MMA history as an invincible and legendary fighter. He took part in 22 fights and left the sport without a single defeat. The former Dutch kickboxer became a three-time champion in mixed martial arts. The athlete was helped to win battles by his amazing determination, thirst for glory and his individual liver attack techniques. “Handsome” Rutten is rightfully included in the 10 best athletes martial arts in heavy weight.

7.

one of the best pioneering MMA fighters of all time this sport. The Brazilian fighter gained his popularity thanks to numerous victories using the Jiu-Jitsu technique, which he learned from his father back in early age. Royce is one of the first UFC champions. In 2007, he left the sport due to the discovery of excessive levels of steroids in his blood during a fight. Despite the fact that the incident put a black mark on the fighter’s reputation, he will still be remembered in history as a legendary figure in the world of martial arts.

6.

held the welterweight title seven times in a row, which was a world record for this weight category. The two-time champion fought Royce Gracie in 2005 and defeated the legendary fighter. Matt has long been considered one of the unbeatable MMA fighters. Therefore, the American is considered one among the best fighters in the history of mixed martial arts.

5.

is one of the 10 most legendary martial arts athletes. During his entire stay in the sport of MMA, he managed to win 76 battles out of 87. The Ukrainian fighter at the peak of his fame won victory after victory, as a result of which he emerged as the absolute winner of 37 fights that took place in a row. Despite his height - 174 cm - the record holder became most popular heavyweight fighter in MMA history. This is the most strong fighter throughout the entire existence of martial arts.

4.

was named the best Canadian athlete in 2009. Throughout his career, the fighter won 24 out of 26 fights. In 2007, he won the champion title after a battle with Matt Hughes. George defended his UFC title 11 times in a row, making him the unsurpassed fighter in MMA history.

3.

nicknamed “Spider”, for a long time was considered the most powerful fighter in all weight categories. He started his MMA career in 2000. He defended the championship title 10 times in a row. The martial arts leader took part in 39 fights and 33 of them ended in victory for him. Among those defeated by Silva is such a serious opponent as Fedor Emelyanov. The Brazilian is rightfully in the top three the best MMA fighters of all time.

2.

absolute leader in titles won in all weight categories. This is the first fighter in history to win championships in two leading mixed martial arts organizations. martial art– UFC and Pride. The most important victory in the entire history of the fighter’s battles is his fight with the undisputed champion in all weight categories Fedor Emelianenko, of whom he was a fan. The victory over the invincible Russian hero brought Henderson fame. The forty-five-year-old American is still in the ranks of MMA fighters. The champion prefers to choose younger fighters as his opponents. The American athlete is one of the best athletes in mixed martial arts.

1.

the brightest star in the 25-year existence of MMA. This is the most worthy and strong athlete in all weight categories. The Russian "Terminator" remained invincible for 8 years. From 2001-2009 he fought in 27 fights with worthy opponents and emerged as an absolute winner. According to many experts, the four-time world champion is considered best fighter in MMA history. Among the serious fighters he defeated are: Antonio Rodrigo, Tim Sylvia, Renato Sobral, Andrei Orlovsky and others. The first controversial loss occurred in 2000, when the undisputed champion was injured in the ring by Tsuyoshi Kosaka with a prohibited move. In 2002, the fighter won the title of champion of the Japanese MMA organization RINGS. In 2005, he again meets with the Japanese Kosaka and defeats him. One of the most important fights of all time in the career of the Russian champion is the battle with the then undefeated fighter Nogueira for the Pride champion title. The Russian fighter emerges victorious from the battle and becomes the last Pride champion. After defeating heavyweight Pedro Rizzo in 2012, Fedor decided to leave MMA. In July 2015, the athlete announced that he was returning to the ring. Next fight is due to take place in Japan on December 31st.

Fedor Emyalienko will go down in MMA history as a legendary figure.

Mma is the strongest fighter. The best mma fighters