Magomedov (19 wins (8 by knockout, 1 submission), 2 losses) is perhaps the most underrated Russian fighter. Rashid doesn't often finish fights early, but he shows himself to be a very confident and stable fighter. In Russia, he managed to beat everyone he could - from Frodo Khasbulaev and Alexander Yakovlev to Shamil Zavurov and Yasubei Enomoto.
Less is said and written about his fights in the UFC than about the fights of Oleynik or Nurmagomedov, although there is something to see: in the debut, Rashid suffered an elbow lever that looked almost fatal, and in the fight against Elias Silverio he managed to knock out his opponent 3 seconds before the final bell .
9. ALEXEY OLEINIK
Among his Russian colleagues, Oleinik (51 wins (5 by knockout, 41 submissions), 10 losses, 1 draw) stands out for his grappling skills and his ability to choke opponents. Oleinik began performing during the times of “fights without rules” and continues now, when MMA is controlled by athletic commissions, anti-doping laboratories and sponsored by world brands.
For about five years now, Oleinik has been performing in the status of a veteran - an elderly fighter, but one who has seen a lot. It was the achievements of this period that became decisive for Alexey’s status as one of the best Russian fighters. During this time, he managed to win victories over Jeff Monson and Mirko Filipovic, seemingly leave MMA and return to the UFC, where he received a couple of awards for the best performance of the evening and became the first person in UFC history to win with a rare and technically difficult technique “Ezekiel choke” "
8. ALEXANDER VOLKOV
The two-meter heavyweight Volkov (27 wins (18 by knockout, 3 techniques, 6 losses) looks like both an excellent student and a cousin of Ivan Drago, trained specifically for MMA. Alexander's main trump cards are punch, character and learning ability. Surprisingly, he became a truly good fighter after he lost to Vitaly Minakov by knockout and lost the Bellator title. After that, Volkov seemed to have fangs, and he began to fight more fiercely and meaningfully. Progress after defeat is the quality of a truly good fighter. If we single out one victory, it would be the strangulation from the back of the world sambo champion Blagoy Ivanov. Drummer Volkov stepped out of his comfort zone here and defeated a previously undefeated opponent. Alexander remains one of the most promising Russian heavyweights and recently made his debut in the UFC.
7. ALI BAGAUTINOV
Bagautinov’s path (14 wins (5 by knockout, 4 submissions), 5 losses) in the UFC from his first fight to the title fight looked exemplary. In his debut, Ali knocked out a Brazilian fighter on his home arena, then convincingly dealt with top contenders Tim Elliott and John Lineker. Bagautinov’s hands were fast, his wrestling was impeccable, his plans for the fight were meaningful and even witty (Lineker lost the fight, not understanding what to do with Ali, who suddenly took a southpaw stance).
The shine ended before the fight with champion Demitrius Johnson - Ali was caught doping and lost main fight of his life, losing on points with a devastating score. To be fair, Johnson is rightfully considered the best MMA fighter, regardless of weight. After the defeat to Demetrius, Ali's career began to decline, but becoming the first Russian to fight for the UFC champion title in the 21st century is a serious achievement.
6. VITALY MINAKOV
Former Bellator heavyweight champion Vitaly Minakov (19 wins (10 by knockout, 7 submissions), 0 losses) is fast, agile and coordinated, equally dangerous both on the stand and on the ground. Minakov is capable of throwing knockout punches, the power of which world boxing champion Grigory Drozd admired, and carrying out armbars for which neither Fedor Emelianenko nor Ronda Rousey would be ashamed. 19 fights won in a row speak for themselves.
Paradoxically, Vitaly’s most unconvincing fights are those where he showed will and character - he fought against the background of fatigue with Cheick Kongo and caught the fat man Linderman in a blow. These were opponents Minakov should have torn apart, but fights with them called into question the extent of his endurance and made him wonder whether he would last winning streak against stronger opponents. We should know the answers soon. Minakov assures that he is about to return to Bellator, and this is a good promise of competitive fights in which he can realize his potential.
5. ANDREY KORESHKOV
Koreshkov (19 wins (10 by knockout, 3 submissions, 2 losses) became the Bellator champion, winning two of the organization's welterweight Grand Prix and defeating strong Brazilian Douglas Lima. The Bellator Grand Prix was a very serious test - 3 fights in three months, without any concessions or rest. Koreshkov's victories were brought by his ability to fight in a variety of ways in a standing position and strictly adhere to the plans for the fight, invented by his coach Alexander Shlemenko. Koreshkov is Shlemenko’s most successful student and one of the most dangerous strikers among Russian MMA fighters.
Andrey has a victory over ex-UFC champion Ben Henderson has one serious debt in his liability – to avenge the defeat of the Brazilian Douglas Lima in the last fight. So far the score of their meetings is 1-1.
4. SERGEY KHARITONOV
Kharitonov (23 wins (13 by knockout, 9 submissions), 6 losses) became famous for his boxing skills, ability to knock people out and a protracted conflict with Alexander Emelianenko. Sergei has one of the most impressive collections of scalps among Russian MMA fighters. He defeated Andrei Arlovski, Fabricio Werdum and Alistair Overeem. Add in Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Josh Barnett and Jeff Monson, all of whom he lost to, and you have a list of the most famous heavyweights of his time. Sometimes he was let down by gaps in his wrestling technique and overconfidence in his stance, but when he hit, people fell.
Perhaps Kharitonov could have achieved even more by focusing entirely on MMA. But Sergey simultaneously fought according to the rules of kickboxing and in the World Series Boxing for the Azerbaijani team. They say that when he performed at WSB, special gloves had to be ordered for him. Regular models did not fit his fists.
3. KHABIB NURMAGOMEDOV
Khabib (24 (8 knockouts, 8 submissions), 0 defeats) is the strongest fighter from our country right now. And he the brightest representative the younger generation of Russian MMA fighters - trains with UFC champions, speaks excellent English, masterfully knows how to present himself and drive people crazy. The latter, as we know from the example of Conor McGregor, is one of the key skills in modern MMA. Nurmagomedov managed to create a recognizable brand with its own recognizable elements - wrestling with a bear, papakha and trash talk.
Khabib the marketer has lately overshadowed Khabib the fighter. This is not entirely fair. His winning streak of 24 fights is the longest among active fighters. His forceful style, built on constant pressure and the use of wrestling, has not yet misfired. On March 3, “Eagle” fights for the UFC interim champion belt and if the fight will take place successful, then all of Nurmagomedov’s previous achievements will turn out to be a preface to something greater.
2. ALEXANDER SHLEMENKO
Shlemenko (54 victories (30 by knockout, 9 techniques), 9 defeats, 1 fight declared invalid) is one of the most spectacular Russian fighters, thanks to the lack of fear of reaching the edge. “Storm” prefers to lose consciousness rather than surrender when caught in a choke hold, and has more than once staged carnage against opponents whom he could outwit.
Like a hero computer game, Shlemenko’s signature move is the backfist. His side blows to the head and body are no less dangerous. He is one of those fighters who likes to escalate fights and strives for a knockout victory. Alexander literally clawed out the Bellator middleweight title and defeated opponents such as Kendall Grove, Melvin Manhoef and Maikel Falcao. His duology with Vyacheslav Vasilevsky is perhaps the loudest and most powerful confrontation involving Russian fighters.
1. FEDOR EMELYANENKO
Emelianenko’s popularity (36 victories (11 knockouts, 17 techniques), 4 defeats, 1 fight declared invalid) has long transcended the field of fighting. The main thing that is worth saying is: even if we were to name the top ten best MMA fighters from all over the world, and not just from Russia, Emelianenko would still be in first place. The fighter from Stary Oskol went undefeated for 10 years, beat everyone he could, and mixed sambo and unpredictable striking techniques into a completely overpowering cocktail that turned out to be too strong for Mirko Filipovic, Kevin Randleman, Andrei Orlovsky, Tim Sylvia and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira.
Modern Emelianenko, who has survived several severe defeats, is not at all like Fedor of the Japanese period, a man with eyes watchdog from the time of the Pride performances. This should not cast a shadow on his old victories. Now Fedor looks like a relic of another era, but it was the most fun and brutal era in the history of the heavyweight division.
Fights mixed style are gaining more and more popularity, and ratings of fights between the best fighters attract a huge audience of viewers. There are many different promotional organizations, each with their own rules and their own stars. However, today most of the strongest athletes perform under the auspices of the UFC, which has absorbed its most serious competitors and has great financial resources.
Ukrainian kickboxer in MMA
Igor Vovchanchyn began his great sports career before the heyday of the UFC and made his mark with fights in the Pride promotion. As a child he worked athletics, boxing, then took up kickboxing seriously, becoming a world champion by the age of twenty. Short for this sport, Igor Vovchanchyn compensated for this deficiency with speed and sharpness, crushing his competitors. In 1995, he first began participating in mixed style fights.
In 1998, the Ukrainian signed a contract with Pride, and during two years of performances in the cage he became one of the best MMA fighters.
In 2000, he was invited to participate in the Grand Prix, where he managed to reach the final. Here the strongest American, Mark Coleman, was waiting for him. Vovchanchyn was exhausted after a tough semi-final match, while Coleman finished off his opponent in the first seconds of the fight, so he lost in a stubborn battle.
The following years, the Ukrainian alternated successful fights with failed ones. The fight with the legendary Mirko Filipovich stands out. The meeting between two kickboxers ended with a powerful blow from the Croatian with his left leg, which knocked out Vovchanchyn. Having completed his career, Igor did not leave MMA and opened his own fight club.
People from all over the world come to mixed style fights. different types sports. For example, one of the best MMA fighters of the 2000s can easily be considered a former Greco-Roman wrestler.
Dan Henderson has successfully served as classic wrestler and even represented the USA twice at Olympic Games Oh. Having improved his boxing training, he began to compete in mixed style fights.
The American was one of the UFC's first star fighters, winning the UFC 17 tournament in 1998, then performed extensively in other promotions. He achieved particular success in Pride and Strikeforce, repeatedly collecting world titles from these organizations.
However, Dan fought his main fight in 2011 at the age of 40, when he knocked out the previously unbeaten Fedor Emelianenko, becoming one of the best mixed style fighters of all time.
Few people are capable of becoming a world champion at the age of 43. Randy Couture was born back in 1963, and during his youth no one had heard of mixed style fighting. At this time he was working Greco-Roman wrestling, achieving excellent results on international tournaments. In the mid-nineties, the already aged athlete made the daring decision to engage in fighting without rules and quickly broke into the ranks of the best fighters, becoming the champion of UFC 13 in 1997.
The star fighter repeatedly clashed with the management of the promotion, constantly moving to other organizations. Despite this, by the age of 43, he managed to win the UFC world title five times and entered the hall of fame as the oldest champion.
Randy Couture has victories over such strong fighters as Kevin Randleman, Tito Ortiz, Chuck Lidel. He fought his last fight at the age of 46 in 2009.
Connor McGregor
Among the best fighters in the world, the magnificent Irish athlete stands apart. Connor McGregor competes in the lightweight category, but many authoritative publications include him in the top five UFC fighters, regardless of weight.
The Irishman holds the world title, and another star athlete is eager to meet him - Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Connor McGregor has a very spectacular and unconventional style of fighting. Specialist in martial arts, he works well with his feet, crushing many opponents with his “spinners”. At the same time, his fighting range is very wide, he hits hard with both hands and works well in a boxing stance.
He works especially hard on wrestling and has already achieved the right to a brown belt in jiu-jitsu.
His spectacular style of fighting, as well as his eccentric behavior outside the cage, make McGregor one of the most popular fighters; his fights are sold out like hot cakes by viewers of pay cable channels.
Khabib Nurmagomedov
Dagestan is famous for its freestyle wrestling school and is becoming the homeland of the best mixed style fighters. These include Khabib Nurmagomedov, who ranks 13th in the UFC rankings, regardless of category. In his lightweight he is considered the best after the legendary McGregor, a fight with whom he is diligently seeking.
Unlike the Irishman, Khabib is a wrestling specialist; he twice became the world champion in combat sambo, grappling, and pankration. In 2012, he began competing in the UFC.
He was inactive for two years due to injury, but despite this, he managed to fight 30 fights, winning all of them.
Nevertheless, Khabib also has weaknesses. Apparently, he is not entirely comfortable with the boundaries light weight, which is why it’s hard to lose weight before fights. Just after such preparation, he recently felt unwell before the fight with Tony Ferguson, and the fight was postponed.
Stipe Miocic
The American fighter of Croatian origin firmly holds the UFC world heavyweight title. Many analysts recognize him as the absolute best fighter, regardless of weight category. Before joining mixed martial arts, he successfully practiced boxing and wrestling, in particular winning the prestigious Golden Gloves tournament, and was also a Division I NCAA wrestler. This explains his invulnerability both in the standing position and on the ground. A fighter without weaknesses rarely gives his opponent a chance to show his strengths.
The formidable Croatian has victories over Fabio Maldonado, Andrei Orlovski, and Fabricio Werdum. In 2015, Stipe Miocic set a unique achievement in a fight against Mark Hunt, inflicting 361 blows on him. This fight was recognized as “Beating of the Year” by the UFC.
Miesha Tate
Another American beauty is one of the best female MMA fighters. For several years, fans watched with admiration the confrontation between Ronda Rousey and Miesha Tate in bantamweight division. Just like her main rival, Misha was especially good at choking and painful techniques. At the youth level, she was engaged in freestyle wrestling, won regional competitions, after which she began to compete in fights mixed martial arts, immediately becoming one of the best fighters. Over and over again knocking over her opponents with her lightning-fast passes to the legs, the American even earned the nickname “Takedown” among fans and specialists.
Her confrontation with Ronda Rousey was especially epic. She met her twice in the fight for the championship belt and lost twice.
Finally, Miesha Tate fulfilled her cherished dream by defeating Collie Holm in the title fight, but did not hold the title for long, losing to the dangerous Brazilian Amanda Nunes.
Ronda Rousey
The list of the world's best MMA fighters would be incomplete without representatives of the fair sex. Former bantamweight world champion Ronda Rousey occupies a special place here. She practiced judo professionally and was already on the US Olympic team at the age of seventeen.
In 2008, Ronda Rousey won the Beijing Olympics in brilliant style. Having won everything she could in amateur sports, the strong girl decided to test herself in mixed style fighting. In the octagon, she made full use of her judo skills, and for many years none of her opponents could match her killer submission techniques.
In her twelve UFC victories, she used the elbow lever, which was her signature move, nine times. From 2012 to 2015, she held the world bantamweight title. A real sensation was her defeat in 2015 from Collie Holm, who managed to keep her dangerous opponent at a distance and knocked out Ronda in boxing style.
A year later, she tried to regain the title of world champion, but again ran into an unyielding opponent with strong striking training. Amanda Nunes managed to break the legendary American and won by technical knockout.
Many fighters can intimidate anyone with their terrifying appearance...
1. Alistair Overeem- this is the one you wouldn’t want to meet in an alley at night. His two-meter height, scar on his face and grin are not all that make him the most fearsome fighter. In addition, he is one of the toughest, which is immediately evident in battles - he destroys his opponents to dust, fully justifying his nickname “Destroyer”.
2. Would you be scared if you saw the Hulk? What if you had to fight him? Antonio Bigfoot Silva one of these strongmen. He is confident and calm, which is worth his roar after the fight and his behavior in general. You won't envy his rivals.
3. Choi Hong Man called the "Korean monster" or the "Korean colossus". With a weight of 165 kg and a height of 2 meters 18 cm, he is one of the largest representatives of combat sports in the world. At the same time, he suffers from acromegaly, which provokes constant growth and thickening of the bones, especially in the facial part. Hong Man Choi is no longer involved in fighting, but despite his illness, he won the 2006 K-1 Grand Prix in Seoul.
4. Emmanuel Yarborough – American fighter mixed martial arts and sumo wrestler. His main problem is overweight. With a height of 2 meters, his weight is 320 kg. As MMA fighter it debuted in September 1994. The opponent was 180 kg lighter than Yarborough, but he failed to win this fight, but he tore his opponent’s tights and knocked down the door to enter the arena. In MMA, Yarborough participated in three fights, winning one.
5. Mariusz Pudzianowski all fans of extreme power sports know, because he is the only person who managed to win 5 times in the “Most strong man in the world." He shocked the whole world with his records, but this was not enough for him and in 2009, at the age of 32, he decided to try his hand at MMA. All the skeptics said that this was just a one-time thing, but Mariusz is still performing and showing impressive results.
6. Once a giant Bob Sapp was a tough fighter, mainly due to his intimidating appearance and ability to show spectacular fights. But since 2009, his career suddenly began to decline. Sapp stopped hitting his opponents, giving up after the first missed blow. As the fighter himself said, it became unprofitable for him to pay for expensive treatment after fights; it was easier to go into the ring, let himself be kicked and get paid for it. So he earned 10 million dollars and retired.
7. Stefan Struve- The tallest UFC fighter and one of the tallest guys in MMA history. His height is 211 cm. Many victories were brought to him by fighting techniques, which, undoubtedly, can be attributed to his main weapon. Now he is actively continuing to work on improving combat techniques and tactics, trains hard and is in excellent physical shape.
8. Pot-bellied hero Alexandru Lungu or otherwise, the “angry Romanian hippopotamus” weighs 170 kg and is 183 cm tall. Of the 17 fights he fought, he won 13 and lost 4. What can you say, its gigantic size is clearly its advantage.
9. Brock Lesnar - five-time champion WWE World Champion, UFC Heavyweight Champion, NJPW World Champion and NCAA Wrestling Champion; the only person in history to win titles in each of these organizations. A huge killing machine, with hair like a Navy SEAL and brutal tattoos on his enormous torso - this is what one of the most popular fighters in the history of sports looks like.
10. Eric Ash better known by his nickname "Butterbean" - American heavyweight boxer, kickboxer and mixed martial arts fighter. Eric weighs about 200 kg, but despite this he is very fast and incredibly strong! You could see him in many modern teenage boxing simulators, for example, in the famous “Knockout Kings 2001” in his famous boxing shorts in the color of the American flag, as well as in the cartoons “Despicable Me” and “Octopussy”. He also played himself in the film Jackass.
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.
the 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 heavyweight and light heavyweight weight categories. Couture began to study professional boxing still in the army. From that moment on, sport became his main hobby and activity. The last fight 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 mixed martial arts champion. 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 powerful fighter in the entire history 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 strong 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.
Although Diaz does not have perfect statistics (20 wins with 11 losses), he is one of the most famous fighters in lightweight. All thanks to his shocking behavior both in and outside the octagon. Capable, for example, of slapping an opponent in the face during a fight. Nate fought Conor McGregor twice and even beat him, despite the fact that the preparation for the fight took only 11 days. Diaz is also known for his endurance. And although last Stand The American spent more than two years ago, his money is clearly all right, because Nate received about $13 million for the meeting with McGregor.
2. Conor McGregor
The richest, most stylish and famous fighter in the history of mixed martial arts. His outrageous antics and outfits are discussed far beyond the circle of UFC fans, and some people watch fights just to see this Irish machine in action. Conor McGregor won the championship belt in two categories at once: lightweight and featherweight, and lost only three times with 21 victories. In the autumn the Irishman will fight in title fight with Russian Khabib Nurmagomedov, this fight will be the main event of the UFC this year. For it, Conor, as usual, will receive a round sum and will replenish his fortune, which, according to various estimates, exceeds $100 million.
3. Mark Hunt
Hunt originally competed in kickboxing, which is surprising for a sport that requires flexibility and agility. But when looking at a New Zealander, one thought may come to mind: “a pile of muscles.” The Super Samoan, as he is commonly called among UFC fans, is in eighth place among the league's heavyweights and will very soon arrive in Moscow to fight Russian Alexei Oleynik. We advise you not to miss it. In 2016, when the New Zealander had his last fight, he earned at least $1 million, and that’s just for the fight itself. Let's see how profitable 2018 will be for him.
4. Khabib Nurmagomedov
Most chief Russian in UFC on at the moment. Khabib is invincible, because he had 25 fights and was never defeated. Despite all the confrontation with McGregor, the Dagestani fighter is very similar to the Irishman. Both are known for their antics, good in the octagon, famous and proud. During fights, Khabib constantly controls the situation, and his fighting skills are based on the use combat sambo, popular in Russia. Nurmagomedov is often reproached for avoiding meetings with obviously strong opponents, but the October fight with Conor could change the situation. The amounts that Khabib receives for entering the octagon cannot be compared with the money that McGregor receives, but the Russian himself says that this is not the main thing for him. For the fight with Edson Barboza, Khabib received more than $200 thousand. The fee for going against McGregor is still unknown, but we are sure that the numbers will be impressive.
5. Tony Ferguson
This lightweight fighter is known mainly for the fact that he tried to fight Khabib four times, but in all cases he was injured shortly before the fight. With 23 wins, Tony has only 3 losses, and he could easily claim the lightweight title if at least one fight with McGregor or Nurmagomedov took place. Ferguson receives about $250 thousand for one performance, and approximately the same amount will be added if he wins. And although Tony doesn’t reach the salaries of his popular lightweight opponents, he could compete with them in the Octagon.
6. Ronda Rousey
The main girl in mixed martial arts. Ronda won most of her victories in the first round. A couple of years ago, Rousey lost leadership in the women's division and moved to WWE, but remained the most recognizable of all the girls who have ever competed in the UFC. Ronda appears in films, and her income has reached around $6 million for several years in a row, making her one of the highest paid athletes in the world. Rousey also has an Olympic medal, which is quite atypical for UFC fighter. We are sad that the American left mixed martial arts, but we are happy that we will be able to see her on screens as an actress.