If there’s one thing the best UFC fighters of all-time share in common, it’s their ability to dominate their opposition on a consistent basis. They knew how to attract a crowd and were featured in some of the most memorable, iconic, historic, and exciting fights we’ve ever seen.
The UFC, also known as the Ultimate Fighting Championship, has been around since 1993, but didn’t start to gain widespread popularity until the early 2000s when Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta (both executives of Station Casinos) purchased the UFC and named Dana White president.
Dana White helped spur the vision that turned the UFC into a global empire. If it wasn’t for him, many of the best UFC fighters of all-time would’ve never gotten the opportunity to showcase their talent in front of millions of people. With that said, we tip our hat to Dana White for his vision.
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Who Are the Best UFC Fighters of All-Time?
Throughout the nearly 30 year history of the UFC, many fighters have tested their skill inside the octagon. While not all fighters go on to have successful careers in the UFC, the best UFC fighters of all-time did. In fact, they blew us all away with their level of skill and pure talent.
The best UFC fighters of all-time were instrumental in the growth, development, and continued evolution of what’s considered a rather new sport. They’re the reason why fighters have the stage they have today and also the reason why fighters are seeing such high payouts today.
From UFC 1 on November 12, 1993 with under 8,000 fans in attendance to UFC 268 on November 6, 2021 with over 20,000 fans in attendance, the UFC has hosted over 587 events over the past 28 years. Without further ado, let’s take a look at the best UFC fighters of all-time.
20. Israel Adesanya
Years Active: 2009-present
MMA Record: 21-1-0 (15 KOs)
Israel Adesanya, also known as The Last Stylebender, is one of the best strikers in the UFC today. He got his start in kickboxing and went 32-0 as an amateur before turning pro. He began training in martial arts at the age of 21 and made his professional MMA debut in 2012.
After going 8-0 as a pro, Adesanya signed with the UFC and the rest is history. He started his career 20-0 before suffering his first loss against Jan Blachowicz for the Light Heavyweight Championship. He’s a Middleweight Champion and has a fight scheduled in February 2022.
19. Dominick Cruz
Years Active: 2003-present
MMA Record: 23-3 (7 KOs)
Dominick Cruz, also known as ‘The Dominator,’ was born in San Diego and was a wrestler in high school. After an injury resulted in him missing out on a college scholarship for wrestling, Cruz decided to study to be a firefighter before ultimately deciding to pursue a fighting career.
Cruz turned pro in 2005 and spent time with Rage in the Cage, Total Combat, and World Extreme Cagefighting before joining the UFC in 2010. He won 22 of his first 23 fights, but lost back-to-back fights in 2016 and 2020. He returned in 2021 with a win against Casey Kenney.
18. Kamaru Usman
Years Active: 2012-present
MMA Record: 20-1-0 (9 KOs)
Kamaru Usman, also known as ‘The Nigerian Nightmare,’ started wrestling in high school and continued in college where he was a National Champion, three-time D3 All-American, and NAIA National qualifier. After failing to make the Olympics in 2012, he pursued a career in fighting.
After going 5-1 as a pro, Usman was one of the featured fighters in The Ultimate Fighter and earned a UFC contract after the finale. Since joining the UFC, he has won all 15 of his bouts and is the current welterweight champion. His most recent win came on November 6, 2021.
17. Dan Henderson
Years Active: 1997-2016
MMA Record: 32-15-0 (16 KOs)
Dan Henderson, also known as ‘Hendo,’ enjoyed an illustrious wrestling career in his high school and college days. He competed in two Summer Olympics (1992 and 1996) and two World Wrestling Championships (1994 and 1997). He made his pro MMA debut in 1997.
Throughout his nearly 20-year career, Henderson spent three stints with the UFC (also spending time with Strikeforce, PRIDE, the Brazil Open Tournament, and Rings: King of Rings. He was a champion everywhere he went and is regarded as one of the best UFC fighters of all-time.
16. B.J. Penn
Years Active: 2001-2019
MMA Record: 16-14-2 (7 KOs)
B.J. Penn, also known as ‘The Prodigy,’ was one of the pioneers of the lighter weight divisions in the UFC. His career MMA record might not look that impressive, but it doesn’t show the fact that B.J. Penn is a former UFC Champion in both the Welterweight and Lightweight divisions.
In fact, Penn’s legacy has been criticized after he continued to fight way past his prime. Since 2010, Penn has only won one of his 11 fights – he was 15-5-1 prior to that. In his prime, he was one of the best UFC fighters of all-time. Outside his prime, he has been terrible to say the least.
15. Max Holloway
Years Active: 2010-present
MMA Record: 23-6-0 (10 KOs)
Max Holloway, also known as ‘Blessed,’ decided to pursue an MMA career in high school and turned pro as a teenager. By the age of 19, Holloway had a 4-0 record and was the lightweight champion for Hawaii’s X-1 promotion. He joined the UFC as the youngest fighter in 2012.
After losing his first fight, Holloway won his next three as he started to get comfortable. He suffered two more losses in 2013, but then went on a 13-fight win streak – including wins against Jose Aldo twice, Brain Ortega, and Anthony Pettis. He’s 3-3 since that win streak ended.
14. Randy Couture
Years Active: 1997-2011
MMA Record: 19-11-0 (7 KOs)
Randy Couture, also known as ‘The Natural,’ started wrestling in high school before joining the United States Army for seven years. He didn’t stop wrestling and eventually found success as an Olympic alternate and as a member of the Oklahoma State University wrestling team.
He burst onto the MMA scene in 1997 and competed in UFC’s four-man heavyweight tourney. That same year, Couture won his first UFC Heavyweight Championship – something he did three times in his career. He was also a two-time and interim Light Heavyweight Champion.
13. Chuck Liddell
Years Active: 1998-2018
MMA Record: 21-8-0 (13 KOs)
Chuck Liddell, also known as ‘The Ice Man,’ played a major role in popularizing the sport in the late-1990s and early-2000s. He made his debut in 1998 at UFC 17 and beat Noe Hernandez, but lost his second fight against Jeremy Horn. He then went on an eight-fight win streak.
That win streak came to an end in 2003 when Liddell was defeated by Randy Couture for the interim light heavyweight belt. He would get his revenge in 2005 and was named Light Heavyweight Champion – which he defended four times, including another win over Couture.
12. Henry Cejudo
Years Active: 2005-2020
MMA Record: 16-2-0 (8 KOs)
Henry Cejudo, also known as ‘The Messenger,’ had quite the wrestling career before pursuing an MMA career. He had seven gold medals, two silver, and one bronze in the Olympic Games, Wrestling World Cup, Pan American Championships, US National Championships, and more.
In 2013, he made his MMA debut and went 6-0 before signing with the UFC in 2014. He would go 6-2-0 over the next four years before being named UFC Flyweight Champion in 2018. After defending his title, he won the UFC Bantamweight Championship and defended that as well.
11. Matt Hughes
Years Active: 1998-2013
MMA Record: 45-9-0 (21 KOs)
Matt Hughes was a wrestler in high school and college before making his MMA debut in 1998. He joined the UFC in 1999 and won his first two fights before losing to Dennis Hallman. He followed that up with a win against Carlos Newton for the UFC Welterweight Championship.
After defending his title five times, Hughes lost it to B.J. Penn in 2004. He regained the title later that year after defeating Georges St-Pierre, which Hughes would defend against B.J. Penn and Frank Trigg. He lost the title to St-Pierre in 2006 and lost the rematch just one year later.
10. Conor McGregor
Years Active: 2008-present
MMA Record: 22-6-0 (19 KOs)
Conor McGregor, also known as ‘The Notorious,’ made a name for himself as one of the best trash talkers the UFC has ever seen. He also made a career out of backing that trash talk up with some powerful and technical punching, winning his first seven pro fights in the UFC.
While he’s just 3-4 since, McGregor is still regarded as one of the best UFC fighters of all-time. He was the headliner for five of the six highest-selling fights on pay-per-view and drew in more viewers than any other fighter in their prime. Oh, he has also made more money than anyone.
9. José Aldo
Years Active: 2004-present
MMA Record: 31-7-0 (17 KOs)
José Aldo, also known as ‘Junior,’ made his professional MMA debut in 2004 at the age of 17, despite wanting to play professional football growing up. He eventually joined World Extreme Cagefighting in 2008 and signed with the UFC when the two promotions merged in 2010.
Once entering the UFC, Aldo won his first 15 fights and defended his UFC Featherweight title seven times in a row from 2011-2014. His first UFC loss came against Conor McGregor and he had two belt opportunities against Max Holloway, but lost both matches in the third round.
8. Amanda Nunes
Years Active: 2008-present
MMA Record: 21-4-0 (13 KOs)
Amanda Nunes, also known as ‘Lioness,’ isn’t just one of the best UFC fighters of all-time, but she’s THE best female UFC fighter of all-time. She made her professional debut in 2008 and went 5-0 before signing with Strikeforce in 2011. She eventually made her UFC debut in 2013.
Nunes went 2-1 in her first three fights with the UFC, but that’s when she became unstoppable. She has won her past 12 fights and was the first female to win titles in two divisions. She has defended the UFC Bantamweight title five times and the UFC Featherweight title twice.
7. Daniel Cormier
Years Active: 2009-2020
MMA Record: 22-3-1 (10 KOs)
Daniel Cormier, also known as ‘DC,’ enjoyed a successful wrestling career in high school, college, and beyond. He came in fourth place in the 2004 Olympics and was named captain of Team USA ahead of the 2008 Olympics, but was pulled from competition for medical reasons.
Cormier made his MMA debut in 2009, signed with Strikeforce later that year, and won his first eight fights before debuting with the UFC in 2013. He has gone 11-3-1 since and won both the Light Heavyweight and Heavyweight Championships simultaneously. He’s currently an analyst.
6. Stipe Miocic
Years Active: 2010-present
MMA Record: 20-4-0 (15 KOs)
Stipe Miocic was a wrestler in high school, but also played football and baseball. In college, he started receiving interest from MLB teams, but ultimately decided to pursue a fighting career after graduating. He made his debut in 2006 and won his first six fights by way of knockout.
He made his UFC debut in 2011 and won his first three fights and went 8-2 before receiving his first title opportunity. He won the Heavyweight title and defended it three times before losing it to Daniel Cormier. He then beat Cormier to reclaim it and defeated him again to defend it.
5. Khabib Nurmagomedov
Years Active: 2008-2020
MMA Record: 29-0-0 (8 KOs)
Khabib Nurmagomedov, also known as ‘The Eagle,’ started wrestling and training in judo at a young age before shifting his focus to mixed martial arts. He made his professional MMA debut in 2008 and would go 16-0 before drawing interest from the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
His debut with the UFC came in 2012 and he won his first nine fights before receiving a title opportunity. After defeating Al Iaquinta to win the UFC Lightweight Championship, he defended the title three times before retiring. As a professional, he ended his career a perfect 29-0.
4. Demetrious Johnson
Years Active: 2007-present
MMA Record: 30-4-1 (5 KOs)
Demetrious Johnson, also known as ‘Mighty Mouse,’ was a three-sport athlete growing up and excelled in track, wrestling, and cross country. After attending Pierce College for two years, Johnson decided to pursue a career in fighting and made his professional MMA debut in 2007.
He went 9-0 before striking a deal with World Extreme Cagefighting. He joined the UFC when the two merged in 2011 and he won his first two fights. After suffering a loss and a draw to bring his record to 2-2, he won his next 13 fights before suffering his first loss in seven years in 2018.
3. Jon Jones
Years Active: 2008-present
MMA Record: 26-1-0 [1 NC] (10 KOs)
Jon Jones, also known as ‘Bones,’ was a standout wrestler and football player in high school. He later dropped out of college to pursue an MMA career and made his professional debut in 2008. He went 6-0 and won the USKBA Light Heavyweight Championship in just six months.
He made his UFC debut in April 2008 and won his first three fights. A loss towards the end of 2009 would spur a 13-fight win streak for Jones. He currently has the most title defenses, wins, and submission victories all-time in the light heavyweight division, cementing his legacy.
2. Anderson Silva
Years Active: 1997-2020
MMA Record: 34-11-0 [1 NC] (23 KOs)
Anderson Silva, also known as ‘The Spider,’ started training jiu-jitsu as a child and capoeira, taekwondo, and muay thai as a teen. He made his professional MMA debut in 1997 and eventually fought in the Pride Fighting Championships and Cage Rage from 2002-2006.
In 2006, he made his UFC debut and won his next 16 fights. In that time, he won the UFC Middleweight Championship and defended the title a record-setting 10 times in his division. He’s just 1-7-0 (1 NC) since his last title defense, but he’s still one of the best UFC fighters of all-time.
1. Georges St-Pierre
Years Active: 2002-2017
MMA Record: 26-2-0 (8 KOs)
Georges St-Pierre, also known as ‘GSP’ or ‘Rush,’ is widely regarded as one of the best UFC fighters of all-time – if not THE best. He made his UFC debut in 2004 and even won his first two fights before losing to fellow all-time great Matt Hughes in the UFC Welterweight Championship.
St-Pierre followed that up with six straight wins, including revenge against Hughes for the title. After losing the title in 2007, he eventually regained it 2008 and defended it nine consecutive times. He returned in 2017 and won the UFC Middleweight Championship before retiring.
Who Are the Best UFC Fighters Right Now?
The best UFC fighters of all-time were exciting to watch and knew how to put on a show for the fans. They got so used to wrapping that belt around their waste that they started to get tan lines. They’re some of the most feared fighters the sport has ever seen and that may never change.
Of course, that doesn’t mean there’s any shortage of talent in the UFC today. In fact, many of the best UFC fighters of all-time that we listed above are still fighting to this day. Since the sport is still relatively new, a lot of the greats are either still in shape or just recently decided to retire.
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With that said, some of the best UFC fighters in 2022 that weren’t named above include Francis Ngannou, Alexander Volkanovski, Dustin Poirier, Charles Oliviera, Brandon Moreno, Petr Yan, Valentina Shevchenko, Rose Namajunas, Zhang Weili, and Jessica Andrade.
25 Best UFC Women Fighters of All-Time
Women have only been fighting in the UFC since 2012, but the best UFC women fighters of all time made the most of the opportunities they were given – despite the sport being dominated by men for over two decades. They defied the odds and ushered in a generation of new fighters.
The first female MMA fight occurred in 1997 when Becky Levi defeated Betty Fagan. Over 12 years later, Strikeforce became the first major promotion to host a female MMA fight and Invicta Fighting Championships became the first major women’s pro-MMA organization in 2012.
While the UFC got its start in 1993 and experienced massive growth through the early 2000s, it took Dana White quite a while to open up to the possibility of women fighting in the UFC. He finally folded when he signed Ronda Rousey in November 2012 and the rest is history.
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Who Are the Best UFC Women Fighters of All-Time?
Since the signing of Ronda Rousey, women have risen to prominence in a promotion once dominated exclusively by men. While she was the first female star in UFC, she wasn’t the only female star and she doesn’t even rank at the top of the best UFC women fighters of all-time.
Over the past nine years, there have been a number of female MMA superstars that could be considered as the best UFC women fighters of all-time. They come from different backgrounds, different divisions, and different fighting styles, but they each finished their career as a legend.
While most lists you see on the internet rank out the top-five and other lists include non-UFC women fighters, we’re going to do things differently and rank out the 25 best UFC women fighters of all-time – that’s right, we’re only including women that spent time in the UFC.
25. Raquel Pennington
Country: United States
Years Active: 2009-present
MMA Record: 12-8-0 (1 KO)
Raquel Pennington, also known as ‘Rocky,’ made her pro debut in 2012 and was a member of The Ultimate Fighter 18. She made her UFC debut in 2013 and went 2-2 before a four-fight win streak. She then went 1-3, but is 2-0 since and has a fight scheduled for December 18, 2021.
24. Sarah Kaufman
Country: Canada
Years Active: 2006-present
MMA Record: 22-5-0 [1 NC] (11 KOs)
Sarah Kaufman made her pro debut in 2007 in what was the first female fight in TKO 29 – Repercussion history. She was the bantamweight champion for Strikeforce and fought for Invicta FC before joining the UFC in 2013. She’s just 1-2 since with one ‘no contest.’
23. Cat Zingano
Country: United States
Years Active: 2008-present
MMA Record: 12-4-0 (5 KOs)
Cat Zingano, also known as ‘Alpha,’ made her pro debut in 2008 and spent time with Invicta FC and Strikeforce before her 2013 UFC debut. She beat Miesha Tate and Amanda Nunes before losing to Ronda Rousey and Julianna Pena. She’s just 1-4 since, but is still an all-time great.
22. Karolina Kowalkiewicz
Country: Poland
Years Active: 2010-present
MMA Record: 12-7-0 (1 KO)
Karolina Kowalkiewicz, also known as ‘Polish Princess,’ began her pro career in Poland and won her first seven fights before joining the UFC in 2015. She won her first three fights, including one vs. Rose Namajunas, but is just 2-7 since – losing to several all-time greats in that span.
21. Liz Carmouche
Country: United States
Years Active: 2010-present
MMA Record: 16-7-0 (7 KOs)
Liz Carmouche, also known as ‘Girl-Rilla,’ started her MMA career in 2010 and spent time with Strikeforce and Invicta FC before making her debut against Ronda Rousey in the UFC’s first ever female fight. She’s just 7-7 since joining the UFC and currently fights in the Bellator MMA.
20. Tatiana Suarez
Country: United States
Years Active: 2014-present
MMA Record: 8-0-0 (2 KOs)
Tatiana Suarez made her MMA debut in 2014 and won her first three fights en route to the Gladiator Challenge championship. She then won The Ultimate Fighter 23 Finale before signing with the UFC in 2016. She has won her last four fights, including one against Carla Esparza.
19. Aspen Ladd
Country: United States
Years Active: 2015-present
MMA Record: 9-2-0 (6 KOs)
Aspen Ladd went 8-1 as an amateur before making her professional MMA debut with Invicta FC in 2014. She went 5-0 before signing with the UFC in 2017 where she won her first three fights. She’s just 1-2 since, but her ability to finish should land her several more wins in the UFC.
18. Katlyn Chookagian
Country: United States
Years Active: 2012-present
MMA Record: 16-4-0 (2 KOs)
Katlyn Chookagian, also known as ‘Blonde Fighter,’ made her pro debut in 2014 and won her first seven fights before her UFC debut in 2016. She went 6-2 before losing to Valentina Shevchenko for the UFC Women’s Flyweight Championship in 2020. She’s 3-1 since.
17. Tecia Torres
Country: United States
Years Active: 2011-present
MMA Record: 13-5-0 (1 KO)
Tecia Torres, also known as ‘The Tiny Tornado,’ made her professional debut with Invicta FC in 2012, was featured in The Ultimate Fighter 20, and signed with the UFC in 2014. She won six of her first seven fights, but suffered four straight losses to other UFC greats. She’s 3-0 since.
16. Cláudia Gadelha
Country: Brazil
Years Active: 2008-present
MMA Record: 18-5-0 (2 KOs)
Cláudia Gadelha, also known as ‘Claudinha,’ made her pro debut in 2008 and was with Invicta FC before signing with the UFC in 2013. While she has struggled to put together impressive win streaks, she has beaten the likes of Karolina Kowalkiewicz in 2017 and Carla Esparza in 2018.
15. Jennifer Maia
Country: Brazil
Years Active: 2009-present
MMA Record: 19-7-1 (4 KOs)
Jennifer Maia started her career in boxing and went 3-0 before making her pro MMA debut in 2009. She was with Invicta FC from 2013-2018 and was the Flyweight Champion before signing with the UFC in 2018. She’s 4-3 since and all three losses came against women on this list.
14. Michelle Waterson
Country: United States
Years Active: 2007-present
MMA Record: 18-9-0 (3 KOs)
Michelle Waterson, also known as ‘The Karate Hottie,’ made her professional debut in 2007 and didn’t sign with the UFC until 2015. She won her first two fights, lost her next two, and then went on a three-fight win streak. She’s just 1-3 since, but has a bout scheduled for March 2022.
13. Carla Esparza
Country: United States
Years Active: 2010-present
MMA Record: 18-6-0 (4 KOs)
Carla Esparza, also known as ‘Cookie Monster,’ was 3-0 before signing with Bellator MMA in 2010. She later became the first Strawweight Champion in Invicta FC and won The Ultimate Fighter 20. She lost four of her first eight UFC fights, but is 5-0 over the past two years.
12. Julianna Peña
Country: United States
Years Active: 2009-present
MMA Record: 10-4-0 (3 KOs)
Julianna Peña, also known as ‘The Venezuelan Vixen,’ made her pro debut in 2009 and won The Ultimate Fighter 18 in 2013 to be named bantamweight champion. An injury kept her away from the octagon in 2014, but she’s 5-2 since and will face Amanda Nunes on Dec. 11, 2021.
11. Germaine de Randamie
Country: Netherlands
Years Active: 2008-present
MMA Record: 10-4-0 (4 KOs)
Germaine de Randamie, also known as ‘The Iron Lady,’ is one of the best female kickboxers of all-time. She went 46-0 with 30 knockouts before pursuing an MMA career in 2008. She has won seven of her nine UFC fights and was the inaugural Women’s Featherweight Champion.
10. Miesha Tate
Country: United States
Years Active: 2007-present
MMA Record: 19-8-0 (4 KOs)
Miesha Tate, also known as ‘Cupcake,’ made her pro debut in 2007 and became the Strikeforce Bantamweight Champion in 2011. She made her debut with the UFC in 2013 and lost her first two fights, but won the next five en route to being named UFC Bantamweight Champion in 2016.
9. Weili Zhang
Country: China
Years Active: 2013-present
MMA Record: 21-3-0 (10 KOs)
Weili Zhang, also known as ‘Magnum,’ made her pro debut in 2013 and while she lost the fight, she won her next 16 fights before signing with the UFC in 2018. She won her first three fights and was named UFC Strawweight Champion. She defended the title once, but is 0-2 since.
8. Holly Holm
Country: United States
Years Active: 2011-present
MMA Record: 14-5-0 (8 KOs)
Holly Holm, also known as ‘The Preacher’s Daughter,’ was a successful boxer before starting her MMA career in 2011. She signed with the UFC in 2014 and won her first three fights en route to being named bantamweight champion. She’s just 4-5 since, but is still an all-time MMA great.
7. Jéssica Andrade
Country: Brazil
Years Active: 2011-present
MMA Record: 22-9-0 (9 KOs)
Jéssica Andrade, also known as ‘Bate Estaca,’ made her pro debut in 2011 and eventually signed with the UFC in 2013. She has 20 UFC fights to her name, winning 13 of them and being named Strawweight Champion in 2019. She has defeated six different females on this list.
6. Joanna Jędrzejczyk
Country: Poland
Years Active: 2012-present
MMA Record: 16-4-0 (4 KOs)
Joanna Jędrzejczyk signed with the UFC in 2014 and won her first eight promotional fights. She was named Strawweight Champion in 2015, a title she defended five times, before suffering her first loss in 2017. While she’s just 2-4 since, she defeated six different females on this list.
5. Rose Namajunas
Country: United States
Years Active: 2013-present
MMA Record: 11-4-0 (2 KOs)
Rose Namajunas, also known as ‘Thug,’ started martial arts training as a child and made her pro debut in 2013. She lost The Ultimate Fighter tournament finale in 2014, but is 9-2 since. She’s a two-time Strawweight Champion and defended the title twice in the past three years. She defeated five females on this list.
4. Ronda Rousey
Country: United States
Years Active: 2010-2016
MMA Record: 12-2-0 (3 KOs)
Ronda Rousey, also known as ‘Rowdy,’ started her career in judo and competed in the 2004 and 2008 Olympics before making her pro MMA debut in 2011. After becoming the first female signed to the UFC in 2012, she won her first six fights and defended her bantamweight title five times. She defeated four females on this list.
3. Valentina Shevchenko
Country: Kyrgyzstan
Years Active: 2003-present
MMA Record: 22-3-0 (8 KOs)
Valentina Shevchenko, also known as ‘Bullet,’ has had an illustrious career in MMA (22-3), boxing (2-0), and kickboxing (59-2). She made her pro MMA debut in 2003 and went 11-1 before signing with the UFC in 2015. She started her UFC career 3-2, but has won her past eight fights. She has defeated eight females on this list.
2. Cristiane Justino
Country: Brazil
Years Active: 2005-present
MMA Record: 25-2-0 (20 KOs)
Cristiane Justino, also known as ‘Cris Cyborg,’ made her pro debut in 2005 and starred in Strikeforce and Invicta FC before signing with the UFC in 2015. She won her first five bouts and was named Featherweight Champion in 2017 – a title she defended twice. She won her final UFC fight in 2019 before joining Bellator MMA.
1. Amanda Nunes
Country: Brazil
Years Active: 2008-present
MMA Record: 21-4-0 (13 KOs)
Amanda Nunes, also known as ‘Lioness,’ started martial arts training as a child and made her professional debut in 2008 before signing with the UFC in 2013. After going 2-1 in her first three fights, she has won her last 12 fights and has an opportunity to make it 13-straight on December 11, 2021.
Nunes is the only female two-division champion in UFC history. She has won seven straight title defense fights and defeated eight women on this list.
Greatest Female Fighters That Never Fought in the UFC
The best UFC women fighters of all-time played a major role in popularizing women’s MMA, but they aren’t the only women that helped propel the sport into prominence. In fact, there are a ton of women that contributed to the rise of women in MMA, despite never stepping foot in the UFC.
Those women deserve just as much praise for their efforts in the sport of MMA. If it weren’t for them, the best UFC women fighters of all-time would’ve never had an opportunity to showcase their talent on a global scale. Don’t worry, we’re going to highlight some of those women below.
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Some of those legendary and revolutionary women fighters include Marloes Coenen, Megumi Fuji, Tara LaRosa, Yuka Tsuji, Ayaka Hamasaki, Jennifer Howe, Julia Budd, Angela Lee, Satoko Shinashi, Xiong Jing Nan, Gina Carano, Zoila Gurgel, and Erin Toughill.
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