GOAT Talk: Who are the active UFC fighters considered to be the greatest of all time?
There is always a great conversation to be had when MMA fans start talking about the greatest of all time.
Opinions range from records, to box office, to steroids, to marketability, and so on. Everybody’s opinion is different especially when you talk all time, but let’s talk about the current/active fighters who are being called the GOAT.
#5. Demetrious Johnson
Mighty Mouse was the most dominant Flyweight Champion in UFC history. He compiled a 15-2-1 record while in the UFC.
He won the inaugural flyweight championship on September 22, 2012 when he defeated Joseph Benavidez in a close fight. Johnson would go on to defend the belt successfully a record 11 consecutive times. Johnson sat atop the P4P rankings until he lost to Henry Cejudo on August 4, 2018 (a fight many thought he had won). He was the second fighter on UFC roster to be awarded bonus payments in all four possible categories (Fight, Knockout, Performance & Submission of the Night awards). He has moved over to ONE Championship and has continued his dominance with the organization.
Johnson’s dominance is unquestionable.
#4. Jose Aldo
Aldo recently signed a new contract with the UFC to put the retirement talk to rest.
He was the fourth and final WEC Featherweight Champion and became the first UFC Featherweight Champion after the UFC/WEC merger. He is former three-time UFC Featherweight Champion overall, having been the undisputed champion twice and the interim champion once. He has compiled a 18-4 record in the UFC and WEC combined. He also holds the record for most successful title defenses in UFC featherweight history (7).
When he fought Jeremy Stephens at UFC on Fox 30 on July 28, 2018 it was Aldo’s first non-title (three round) fight in over nine years.
#3. Amanda Nunes
Nunes has beaten the likes of Ronda Rousey, Miesha Tate, Holly Holm and moved up to featherweight to beat the former champion Cris Cyborg.
“The Lioness” joined the UFC on August 3, 2013 and won the Bantamweight Championship on July 9, 2016, at UFC 200 (versus Tate) when she won the belt via submission (rear-naked choke) in the first round. With her victory, she became the first openly gay champion in UFC history. Nunes is 11-1 in the UFC. She also owns the record for most wins in UFC history amongst females (11, tied with Jessica Andrade), most knockout wins in UFC women’s bantamweight division history (7), and the first female in UFC history to win two titles (Bantamweight and Featherweight), holding them simultaneously and successfully going back to 135 pounds to defend.
There is no doubt she is the greatest women MMA fighter of all time.
#2. Daniel Cormier
DC is the second of four fighters in UFC history to hold titles in two weight classes simultaneously, and the first and only fighter to defend titles in two weight classes. While in Strikeforce he won Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix Champion and King of the Cage Heavyweight Championship. He has won a championship in every organization he has been a part of.
His record stands at 19-1-0-1 (NC) between his days in Strikeforce and currently in the UFC. He is undefeated as a heavyweight and his only loss came to Jon Jones when he was trying to secure the Light Heavyweight Championship at UFC 182.
DC is no doubt a future Hall of Famer.
#1. Jon Jones
First place is reserved for the only guy to beat Daniel Cormier, Jon “Bones” Jones. Jones is the youngest champion in UFC history, winning his first UFC world championship at age 23.
“Bones” has never lost a championship fight in MMA competition, his lone professional loss came via disqualification against Matt Hamill while compiling a 21-1-0-1 (NC) in the UFC. His last 14 fights have all been title fights either defending or fighting for the Light Heavyweight Championship. His accomplishments include, longest win streak in UFC light heavyweight history (13), most successful light heavyweight title defenses in UFC history (10) and most wins in UFC light heavyweight history (19).
Jones stands out by his high adaptability and flawless technique in the cage, which have garnered him high praise, even being called “perhaps the greatest martial artist ever to step into an Octagon.”
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