The Greatest Unheralded MMA Fighters in History

Many sports fans have witnessed intense matches in the brief history of MMA fighting. Through the years, various MMA organizations orchestrated many different fights between some of the best athletes in the sport. There are fighters like Fedor Emelianenko, Anderson Silva, Georges St Pierre, Ronda Rousey just to name a few, who are rightfully and universally recognized as the greatest athletes to participate in MMA. However there are some great fighters whose careers might have fell through the cracks of history for various reasons, and they may not be held in as high of a regard compared to their peers or according to their accomplishments in the combat arena. This article looks at a few athletes who brought fame and glory to MMA, and contributed a lot to history of the sport itself – but may not be as recognizable to the casual fan. Keep reading to learn more about them:

Cristiane Justino

Also known as Cyborg, Justino is usually considered as the female counterpart of Wanderlei Silva when it comes to women’s featherweight division. Justino always perseveres whenever opportunities come her way and will usually run straight at her opponents. As blood oozes out and enters her sharp senses, she will come forward and bestow a series of strong punches that can be unavoidable for anyone who can’t dodge such quick attacks. The aggression she shows inside the cage is unparalleled. It even made it hard for MMA promoters to seek an opponent who is willing to face Cyborg, without the fear of being beaten to shreds. With the way she’s been running through almost all competition, even the haters eventually turned into her fans. Mostly, bettors are also expecting her to
perform well in every matchup. If you are an aspiring bettor, it’s now possible to bet on live MMA fights using your mobile or desktop computer, so put your money where your mouth is by placing a bet on your favorite MMA competitor! Cyborg’s upcoming Bellator debut could be your next chance to test your MMA prognostication mettle.

Frankie Edgar

Frankie Edgar took everyone by surprise after he successfully defeated BJ Penn – considered the top lightweight in the world at the time – and grabbed the UFC lightweight title as the victor. In his prime, he surpassed every opponent who came across his way. On top of that, his height and reach have never been a barrier for Edgar –  he catapulted his way to stardom despite being smaller than the majority of his opponents. After he fought Gray Maynard for the second time and successfully defended his title even though the bout was scored a draw, he survived through it all, including Maynard’s brutal haymakers.  And knocking out Maynard in the trilogy was a pleasant surprise to see from a fighter who is known for winning wrestling-heavy decisions.  With that, he was able to show everyone his ability to persevere and inner strength in the face of challenges. Today the soon to be 38-year-old Edgar is still competing at the highest levels of the sport.

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira

Antonio Rodrigo ‘Minotauro’ Nogueira is one of many men who held the UFC heavyweight title (interim) but was not able to successfully defend it; however the UFC belt was merely a cap in the feather for a man who already has had a legendary MMA career at that point. Starting from the bottom, ‘Big Nog’ has fought his way up through several promotions including WEF and Rings, eventually ending up in Pride where he won the heavyweight championship in his third fight with the organization, and defended it five times before falling victim to Fedor Emelianenko. During the peak of his career, he was lauded as the best submission grappler in the heavyweight division, not to mention his incredible ability to absorb punishment and come back to steal victory from the jaws of defeat. He also owns black belts in Jiu-Jitsu and Judo which explains his outstanding skills when it comes to grappling.  Antonio did not make it to the UFC until he was already past his prime; yet he still managed to win a title. Years later, he was inducted into the most coveted UFC Hall of Fame in July 2016, after his retirement from competition.

The Takeaway

MMA matches are highly anticipated by sports fans all around the world. With exciting  happenings coming your way, different betting platforms are also keeping up with the rapidly evolving sport – especially online betting websites. One of these websites called Betway helps bettors to place their wages for different sports teams. Along the way, Betway provides different functionalities that can aid you in selecting teams that match your predictions.