Although MMA traces it’s roots back to the 1990s, the sport has grown to become one of the most followed sporting events in the world. According to a 2019 report, UFC generated a whopping $900 million in revenues, making it one of the highest earners in the realm of sports. In terms of viewership, most (if not all) UFC’s pay-per-view events have sold, and Dana White, who’s the President of UFC has indicated there has been an increased interest in MMA amid the coronavirus pandemic. True to that, UFC’s YouTube channel surpassed 10 million followers, earning the organization a diamond play status.
Just like any other sport, this growing popularity has led to the emergence of MMA champions who are seen as idols by many. So famous are MMA champions such that they are endorsed by global companies to promote their products, with some becoming among the richest people in the world.
But aside from their God-like stature in the contemporary world, how do they perform in the Octagon ?
In this article, we have compiled a list of the top 5 MMA fighters in the world. Looking to wager on MMA or any other online game instead? Take a look at these no deposit bonuses with codes.
And moving on swiftly…
Top 5 MMA Fighters in The World
Khabib Nurmagomedov
Technically, Khabib Nurmagomedov is not an active MMA player after announcing his retirement in 2021. One thing that you cannot fail to acknowledge is that he’s the best MMA fighter to ever grace the UFC ring in the lightweight class.
Born in Sil’dih, Russia, this 33 years old wrestler was voted by Insider as the best pound-for-pound athlete in MMA, a title he still holds to date. In terms of actual matches, Nurmagomedov has an unbeaten run of 29 bouts, most of which were won without losing even a single round, except the third round against Conor McGregor in 2018. Nevertheless, the Russian managed to immobilize the Irishman with a neck crank in the fourth round.
In 2019, Nurmagomedov went on to destroy Dustin Poirier in a match that was held in Abu Dhabi before returning in 2020 to sleep Justin Gaethje within 2 rounds. During his post-fight interview with Gaethje, Nurmagomedov gave a dramatic and somewhat surprising announcement that he would be retiring from mixed martial arts.
And although UFC boss Dana White has tried to convince Nurmagomedov to return for one final fight, he has been adamant reiterating that he has achieved everything in MMA. unsurprisingly, the UFC announced that the Lightweight Championship had been vacated officially in March 2021.
Jon “Bones” Jones
Jon Jones is an American mixed martial fighter who is ranked as #1 in UFC pound-for-pound rankings in the men’s category. He also has a good record below his belt including two UFC Light Heavyweight Championship stings, as well as being the 2016 interim UFC Light Heavyweight Championship.
Jones’ record streak doesn’t end there as he won his first title victory at 23 against Mauricio Rua, becoming the youngest ever person in UFC history. Along the way, he has also collected other UFC titles including most wins, most title defenses, longest winning streak, among others in the Light Heavyweight Division.
And although he had a few skeletons in the closet including failed drug tests and other misdemeanors outside the Octagon, Jones seems to have learned his lesson if his recent fights are anything to go by.
In late 2020, Jones announced he was vacating his UFC light heavyweight title to move to the heavyweight class. Whether his winning streak will continue into the heavyweight category remains to be seen. But either way, he remains the best UFC pound-for-pound fighter currently active today.
Kamaru Usman
This Nigerian MMA fighter is a jiu-jitsu black belt holder, and he has been pounding his opponents to pulp ever since making his debut in 2015. Currently competing in the UFC Welterweight Division, has already defeated big wigs in MMA including Rafael dos Anjos, Leon Edwards, and Tyron Woodley; in the bout which saw him crowned as the UFC Welterweight Champion.
Usman’s intention became apparent in his first UFC title defense against Colby Covington, where he heavily punished Covington to the extent of leaving his jaw badly bleeding. This is just another feather in his hat, as this monster of a fighter has recorded 18 wins and one loss in his entire professional career.
In February 2021, Kamaru successfully defended his title by defeating Gilbert Burns, who’s the reigning BJJ World Champion. As a result, he broke the largest win-streak record for the UFC welterweight championship set by the former UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St-Pierre.
Usman is scheduled to fight Jorge Masvidal in April 2021, although there are rumors about a marquee match in the future against Conor McGregor.
Alexander Volkanovski
Born in September 1988, Alexander is an Australian MMA fighter and the reigning UFC Featherweight Champion. He’s also the former Australian Fighting Championship Featherweight Champion and currently ranked #3 in UFC’s men’s pound-for-pound rankings.
With 23 professional matches under his belt, Alexander Volkanovski has recorded a total of 22 wins, eleven of which are knockouts and a single loss. With his 55% striking accuracy, Alexander has been touted by many as the future of MMA, and we will be here to keep you updated.
Israel Adesanya
Adesanya is a Nigerian-born, New Zealand MMA fighter currently signed to the UFC. He started in 2017 competing in kickboxing fights before transitioning to MMA in 2018. A year later, Israel won the UFC middleweight championship, and since then, he has been lining up some of the most revered fighters in the division to defend his title.
By the time of writing this, he was ranked #4 in the UFC men’s pound-for-pound rankings and is widely regarded as one of the most lethal attackers in the MMA world
In March 2021, Adesanya faced his first-ever defeat in MMA when he lost to Jan Błachowicz for the Light Heavyweight Championship via a unanimous decision. In June 2021, he’s slated to rematch Marvin Vettori for the Middleweight Championship and has expressed optimism in emerging the winner.
Concluding Remarks
There you have it! The top 5 MMA fighters in the world. Did we miss a fighter you think ought to be on the list? Is there a fighter that you think we didn’t give enough credit to? Or still, did we give a particular fighter too much credit? Comment below in the comments section and we will be more than happy to consider your input in our future rankings!