Earlier in 2020, Conor McGregor made the bold claim that he was, essentially, MMA’s greatest ever fighter. And this got me thinking. There have been several top MMA stars who have put on some incredible fights over the years, including Jon Jones and Anderson Silva. These fighters have offered great entertainment (like this slots lv casino review), and ranking them is tough, but below I assembled a list of the top three MMA fighter of all time – in my opinion of course.
Fight Matrix Program – UFC 253: Reyes vs. Blachowicz (2020-09-26)
Middleweight Championship (185)
[#1/#10DD/#7P4P] Israel Adesanya (19-0-0, -165) vs. [#3] Paulo Henrique Costa (13-0-0, +137)
Israel Adesanya is the All-Time #6 ranked Middleweight fighter.
Paulo Henrique Costa is the All-Time #30 ranked Middleweight fighter.
Last 3 Fights: Israel Adesanya (3-0-0)
2020-03-07: W vs. [#4MW] Yoel Romero (13-5-0) via UD (48-47, 48-47, 49-46)
2019-10-05: W vs. [#2MW] Robert Whittaker (21-5-0) via KO (Punches) in 3:33 of round 2
2019-04-13: W vs. [#9MW] Kelvin Gastelum (15-6-0) via UD (48-46, 48-46, 48-46)
Last 3 Fights: Paulo Henrique Costa (3-0-0)
2019-08-17: W vs. [#4MW] Yoel Romero (13-5-0) via UD (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
2018-07-07: W vs. [#13MW] Uriah Hall (15-9-0) via TKO (Punches) in 2:36 of round 2
2017-11-04: W vs. [*] Johny Hendricks (18-8-0) via TKO (Punches) in 1:23 of round 2
System | Favorite | Rating | Rating Diff | Win % |
Betting Odds | Israel Adesanya | -165 | 59.60% | |
Elo K170 | Israel Adesanya | 2326.43 | +322.41 | 81.35% |
Elo Modified | Israel Adesanya | 2287.24 | +267.90 | 76.37% |
Glicko-1 | Israel Adesanya | 2364.83 | +232.42 | 79.21% |
WHR | Israel Adesanya | 2088.42 | +98.35 | 61.05% |
Days Since Last Pro Fight: Israel Adesanya 203, Paulo Henrique Costa 406
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: Even: Both have 1 win(s) against common opposition.
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Light Heavyweight Championship (205)
[#3] Jan Blachowicz (26-8-0, +214) vs. [#8] Dominick Reyes (12-1-0, -267)
Jan Blachowicz is the All-Time #24 ranked Light Heavyweight fighter.
Dominick Reyes is the All-Time #43 ranked Light Heavyweight fighter.
Last 3 Fights: Jan Blachowicz (3-0-0)
2020-02-15: W vs. [#12LHW] Corey Anderson (13-5-0) via KO (Punch) in 3:08 of round 1
2019-11-16: W vs. [#9LHW] Ronaldo Souza (26-8-0) via SD (47-48, 48-47, 48-47)
2019-07-06: W vs. [#17LHW] Luke Rockhold (16-5-0) via KO (Punches) in 1:39 of round 2
Last 3 Fights: Dominick Reyes (2-1-0)
2020-02-08: L vs. [#1LHW/#1P4P] Jon Jones (26-1-0) via UD (48-47, 48-47, 49-46)
2019-10-18: W vs. [#11MW] Chris Weidman (15-5-0) via KO (Punches) in 1:43 of round 1
2019-03-16: W vs. [#14LHW] Volkan Oezdemir (17-5-0) via SD (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
System | Favorite | Rating | Rating Diff | Win % |
Betting Odds | Dominick Reyes | -267 | 69.55% | |
Elo K170 | Jan Blachowicz | 2133.85 | +160.21 | 67.52% |
Elo Modified | Jan Blachowicz | 2093.81 | +168.63 | 67.66% |
Glicko-1 | Jan Blachowicz | 2178.50 | +179.45 | 73.75% |
WHR | Jan Blachowicz | 1944.62 | +29.55 | 53.37% |
Days Since Last Pro Fight: Jan Blachowicz 224, Dominick Reyes 231
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: Even: Both have 1 win(s) against common opposition.
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Featherweight (145)
[#42] Zubaira Tukhugov (19-4-1, -114) vs. [#73] Hakeem Dawodu (11-1-1, -109)
Last 3 Fights: Zubaira Tukhugov (1-1-1)
2020-02-22: W vs. [#111LW] Kevin Aguilar (17-4-0) via TKO (Punches) in 3:21 of round 1
2019-09-07: D vs. [#97FW] Lerone Murphy (9-0-1) via Draw (Split) in 5:00 of round 3
2016-05-14: L vs. [#25LW] Renato Carneiro (14-3-1) via SD (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Last 3 Fights: Hakeem Dawodu (3-0-0)
2019-11-02: W vs. [#86FW] Julio Arce (16-4-0) via SD (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
2019-07-27: W vs. [#191FW] Yoshinori Horie (9-2-0) via TKO (Head Kick) in 4:09 of round 3
2018-12-08: W vs. [#176FW] Kyle Bochniak (8-5-0) via SD (30-27, 30-27, 28-29)
System | Favorite | Rating | Rating Diff | Win % |
Betting Odds | Zubaira Tukhugov | -114 | 50.53% | |
Elo K170 | Hakeem Dawodu | 1749.62 | +31.26 | 53.56% |
Elo Modified | Zubaira Tukhugov | 1716.68 | +15.23 | 51.67% |
Glicko-1 | Zubaira Tukhugov | 1737.34 | +56.69 | 58.09% |
WHR | Zubaira Tukhugov | 1718.12 | +94.87 | 60.67% |
Days Since Last Pro Fight: Zubaira Tukhugov 217, Hakeem Dawodu 329
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
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Most Anticipated MMA Comebacks for 2021
What a year it has been! I don’t know about you but I for one am ready for 2020 to be over. While we still have a few fun fights to look forward to this year, like the upcoming UFC 253 with double-header title matchups – or the highly anticipated matchup between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Justin Gaethje in October, my curiosity has been piqued by the recent rumors of several retired fighters who will be making a return to action next year. These bouts might be even more exciting if you wager money on your favorite fighter, but be sure to first read online casino reviews before placing a bet.
Georges St. Pierre
The MMA GOAT won’t be coming out of retirement for just anyone. Since hanging up the gloves and relinquishing the UFC welterweight title in 2013, GSP had only one fight, beating Michael Bisping for the middleweight belt in 2017 and promptly retiring again. Now, rumors are swirling for St. Pierre to return to the Octagon one more time – to take on lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, for a chance to win the third divisional title for GSP.
There are many obstacles in the way of this fight happening. For one, Khabib would have to get past Justin Gaethje in his scheduled title defense at UFC 254. Then, there is the negotiating process involved to put together a match-up of this magnitude. Let’s all hope that Nurmagomedov, GSP, and UFC president Dana White will all be on the same page to make this happen.
MMA Betting – A beginner’s guide
Mixed Martial Arts or MMA for short, is one of the fastest growing sports in recent years. This hybrid full-contact combat sport allows a combination of techniques such as boxing, wrestling, Muay Thai (or เว็บพนัน in Thai), Judo, Karate, Jujitsu, and other famous combat disciplines. The MMA sport is taking over other combat sports, with UFC arguably overtaking boxing in popularity.
New fans may be confused by the difference between MMA and UFC. To put it simply, MMA is the sport and UFC is the leading organization which promotes that sport. It is similar to football and premier league whereas football is the sport and premier league is the organization that conducts championships and matches for football teams to compete. UFC stands for the Ultimate Fighting Championship, and was founded in 1993, but purchased by casino owners Lorenzo and Frank Fertitta for 2 million dollars in 2001. Today, it is the world’s most successful and biggest fighting league which is estimated to be worth more than 10 billion dollars.
UFC Fighters Who Have Got Gift of Gab
MMA has reached a new height in the world of sports and the main credit of this goes UFC and the superstar fighters of this organization. It is not that easy to get stardom in this sport. Fighting and winning in the Octagon while showcasing your skills and strategies will surely make you an elite fighter and a star but in order to become a superstar of the sports, one needs much more than that. There are a number of fighters in UFC who have got a lot of skills when it comes to words. How a fighter speaks in a press conference against their opponents creates the real hype and it can increase the sale of PPVs and arena seats. Here are some of the best fighters who have mastered the skills of trash talk along with martial arts.
Conor “The Notorious” McGregor
Love him or hate him, McGregor is the biggest superstar not only of UFC but also of the sports world. He has been gifted with the power of gab as he knows how to defeat his opponents with words – before even setting foot in the cage. “Straight Outta Dublin,” Conor has proved himself as a skillful fighter from time to time in his fights and he has also shown that none of his opponents stands a chance when it comes to trash talk as well.
The two-division champion’s references of El Chapo and his reply to Jeremy Stephens ‘Who the F is that guy’ have become legendary in UFC. He is the one who has taken UFC and MMA to the whole new level with his gifts of gab as well as his skills to sell the fight.
Bellator 243: Ranking History for Benson Henderson and Michael Chandler
In the main event of Bellator 243, former UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson takes on former Bellator lightweight champion Michael Chandler in a rematch of their 2016 bout. Both have slipped slightly in the rankings since their first encounter, but they are both currently ranked inside the top 20.
Despite spending the majority of their careers in different promotions, both fighters have had prolonged success, mostly in the lightweight division. Neither fighter has been ranked lower than 20th since 2011. Henderson’s peak quarterly ranking came on July 1, 2013 at #1 lightweight during his UFC title reign. Chandler’s peak ranking actually came in the same quarter when he was ranked #3 lightweight.
Chandler is reportedly on the last fight of his Bellator contract. If the promotion allows his deal to lapse, he could follow fellow former Bellator champion Eddie Alvarez’s path to the UFC. Alvarez left Bellator in 2013 as the #6 lightweight and captured the top spot, as well as the UFC title, in the Octagon.
Top 3 Fights That We Need To See In The UFC This Year
It has been a remarkable year for all sports, but no sport has been able to adapt in the way that the UFC has. Dana White has consistently reiterated that he wants to continue putting on events for fans, despite audiences not able to be present.
Fight Island is one of the most exciting additions to UFC in recent years and has made for must-see sporting action. Fans will once again be treated to another blockbuster event this weekend as Darren Till, and Robert Whittaker go head to head, but what fights are fans all hoping to see at some point this year?
Conor McGregor vs Khabib Nurmagomedov
The obvious fight that all fans want to see at some point in the future is the rematch between Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov. Tensions between the two have refused to go away, and the scene has been set for two years fro a rematch. There were fears earlier this year that fans may never get the rematch that they craved when McGregor revealed that he was retiring from UFC action.
However, it isn’t the first time that the Irishman has pulled this stunt and he will likely be tempted back into the octagon. The fight between the two in 2018 was a thrilling affair, as Khabib ruthlessly beat McGregor by forcing him to tap-out.
The fact that these two fighters really don’t like each other means that it is bound to sell. However, whether the UFC are likely to stage one of their biggest ever fights without fans in attendance looks very unlikely.
After all if Conor and Khabib were in horse racing, they would be equaled to Triple Crown winners and you want to cash on winning horses don’t you?
MMA Stars That Originally Tried Their Hand At Other Sports
There aren’t many other sports that can claim to have as many athletes that have tested out multiple sports more so than the UFC. There have been a number of fighters throughout the history of UFC that have dabbled in other sports before carving out a career in the octagon.
Some of the stars that have moved to the UFC have enjoyed excellent careers in the MMA world, while others haven’t achieved anything. But, which fighters started their sporting careers in other sports before landing in the octagon?
Greg Hardy
Greg Hardy began his sporting career in the NFL as he was drafted in round six in 2010. During his career playing American Football, he played for the Carolina Panthers and the Dallas Cowboys. Hardy played 75 times in the NFL and was a renowned defensive end. If you are familiar on how NFL odds work, you are probably familiar with his name.
His performances on the picture saw him named in the Pro Bowl in 2013, and he was also selected in the All-SEC first team in 2007. However, in 2016 he revealed that he would be having a change in career as he started in the world of MMA.
Within two years he was signed by the UFC, and he fought against former NFL star Austen Lane in Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series. Hardy won by KO in that fight. Hardy has naturally fitted into the world of MMA and has won six of his eight fights in UFC. The most recent of those came in May as he beat Yorgan De Castro via unanimous decision. Keep Reading
Cormier and Miocic Closely Matched Ahead of Final Encounter
Daniel Cormier and Stipe Miocic have traded wins and the UFC Heavyweight Championship over the last couple of years. At UFC 252 on August 15, they will meet again, and we will find out who is the better man inside the Octagon.
Win, lose or draw, Cormier has said he will retire from MMA following this third bout with Miocic. Whether he will ride off into the sunset as a two-time UFC Heavyweight champ remains to be seen.
DC took less than five minutes to knock Miocic out at UFC 226 in July 2018 and end his two-year reign but had three warnings from the official about eye-gouging. This nasty undercurrent to the fight also reared its ugly head again in the rematch at UFC 241 held in the old Arrowhead Pond in Anaheim, California.
Would Reclaiming the Title from Stipe Miocic Cement Daniel Cormier’s Status as the UFC’s Greatest Heavyweight?
The world of heavyweight mixed martial arts is full of action-packed, adrenaline-fueled, one-punch drama. In turn, this unpredictability is what creates a lack of clarity regarding naming the division’s all-time great. So, let’s take a look at whether Daniel Cormier would cement his status as the heavyweight GOAT should he win his trilogy fight with Stipe Miocic.
The Need to Make Adjustments for Their Trilogy Fight at UFC 252
After a perfectly-timed right-hand shot landed on the exit of a clinch in the closing stages of round one during their UFC 226 superfight, Cormier claimed the heavyweight title for the first time with the Las Vegas-based organization. Following the triumph, which saw him become a champion in two different weight classes, Cormier established himself as an all-time great within the 265-pound division, having gone undefeated at heavyweight throughout his career.
However, during the highly-anticipated rematch at UFC 241, Miocic took revenge on the two-time light-heavyweight champion as he secured a fourth-round finish to reclaim the title from his opponent. Because of that, many now believe that their trilogy bout will determine who the greatest heavyweight of all time is. Fundamentally, this is down the fact that, if Cormier can avenge his defeat, his heavyweight record will include 16 victories and one loss.
Fight Matrix Program – UFC Fight Night: Poirier vs. Hooker (2020-06-27)
Lightweight (155)
[#3/#7DD] Dustin Poirier (25-6-0, -204) vs. [#7] Dan Hooker (20-8-0, +167)
Dustin Poirier is the All-Time #12 ranked Lightweight fighter.
Last 3 Fights: Dustin Poirier (2-1-0)
2019-09-07: L vs. [#1LW/#1DD/#3P4P] Khabib Nurmagomedov (28-0-0) via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in 2:06 of round 3
2019-04-13: W vs. [#2FW/#6DD] Max Holloway (21-5-0) via UD (49-46, 49-46, 49-46)
2018-07-28: W vs. [#32WW] Eddie Alvarez (30-7-0) via TKO (Punches) in 4:05 of round 2
Last 3 Fights: Dan Hooker (3-0-0)
2020-02-22: W vs. [#10LW] Paul Felder (17-5-0) via SD (48-47, 47-48, 48-47)
2019-10-05: W vs. [#11LW] Al Iaquinta (15-6-1) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-26)
2019-07-20: W vs. [#114WW] James Vick (13-5-0) via KO (Punch) in 2:33 of round 1
System | Favorite | Rating | Rating Diff | Win % |
Betting Odds | Dustin Poirier | -204 | 64.18% | |
Elo K170 | Dustin Poirier | 2256.46 | +184.10 | 69.87% |
Elo Modified | Dustin Poirier | 2201.67 | +225.37 | 72.84% |
Glicko-1 | Dustin Poirier | 2259.25 | +242.58 | 80.16% |
WHR | Dustin Poirier | 2130.87 | +224.95 | 73.65% |
Days Since Last Pro Fight: Dustin Poirier 294, Dan Hooker 126
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: Even: Both have 1 win(s) against common opposition.
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Welterweight (170)
[#29] Mike Perry (13-6-0, -285) vs. [#149] Mickey Gall (6-2-0, +227)
Last 3 Fights: Mike Perry (1-2-0)
2019-12-14: L vs. [#21WW] Geoff Neal (13-2-0) via TKO (Punches) in 1:30 of round 1
2019-08-10: L vs. [#19WW] Vicente Luque (18-7-1) via SD (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
2019-04-27: W vs. [#37WW] Alex Oliveira (21-8-1) via UD (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Last 3 Fights: Mickey Gall (2-1-0)
2019-08-03: W vs. [#339WW] Salim Touahri (10-4-0) via UD (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
2019-03-02: L vs. [#63WW] Diego Sanchez (30-12-0) via TKO (Punches) in 4:13 of round 2
2018-08-25: W vs. [#206MW] George Sullivan (18-9-0) via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in 1:09 of round 1
System | Favorite | Rating | Rating Diff | Win % |
Betting Odds | Mike Perry | -285 | 70.76% | |
Elo K170 | Mike Perry | 1697.47 | +206.64 | 71.99% |
Elo Modified | Mike Perry | 1726.18 | +204.26 | 70.97% |
Glicko-1 | Mike Perry | 1783.74 | +249.09 | 80.75% |
WHR | Mike Perry | 1682.91 | +204.61 | 71.80% |
Days Since Last Pro Fight: Mike Perry 196, Mickey Gall 329
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
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Middleweight (185)
[#28] Brendan Allen (14-3-0, -304) vs. [#66] Kyle Daukaus (9-0-0, +248)
Last 3 Fights: Brendan Allen (3-0-0)
2020-02-29: W vs. [#49MW] Tom Breese (11-2-0) via TKO (Elbows and Punches) in 4:47 of round 1
2019-10-18: W vs. [#44MW] Kevin Holland (17-5-0) via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in 3:38 of round 2
2019-07-16: W vs. [#254MW] Aaron Jeffery (7-2-0) via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in 3:23 of round 1
Last 3 Fights: Kyle Daukaus (3-0-0)
2020-02-01: W vs. [#168MW] Nolan Norwood (12-6-0) via Submission (Brabo Choke) in 4:36 of round 2
2019-09-21: W vs. [#255MW] Stephen Regman (9-5-0) via Submission (DArce Choke) in 0:50 of round 2
2019-06-25: W vs. [#261WW] Michael Lombardo (11-2-0) via UD ()
System | Favorite | Rating | Rating Diff | Win % |
Betting Odds | Brendan Allen | -304 | 72.36% | |
Elo K170 | Brendan Allen | 1818.28 | +198.59 | 71.25% |
Elo Modified | Brendan Allen | 1825.72 | +152.53 | 66.10% |
Glicko-1 | Brendan Allen | 1901.40 | +219.83 | 78.00% |
WHR | Brendan Allen | 1748.31 | +133.58 | 64.80% |
Days Since Last Pro Fight: Brendan Allen 119, Kyle Daukaus 147
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
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A Look Back on Our Favourite Weigh-In Antics
The build-up to a big fight is made even more exciting because of press conferences and media coverage of both camps. But the pinnacle of the anticipation is felt at the weigh-in when both fighters come toe to toe with each other. After weighing in, the two fighters are presented into each other. This serves as a way to stare into each other’s eyes and intimidate each other. Most times it is amicable while other times it gets a little heated. Let’s take a look back at the most entertaining weigh-ins.
Why Is There a Stare Down After a Weigh-In?
Most of the time, the staredown is all part of the production as a way to get people interested in the fight. Sometimes there is genuine hatred and animosity between the fighters, which makes the stare down a real affair. Other times, the staredown is exacerbated to make the fight more interesting and increase ticket sales or people purchasing the bout at home. The origins of these antics go back decades. Lots of fans point to Muhammed Ali’s teasing and hostility towards his opponent (which was often just an act and part of his tactics).
Top 5 Benefits of Mixed Martial Arts
Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) is a sport that pits two participants against each other in physical combat. A typical MMA match involves striking, grappling, and ground fighting. MMA fights take place in an enclosed arena such as a cage or a ring. During mixed martial arts training, individuals are capable of increasing both their physical and mental strength in a non-combat environment. The history of mixed martial arts is traced back to the Olympics of ancient Greece, even before starburst was discovered. The sport of MMA originated as hand to hand combat. It has since then been used for financial, physical fitness, and mental benefits.
Read on for some of the benefits of mixed martial arts:
3 of the biggest surprise outcomes in MMA
It could be said that the biggest surprise outcome in history of MMA fighting is that the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) survived its early days when the first UFC Pay-Per-View was created as a forum for all martial arts experts to test their courage against one another to find out which style was superior. With no rules and regulations, these no-holds-barred fights led to some stating the UFC was a form of “human cockfighting.”
Betting has been a big part of MMA and there are in-depth MMA betting statistics on the internet, whether you want to bet on the underdogs or the favorites in. Check out bookmakers reviews to find detailed breakdowns of MMA fights including round by round finishes, card position, weight class and the odds for every fight. If you are lucky enough to have a hunch about a surprise outcome in an MMA fight – like the three below – and get it right, you could win big!
“The King” 11-second submission win, Bellator 225, August 2019
Starting a fight with a show of respect was a decision one MMA fighter was surely to regret. When Eduard Muravitskiy met Aviv Gozali, an 18-year-old Israeli fighter at Bellator 225 on 24 August 2019. Muravitskiy did what many fighters to at the start, go to tap gloves after the opening bell as a sign of good sportsmanship, and then start the fight. However, when Muravitskiy gestured his glove towards Gozali for a tap, Gozali did not honor the gesture and instead dove at Muravitskiy’s legs in an Imanari Roll and looked for the submission, taking down Muravitskiy with a heel hook. Within 11 seconds the fight was over and Gozali had improved his professional score with a record-breaking submission win in only his third professional MMA fight. Muravitskiy left the cage hopping on one foot, clearly hurt from the submission.