In its history, the UFC has had a number of important fighters who have helped grow the brand from the no-holds-barred days of yore to the basic cable juggernaut it has become.
The early days of the Ultimate Fighting Championship saw the likes of Royce Gracie, Ken Shamrock and Dan Severn tangle in bouts that had few rules and no time limits.
A new batch of talented combatants propped up the UFC after Zuffa acquired it in 2001. Future Hall of Famers Randy Couture, Chuck Liddell, Tito Ortiz and Matt Hughes ushered in the era of greater regulations and higher viewership.
Over the last 20 years, there have been many fighters who have come and gone, but these are the ones currently on the rosters who are the lifeblood of the promotion.
They are the fighters the UFC simply can’t live without.
All statistics obtained via Fightmetric.