This Saturday, Cain Velasquez will defend his lineal heavyweight belt against interim champion Fabricio Werdum at UFC 188.
If you take out one Junior dos Santos overhand right, Velasquez is undefeated as a mixed martial artist. Not only that, but he’s unthreatened. His cardiovascular endurance, underrated punching power and freight-train takedowns make him an imposing test for anyone. Only his history of injuries keeps him from being a more well-recognized presence on the MMA landscape.
Even so, the champ is still one of the best heavyweights ever. Who are the others? I’m glad you asked. Here are the top 10 heavyweights in MMA history.
They are ranked based on their records, accomplishments in the sport, quality of opposition and, to a lesser extent, head-to-head performance against other candidates. Only fighters who spent a substantial portion of their careers at the weight class are eligible. Let’s get it on.