In the past few years, some of MMA‘s greatest fighters have retired from the sport. Although the likes of Chuck Liddell, Randy Couture and Mirko Filipovic were part of what was only the first significant generation of MMA fighters, they left behind a legacy that will last forever in the sport’s history books.
After his upcoming bout against Forest Griffin, the UFC’s longest-reigning light heavyweight champion, Tito Ortiz, will join the ranks of the retired legends. Considering his age, current middleweight champion Anderson Silva may not be far behind.
While the aforementioned fighters, along with the likes of Fedor Emelianenko and Georges St-Pierre, have already cemented their place in the MMA’s history, current champions like Jon Jones, Jose Aldo and Dominick Cruz are all well on their way toward becoming legends despite their young ages.
As we prepare to say goodbye to another one of MMA’s greatest fighters in Ortiz and bare witness to the UFC current batch of champions, some of the most talented fighters to ever compete in the sport, let’s take a look at the five greatest fighters in every weight division.
Since it has a very short history, even outside of the UFC, the flyweight division will not be included in the following rankings.