lists | UFC Betting Sites - The Best MMA Online Bookies

Top 5: Best Olympic Wrestlers of All Time

Let’s count down the top 5 Best Olympic Wrestlers of All Time. These are the greatest wrestlers in history…

Let’s count down the top 5 Best Olympic Wrestlers of All Time. These are the greatest wrestlers in history whose names really stand out in the history books. Olympic Wrestling has seen some incredible competition throughout the decades, these are just a few of the wrestlers who have risen to legendary status. These wrestlers have earned their status as one of the Best Olympic Wrestlers of All Time through the most challenging and oldest sport in the Olympics; Wrestling.

Best Olympic Wrestlers of All Time

Who are the best Olympic Wrestlers of all time? There are many names who could have qualified for this list, but these five have truly carved their place in wrestling history. These are the historic icons, here are the top 5 best Olympic Wrestlers of all time.

5. Ivar Johansson (Sweden)

Sweden’s Ivar Johansson competed nearly a century ago and is a legendary figure in Olympic wrestling. He won three Olympic gold medals in two styles and weight classes: freestyle middleweight and Greco-Roman welterweight in 1932, and Greco-Roman middleweight in 1936. Johansson was known for his versatility and skill in different disciplines. He also managed to earn a highly impressive nine European Championships throughout his career. His Olympic achievements and ability to compete in various weight categories, and styles, make him one of the sport’s all-time greats, easily one of the best Olympic Wrestlers of all time.

4. Aleksandr Medved (Soviet Union)

The Soviet-born Aleksandr Medved is a true wrestling icon. He won three Olympic gold medals in 1964, 1968, and 1972 across three different weight classes—a feat no one else has matched. Additionally, Medved also earned seven World Championships and three European Championships. Medved was inducted into the FILA International Wrestling Hall of Fame and named the best Belarusian athlete of the 20th century.

3. Buvaisar Saitiev (Russia)

Russia’s Buvaisar Saitiev in Khasavyurt is celebrated as one of the best freestyle wrestlers of all time. He snagged three Olympic gold medals in 1996, 2004, and 2008 in the 74 kg weight class. He was known for his technical brilliance on the mat. Over 13 years, he won nine out of eleven major tournaments he entered. Saitiev also boasts six World Championships and six European Championships. Despite battling a neck injury, he secured his final Olympic gold in 2008 before retiring.

2. Mijaín López (Cuba)

The Cuban giant is a modern-day legend, easily one of the best Olympic Wrestlers of all time, and a close pick for number one. Mijaín López Núñez is a Greco-Roman wrestling legend with an incredible four Olympic gold medals earned in 2008, 2012, 2016, and 2020 in the super heavyweight class. At 1.98 meters tall, López dominated his weight class, often winning matches without letting his opponents score a single point. He’s also a five-time World Champion and a Pan American Games champ. His incredible consistency and skill make him one of the greatest wrestlers in Olympic history.

1. Aleksandr Karelin (Russia & Soviet Union)

For anyone who knows wrestling, this pick will not be a surprise. He is the greatest and best Olympic wrestler of all time. Aleksandr Karelin won three Olympic golds in 1988, 1992, and 1996, plus a silver in 2000 competing in the super heavyweight category. Karelin was famous for his signature move, the “Karelin Lift,” where he’d lift and slam his opponents. With an incredible 887 wins and just two losses, he was a true powerhouse, earning the nickname “The Experiment” for his unmatched strength. He is a legendary figure in the world of combat sports.

Honorable Mentions

In addition to the above best Olympic Wrestlers of all time, here are more who nearly made the list:

Artur Aleksanyan (USA)
Vladimer Khinchegashvili (Georgia)
Dan Gable (USA)
Elbrus Tedeyev (Ukraine)
Kim Hyeon-woo (South Korea)
Mavlet Batirov (Russia)
Saori Yoshida (Japan)
Jordan Burroughs (USA)

Top 5: Best Jake Paul’s Boxing Moments

The world has watched ‘The Problem Child’ Jake Paul’s boxing in the ring for years now, against various competition….

The world has watched ‘The Problem Child’ Jake Paul’s boxing in the ring for years now, against various competition. Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson has been rebooked and ultimately cancelled, so instead, we are counting down the best Jake Paul Boxing moments.

Top 5 Best Jake Paul’s Boxing Moments

5. Jake Paul vs. Ben Askren

Jake Paul vs. Ben Askren was meant to be the first real challenge of ‘The Problem Child’ in the boxing ring. It was only his third professional match but it was the first time he faced someone with actual combat sports experience. The US-born Askren was a standout collegiate and Olympic wrestler who competed in MMA in both ONE Championship and the UFC. Jake Paul knocked him out in under two minutes into the first round.

4. Jake Paul vs. Tyron Woodley 2

Tyron Woodley is a former UFC champion who was dominant in the welterweight division. Late career, Woodley struggled in the octagon but still has a strong legacy. The first time they met, Paul took a split decision win. They rematched after Tommy Fury dropped out. This time, Jake Paul’s boxing was enough to cleanly knock out the former UFC champion in the sixth round.

3. Jake Paul vs. Nate Diaz

After losing to Tommy Fury, people began to doubt ‘The Problem Child’ and declared that Jake Paul’s boxing career was largely done. His next match was against the highly popular UFC fighter Nate Diaz. The Stockton-born athlete Diaz has defeated notable fighters such as Conor McGregor, Tony Ferguson, and others. Paul was able to bounce back from the loss to Fury with a win over Nate Diaz.

2. Jake Paul vs. Mike Perry

‘Platinum’ Mike Perry was an experienced UFC fighter who would go to be a bare-knuckle boxing champion. With power in his hands, in bare-knuckle boxing matches, he had been able to defeat athletes such as Thiago Alves, Eddie Alvarez, Luke Rockhold, and Michael ‘Venom’ Page. Perry was meant to be a stiff test for Paul. Instead, Jake Paul was dominant throughout the fight and ended it with a sixth-round stoppage.

1. Jake Paul vs. Anderson Silva

The Spider’ Anderson Silva has one of the best legacies in MMA history. The Brazilian fighter was a standout Muay Thai striker in PRIDE FC who dominated throughout his UFC middleweight title run. The MMA legend Silva easily knocked out opponents such as Rich Franklin, Chris Leben, Vitor Belfort, and Forrest Griffin, with highlight reel finishes. Plus, ‘The Spider’ had just out-boxed Julio César Chávez Jr. Silva was meant to put a stop to Jake Paul’s boxing. Instead, it was a close match, but ultimately Jake Paul’s boxing would be enough and he would walk away with the victory after eight rounds.

Mike Tyson vs Jake Paul

Mike Tyson vs Jake Paul was cancelled. It was initially booked for July 20 but was cancelled due to Tyson withdrawing from the bout due to a medical issue. Instead, Jake Paul’s boxing faced Mike Perry. The 58-year-old Tyson was confident he would be able to get the win though. Ahead of their schedule matchup Tyson said, “I wanted the shorter rounds because I wanted more action. If we only have two minutes, we’ll fight more … He was a new up-and-coming guy on the scene, and I like shaking the sports world to its core and I’m doing it now. It’s just something I want to do.”

Jake Paul countered with, ““I’m a natural born heavyweight. This is what I was born to do, to move up into this weight class. I’m going to show Mike who has more power because he’s underestimating me. I think everyone else is underestimating me and I believe that I hit harder.”

Best MMA Fighters From China

Over the last few years, the MMA scene has been steadily growing in the nation of China. While the…

Over the last few years, the MMA scene has been steadily growing in the nation of China. While the scene is still growing, some of the best MMA fighters from China have been making waves internationally.

Here is a list of the current best MMA fighters from China. Check out the list below and be sure to keep an eye on these talented fighters.

Zhang Weili

If you’re going to make a list of the best MMA fighters from China, UFC champion Zhang Weili must be included. She is the best MMA fighter to come from China and arguably one of the all-time best female fighters.

Weili quickly became a fan favorite after multiple impressive performances and winning gamblers plenty of Yuan at online bookies like 1xbet ??. After winning her first three UFC fights, Zhang shocked the world by quickly beating ex-champion Jessia Andrade.

After winning the title, Weili had brutal wars with ex-champions Joanna Champion and Rose Namajunas. Even though Zhang lost the title to Rose, she became a 2x champion after submitting Carla Esparza.

Zhang Weili is back on top of the division and looking to have a long title reign this time around. No matter what she does, Weili has already made history as the best fighter from China.

Song Yadong

Song Yadong is one of the best MMA fighters from China, who competes in the UFC bantamweight division. The Sanda practitioner has used impressive striking skills to move up the ranks.

Yadong made quite a first impression in his UFC debut at featherweight, where he won performance of the night honors. He won four of his first five UFC fights, which included top title contender Marlon “Chico” Vera.

Since then, Song took a couple losses, but put on some impressive performances against more top bantamweight contenders. Yadong has made his mark in the UFC and will look to become the first Chinese bantamweight champion.

Jingliang Li

Li Jinglian is not only one of the best MMA fighters from China, but also one of the most successful. “The Leech” was one of the first Chinese fighters to make it to the UFC in 2014 after going 8-2 in China.

In his ten years with the promotions, Li has put on some impressive performances and displayed his knockout power. Out of his eleven UFC wins, Jingliang has one nine by KO or TKO.

He is one of the more popular male Chinese fighters, who has established himself in the divison’s top 15 ranks. At 35, Li still has a few more years of fighting in him and will continue to pursue the welterweight title.

Su Mudaerji

Su Mudaerji is currently one of the best MMA fighters from China, who competes in the UFC flyweight division. “The Tibetan Eagle” compiled a 13-3 record mostly with the Wu Lin Feng promotion before entering the UFC.

During his current run within the promotion, Su has gone 3-3 with four of his bouts at flyweight. Despite the .500 UFC record, Mudaerji has put on some impressive performances.

He earned a performance of the night bonus with his 1st round KO of Malcolm Gordon in just 44 seconds. Also, despite losing his bout against Matt Schnell, Su earned another FOTN bonus, which was a top 10 fight of 2022.

Mudaerji is looking to get back on the winning track and see if he can make a run at the flyweight title.

Yan Xiaonon

Yan Xiaonon has quickly made a name for herself in the UFC women’s strawweight division. “Fury” came into the promotion with an impressive 9-1(1) record, which included nearly all of her wins by KO/TKO.

She made quite an impression in the women’s flyweight division after winning her first six fights in the UFC. Xiaonon did suffer a couple losses, but earned two statement wins against Mackenzie Dern and Jessica Andrade.

Those wins have put Yan in line to face the champ Weili at UFC 300. This match will be one of the most widely watched MMA fights in the history of China and the world.

Tiequan Zhang

Tiequan Zhang was one of the first Chinese MMA fighters to compete in the UFC. Zhang originally made his US debut by competing in the WEC during the late 2000s.

After the WEC-UFC merger, Tiequan competed in the UFC featherweight division beginning in 2011. In his debut, Zhang had the best performance of his career by submitting Jason Reinhardt in :48 seconds.

After that win, Zhang lost his last three bouts and retired from MMA. Ending his career with a respectable 15-4 record, which included 12 submission wins.

Heili Alateng

Heili Alateng is another one of the best MMA fighters from China, who currently competes in the UFC bantamweight division. Alateng was just 12-7 when he made his UFC debut on the undercard of the Weili vs. Andrade event in China.

“The Mongolian Knight” has made the most of his opportunity and has gone 4-2-1 in his current UFC run. In his first match in the UFC, Heili earned FOTN honors, which gave him a big fight contract.

Alateng will look to continue winning more bouts and make a name for himself within the bantamweight division.

Song Kenan

Song Kenan has made a name for himself as one of the best MMA fighters currently fighting in the UFC welterweight division. After earning an impressive 15-4 record, Kenan earned a spot in the UFC in 2017.

The native of Hebei, China made quite a debut with a :15 second KO, which earned him POTN honors. Since that win, Song has gone 4-4 in the promotion, but earned FOTN honors against veteran Alex Morono.

Currently with a record of 20-8, Kenan will continue his pursuit of breaking into the top ten welterweight ranks.

Sai Wong

Most fight fans don’t know Sai Wong outside of China, but he was one of the best MMA fighters from China. Sai had a successful ten year career with all of his fights taking place within his country.

In those ten years, Wong earned an impressive 29-6 record, which included 16 submissions and 9 KO/TKOs. In his last pro bout, Sai submitted UFC veteran Phil Baroni in the first round.

It’s a shame Sai never made it to the international stage, but he did have an impressive career.

Tang Kai

Tang Kai is one of the best MMA fighters currently fighting within ONE Championship. The young Chinese fighter first gained an interest in fighting after taking up wrestling at his local university.

Kai became dedicated to pursuing a career in fighting and quickly found success. He was able to become the first Chinese fighter to win the prestigious ONE Featherweight Championship.

He earned the title by beating champion Than Le at ONE 160. Since then, Kai has not defended his title. Kai is patiently waiting for his next bout to show the world he’s one of the best MMA fighters from China.

Xiong Jin Nan

While most fight fans know Zhang Weili, Xiong Jin Nan made history before her. Nan became the first Chinese MMA world champion in history in 2018.

Winning the inaugural ONE women’s strawweight title by defeating Tiffany Teo by TKO. During her reign as champion, Jin has defended her title a record seven times.

During this reign, she had an epic trilogy of fights against atomweight champ Angela Lee and defeated BJJ champion Michelle Nicolini.

Nan is not only one of the best MMA fighters from China, but one of the top female fighters in the world. If it was possible, fight fans would love to see a future bout between her and UFC champion Zhang Weili.

Meng Bo

Meng Bo is a 2x Chinese MMA champion and easily one of the best MMA fighters from China. She currently fights in the ONE Championship atomweight division and is currently in the promotion’s top 10 ranks.

She currently has earned an impressive 13-5 record with many of her wins coming by KO/TKO. At just 27 years old, Bo will continue her pursuit of the ONE Championship title.

Niu Kang Kang

Niu Kang Kang is one of the best MMA fighters from China that you probably don’t know. He is a talented lightweight fighter, who is currently signed to ONE Championship.

After earning a pro record of 5-2, Kang made his promotional debut with ONE in 2019. Niu impressively won his first two bouts that year, but strangely has not fought in 5 years.

He is still under contract, but for some reason has not competed. Maybe we’ll see this talented fighter in the future and he can show the world his skills.

Chen Rui

Chen Rui is one of the best Chinese featherweights in the world, who currently competes in ONE Championship. The young featherweight earned a spot in ONE after going 12-2 with Chinese promotions.

Despite making it to the international stage. Rui has gone 5-4 within the promotion and has traded wins and losses in his 9 ONE bouts.

Xie Wei

Xie “ The Hunter” Wei has been one of the best MMA fighters from China, who fights within ONE Championship. Wei made his presence known within the promotion by winning his first six fights in ONE by TKO.

Since then, Wei has gone 3-3 with three more stoppage victories. Any time “The Hunter” steps into the cage, you can expect an exciting fight.

Best Polish Fighters In The UFC

The nation of Poland is known for producing some tough fighters, who are always a tough opponents to face….

The nation of Poland is known for producing some tough fighters, who are always a tough opponents to face. Many Polish fighters in the UFC have had success in the promotion with a few even earning titles.

Here’s a list of the top Polish fighters in the UFC from the past and present. Check out all of the fighters below and see which were able to make history.

Best Polish Fighters

Daniel Omielancz

We’re starting off the list of the best Polish fighters in the UFC with veteran Daniel Omielancz. Daniel fought in the UFC from 2013 to 2017 and had a 4-5 record within the promotion.

In those nine bouts, Omielancz pulled off some impressive wins, which included beating Chris De La Rocha and Aleksei Olenik. Unfortunately for Daniel, he lost his last three bouts and was released after dropping a decision to Curtis Blaydes.

At 41, Daniel is still competing and fighting primarily within his home country of Poland.

Piotr Hallman

Piotr Hallman is a Polish fighter, who fought in the UFC from 2013 to 2015. In his debut, Hallman was able to finish tough UFC vet Francisco Trinaldo with a kimura.

After losing a decision to Al Iaquinta, Piotr bounced back by defeating veteran Yves Edwards by RNC. After his second UFC win, Hall dropped 3 straight fights, which led to his release from the promotion in 2015.

Since his departure from the UFC, he fought a few more times before retiring in 2018 after a pro boxing match.

Krzysztof Soszynski

“The Polish Experiment” Krzysztop Soszynski was one of the first Polish fighters to enter the UFC and find success. After appearing on a season of the Ultimate Fighter, Krzysztof would pull off some good wins during his run.

He pulled off some good wins against Brian Stann and Stephan Bonnar before retiring from fighting in 2012. In his life after fighting, Soszynski found a fulfilling career as an actor.

His most notable role was in Here Comes The Boom, where he worked alongside actor/comedian Kevin James.

Michal Oleksiejczuk

Micha? Oleksiejczuk is another one of the current best Polish fighters in the UFC “Hussar” made his debut in 2012 that resulted in a no contest against top contender Khalil Rountree.

After debuting, Michal went on to earn some impressive wins against Sam Alvey and Gian Villante, securing victories that delighted both bettors and enthusiasts alike. His remarkable skills not only brought financial gains at bookmarkers but also garnered attention in the world of top 10 casino online gambling. His last bout was his most impressive win, which was a TKO stoppage against veteran Chidi Njokuani.

Oleksiejczuk will look to continue this momentum as he continues his attempt to climb up the UFC middleweight rankings.

Marcin Tybura

Since making his UFC debut in 2016, Marcin Tybura has been one of the best Polish fighters in the UFC. The Polish heavyweight has fought nearly every top heavyweight in the promotion and beaten many of them.

Some of his biggest wins include Andrei Arlovski, Ben Rothwell, Greg Hardy, and Stefan Struve. During his UFC run, Tybura has boosted his pro record to 24-8 and is looking for more big wins.

He was scheduled to have a big match with KO artist Tai Tuivasa, but it was re-scheduled for later this year. Marcin is always a tough out and could easily be in title contention with a couple big wins.

Krzysztof Jotko

Krzysztof Jotko was one of the best Polish fighters in the UFC from 2013 to 2022. The Polish light heavyweight spent the majority of his UFC run fighting in the prelims of UFC Fight Night events.

Whenever Jotko was given an opportunity, he would take it and win the majority of his bouts. Pulling off some nice wins against Thales Leites and Eryk Anders.

However, Jotko lost some big contender matches against Sean Strickland and Brendan Allen before his departure from the UFC. He is now signed with the PFL and looking to make a name for himself within this promotion.

Mateusz Gamrot

No doubt, lightweight standout Mateusz Gamrot is one of the best Polish fighters in the UFC today. The 23-2 lightweight has a lot of talent and ability, who is steadily climbing up the ranks.

Gamer made his UFC debut in 2020 and went on an impressive 4-1 run in his first five fights. Unfortunately, the young lightweight’s momentum was stopped after a decision loss to Beneil Darush, but he’s quickly bouncing back.

Since that loss, Gamrot has rebounded by winning his last two fights. Mateusz’s next fight will be the biggest of his career as he faces former champion Rafael Dos Anjos at UFC 299.

A win against RDJ will prove that Gamrot is ready to take his fighting career to the next level.

Karolina Kowalkiewicz

Karolina Kowalkiewicz has been one of the best Polish fighters in the UFC for a number of years. She has been part of the promotion for almost a decade and is still a top contender in the strawweight division.

Kowalkiewicz started out her UFC run strong with three straight wins. This included beating one of the Female MMA GOATs, Rose Namajunas by split decision.

Unfortunately for Karolina, she would go through struggles in her next 9 fights, going 2-7 during this period. With her back against the wall, Karolina revived her career and is currently on a 4-fight winning streak.

A decade into Kowalkiewicz’s UFC run, she is still very much a contender in the strawweight division. At 37 and a decade into her UFC run, Karolina is still one of the best Polish fighters in the UFC.

Jan Blachowicz

No doubt, Jan Blachowicz is easily one of the best Polish fighters in the UFC. He is the first male Polish fighter to become a UFC world champion.

Jan dominated the Polish KSW promotion before arriving to the UFC with a lot of hype. However, it took some time for the Polish Hammer to find his feet within the promotion.

After going 2-3 in his first 5 UFC fights, Jan found his footing and went on a dominant 8-1 run. During this run, Blachowicz was able to make history and become the light heavyweight champion.

At 40, Jan is still one of the top fighters of the light heavyweight division and is looking to regain his title.

Joanna J?drzejczyk

Without question, Joanna Jedrzejcyk is one of the best Polish fighters in the UFC. During her career, Joanna made history by becoming the first Polish UFC champion.

During her title reign, the Boogeywoman terrorized the strawweight division. She owns numerous UFC records from the most strawweight title defenses(5) and most women’s title bouts(10).

Joanna took part in some of the best fights in UFC history from her wars with Rose and Zhang. Not only is Joanna Champion one of the best Polish fighters in UFC history, but one of the great women’s champions.

She will no doubt go down as a future UFC Hall of Famer for her incredible career filled with accomplishments.

The Best UFC Referees [Updated List]

The UFC is almost thirty years old, and numerous refs have stepped into the cage. Fight fans often talk about bad officiating, but who are some of the best UFC referees in the promotion’s history? Check out our list of the best UFC referees ever below with a little background on each of these great […]

The UFC is almost thirty years old, and numerous refs have stepped into the cage. Fight fans often talk about bad officiating, but who are some of the best UFC referees in the promotion’s history?

Check out our list of the best UFC referees ever below with a little background on each of these great officials.

Best UFC Referees

Keith Peterson

Background: MMA & Muay Thai
Years Active: 2009/2010 to Present
Fights Officiated: 617 Fights(192 Knockouts, 126 Submissions, 286 Decisions, 4 Draws, 6 No Contests, 3 Disqualifications)

“No Nonsense” Keith Peterson is one of the best UFC referees currently working in the sport. Peterson has officiated over 600 fights in his career and is a fixture at every UFC event.

Keith was a longtime martial artist who decided to go into officiating after an amateur MMA career.

Many know Keith from his ongoing feud with Dominick Cruza over the stoppage against Henry Cejudo. However, Peterson actually gained more fans with his response to Cruz. We rarely worry about a bad call when we see Peterson in the cage.

Marc Goddard

Background: MMA
Years Active: 2007 to Present
Fights Officiated: 896 Fights(297 KOs/TKOs, 197 Submissions, 385 Decisions, 9 Draws, 6 No Contests, 2 Disqualifications.

The reliable Marc Goddard is the UK’s first big-name MMA referee. He is one of the best UFC referees in the sport, with three decades of experience.

Like most of the refs on our list, Marc was a lifelong martial artist who started ut fighting. When Marc retired from fighting, he transitioned to officiating. Goddard began getting recognized by MMA fans when the UFC held events in the UK.

Marc was so good that the UFC got him licensed to work at different UFC events in the US. On top of being a respected official, Goddard runs an MMA ref certification program and his own MMA gym.

Big John McCarthy

Background: BJJ
Years Active: 1994 to 2017
Fights Officiated: 957 Fights(340 KOs/TKOS, 277 Submissions, 315 Decisions, 9 Draws, 15 No Contests, 1 Disqualification

Big John McCarthy is often considered the standard for what people consider the best UFC referees. He was one of the first UFC referees and set the standard for the job.

John was an ex-police officer who got into reffing through the Gracie family. He trained at the Gracie Academy early on when Rorion was helping create the UFC.

Originally, Big John wanted to fight, but Rorions didn’t let him. Instead, Rorion let John be a referee from the second UFC on.

That was when Big John would yell his iconic trademark to start a fight: “Let’s get it on!”

Not only is Big John the standard for MMA officiating, but he also helped establish many of the sport’s rules. Every fan and fighter owes Big John McCarthy a little gratitude for his work in MMA.

Mike Beltran

Background: BJJ/MMA
Years Active: N/A
Fights Officiated: 421 Fights(160 KOs/TKOs, 89 Submissions, 160 Decisions, 8 Draws, 4 No Contests, 0 Disqualfications

Mike Beltran is one of the best UFC referees and one of the most intimidating. The California native towers over most of the fighters and is well known for his long beard.

Before becoming a famous MMA official, Beltran was a detective and part of many drug bust operations. On top of being a cop, Mike is also a lifelong martial artist and athlete.

His love of combat sports led him to pursue a career as an MMA referee. Mike has earned a lot of success and has become one of the most respected officials in the sport.

Jason Herzog

Background: BJJ & Judo
Years Active: 2008 to Present
Fights Officiated: 845 Fights(273 KO/TKO, 208 Submissions, 344 Decisions, 5 Draws, 9 No Contests, 6 Disqualifications

Jason Herzog is considered one of the best UFC referees of the modern era. A veteran referee of nearly 900 fights and counting, Herzog has shown to be a reliable third man in the cage.

Herzog rarely made crucial errors in his fifteen years as a professional MMA referee. We know Jason will call if down the middle whenever he’s in the cage. He’s passionate about his job and always does his best to protect the fighters.

Mark Smith

Background: Wrestling, BJJ
Years Active: N/A
Fights Officiated: 588

Mark Smith is one of the best UFC referees currently working and one of the most interesting. Smith is a retired Air Force pilot who used to fly F-16s during his service.

After retiring from the Air Force, Smith began working as a pilot for Southwest Airlines. While he was flying planes, Smith was also an avid martial artist and MMA fan.

Mark would enroll in an MMA official certification program in the early 2010s; the rest is history. He has currently officiated nearly 600 fights with little to no controversy in his career. This record of quality makes Smith one of the best UFC referees in the sport today.

Josh Rosenthal

Background: MMA/BJJ
Years Active: 2007 to Present
Fights Officiated: 492(170 KOs/TKOs, 146 Submissions, 162 Decisions, 3 Draws, 6 No Contests, 4 Disqualifications

Josh Rosenthal has lived a crazy life. He is mostly known for being one of the best UFC referees in all of MMA.

Rosenthal is a fixture on most big MMA events around the world and officiates events weekly. Although Josh is known as a great MMA referee, he did run into legal trouble during the early 2010s.

He was arrested in California and sentenced to 36 months for an illegal marijuana-growing operation. Many top MMA commentators like Joe Rogan, who is a cannabis advocate, protested Rosenthal’s imprisonment.

But Rosenthal would persevere through his prison time and continue working as a top MMA referee.

Jacob Montalvo

Background: BJJ
Years Active: 2010 to Present
Fights Officiated: 184 Fights(64 KOs/TKOS, 35 Submissions, 81 Decisions, 0 Draws, 3 No Contests, 1 Disqualification

One UFC referee you may not know much about is Jacob Montalvo. Jacob is a Texas native who’s a BJJ black belt with years of experience. Montalvo has competed in big super fights against UFC vets like Carlos Dieg Fereira.

Jacob, a longtime martial artist, started officiating in small events in Texas. He would eventually gain experience and be allowed to work the big events in the UFC.

Any time there’s a UFC event in Texas, you will likely see Jacob Montalvo working the event. In his decade + as an official, Montalvo has never been criticized for any blatantly bad calls.

Kerry Hatley

Background: N/A
Years Active: N/A
Fights Officiated: 235 Fights(72 KOs/TKOs, 44 Submissions, 111 Decisions, 2 Draws, 6 No Contests, 0 Disqualifications

Another one of the unsung referees in the sport is Kerry Hatley. Kerry has probably worked on numerous big events in the last decade.

You may not have heard much about him, which is a good thing for the best UFC referees. Hatley is a great third man in the ring who always does a good job.

Frank Trigg

Background: MMA
Years Active: N/A
Fights Officiated: 197 Fights(71 KOs/TKOs, 46 Submissions, 77 Decisions, 0 Draws, 2 No Contests, 1 Disqualification

Frank Trigg is one of the highest-level MMA fighters to transition to becoming an MMA referee. Trigg is no stranger to the spotlight as he main-evented countless fights against the best fighters in the world.

After Frank retired from fighting, he felt he would do a good job as an MMA referee. Trigg would quickly become one of the best UFC referees in the promotion. His experience as a fighter has made him a great ref that all of the fighters respect.

Best BJJ Fighters – Top 10 For 2023

The grappling ability in MMA is higher than it has ever been. That’s why we want to give you our list of the 10 best BJJ fighters of the current era. Read below as we go over the careers of the world’s best BJJ fighters and detail some of their highlight submissions. If you’re also […]

The grappling ability in MMA is higher than it has ever been. That’s why we want to give you our list of the 10 best BJJ fighters of the current era.

Read below as we go over the careers of the world’s best BJJ fighters and detail some of their highlight submissions.

If you’re also interested in reading about the best BJJ fighters in the history of MMA, check out this link.

10. Shinya Aoki

Let’s start our list off with one of the best BJJ fighters that is still active in Shinya Aoki. He is at the end of his career, but he’s still incredibly dangerous on the ground.

Casual MMA fans may not know much about Aoki since he’s fought mainly in Asia, but the diehards know him well. For decades, Aoki was known for his amazing guard and versatility in his attacks.

Out of Aoki’s 47 wins, 31 of them came by way of submission. Going on to win the Dream Lightweight Championship and the ONE Championship title on two occasions.

9. Garry Tonon

Before transitioning to MMA, Garry Tonon was one of the best No-Gi grapplers in the world. The Danaher Death Squad original is known for his exciting matches and prowess in leg locks and back takes.

In his young MMA career, Tonon has only had 7 MMA fights and has gone 6-1 overall. Out of his 6 wins, 3 were by submission that were set up perfectly.

He’s been nicely transitioning into MMA and could easily get on higher on the best BJJ fighters list in the future.

8. AJ McKee

The second generation MMA fighter, AJ Mckee has marked his place as one of the top fighters in Bellator MMA. He is a well rounded fighter, that’s well rounded with technical striking and an even better ground game.

A ground game that he has put on full display the last few years. Submitting Darrion Caldwell with an innovative neck crank, then putting Patricio Pitbull to sleep with a guillotine to win the title.

We’ll definitely see more highlight finishes from McKee in the future as he’s recently moved up to the lightweight division. Maybe even become a champ in two different weight classes.

7. Illia Topuria

One of the biggest young prospects in the UFC featherweight division is Illia “El Matador” Topuria. The Georgian fighter that is currently undefeated and has gone on a tear in the UFC.

He has currently won five fights in a row in the UFC and has mainly been showing off his striking ability. Knocking out three of five opponents so far in the promotion.

But what got Topuria to the UFC was a high level grappling game. Eight of his career thirteen wins have come by submission. The last of which was against previously undefeated Bryce Mitchell by arm triangle choke.(The third of his career.)

At twenty five years old, El Matador is already one of the best BJJ fighters in the UFC. We could easily see Topuria crack the top five in the next year with another highlight reel finish.

6. Rodolfo Vieira

Some may take issue with Rodolfo Vieira being on the best BJJ fighters of the year list. Rodolfo has underperformed well below expectations going into the UFC.

But there is no one in the UFC that has the grappling resume like that of Rodolfo Vieira. No other fighter in the roster has won 5 IBJJF World Championships or the ADCC Championship.

Vieira seemed to be on a rocket to the UFC top 10 until he was submitted by Anthony Hernandez. Before that loss, Vieira was 7-0 with all seven wins by submission.

He bounced back after the loss, but then lost his second match to Chris Curtis. If Rodolfo can improve his MMA skills and get more experience, he will be hard to beat going forward.

5. Glover Teixeira

Glover Teixeira has been a fan favorite in the UFC for the last decade. Most people know Teixeira for his knockout power that dropped some of the best fighters ever in the sport.

But late in Glover’s career he has had a career renaissance. Displaying that he’s also one of the worlds best BJJ fighters.

Before losing his title, Teixeira went on a six fight win streak. During that streak, he showed world class grappling skills, beating four of those opponents by submission. Including beating Jan Blachowicz for the light heavyweight title at 42 years old.

The old veteran is still showing he’s one of the world’s best fighters, but has stated he would be retiring soon. If Glover is able to win the title again before retiring, he’ll go down as one of the best fighters ever.

4. Marcus “Buchecha” Almeida

Marcus ”Buchecha ” Almeida is only 4-0 in his young mma career, but he’s one of the greatest grapplers ever. He is a fourteen time world Jiu Jitu champion, which arguably makes him one of the world’s best BJJ fighters.

No heavyweight MMA fighter in the world can hang with Buchecha on the ground. He makes elite level grapplers look like they are Jiu Jitsu white belts.

Buchecha, of course, is fighting opponents well below his skill level in ONE Championship. But to defend Marcus Almeida, there aren’t many in the world that are at his skill level.

As of now, Almeida currently has three submission wins in his four wins overall. That total will no doubt increase as his MMA career continues.

3. Aljamain Sterling

For years, Aljamain Sterling has been considered the best BJJ fighters in the UFC bantamweight division. Now Sterling is proving that he’s one of the best all around fighters in the world.

But it has taken a little time for fans to come around on Sterling. Many fans questioned the legitimacy of Sterling as the champion since he won by disqualification.

Aljamain would prove those critics wrong by decisively beating Petr Yan in the rematch. Proving that he was the true champion of the division.

Then after beating former champ TJ Dillashaw, nobody is doubting Aljamain Sterling anymore. He has proven that he is one of the pound for pound best MMA fighters in the world today

2. Gilbert Burns

Gilbert Burns has long been considered to be one of the best BJJ fighters in the world. He is a four time world Jiu Jitsu champion with two of them in No-Gi.

In MMA, Burns has adapted his grappling game very well into the sport. Having developed great takedowns and control that he has put on display many times.

Two of his best grappling performances came against all time great BJJ fighter Demian Maia and known striker Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson. Gilbert was able to use his top level takedown defense to completely shut down Maia’s game and won by TKO.

Then against Wonderboy, Burns was able to time his takedowns perfectly to disrupt Thompson’s striking game. Earning a nice win and taking zero damage in the fight.

Right now, Gilbert is looking to bounce back from a loss to Khamzat Chimaev that many believe he won. Gilbert has been displaying his striking power in recent fights, but he can’t forget his world class grappling ability.

1. Charles Oliveira

Charles Oliveira has proven to be the best BJJ fighters in MMA for the last decade. With everything the former champion has accomplished, it’s hard not to have him at the top of the list.

He has the most submission wins in the history of the UFC with sixteen. Many of which were his world class guillotine and rear naked choke.

Take his last two wins against Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje by RNC. Charles goes on a relentless attack throwing various strikes and submission attempts to open up his opponents for the RNC.

No other fighter has the transitions and attacks like the former champion. Oliveira had one the best runs of his career before his last loss and is already considered one of the best ever.

At 33, Charles still has a lot more time in the fight game to add to his legacy. Regaining the title he lost would be the feather in his cap on a long and illustrious career.