The top 15 pound-for-pound fighters in the UFC
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Over the last decade, MMA has grown to be one of the most popular sports in the world with supporters from all different backgrounds. With some insanely interesting fights which have caught the attention of people and led them to the sport, the debate over who is the best pound-for-pound fighter is always changing. As different fighters and champions come into the mix every year, it’s as difficult as ever for any competitor to stay at the top. With the UFC acting as the sport’s top promotion, let’s take a look at the top 15 pound-for-pound fighters in the UFC right now:
15 - Cris Cyborg
The Brazilian has enjoyed a strong fighting career so far picking up 20 wins and losing only two fights. Her most recent fight saw her lose to Amanda Nunes in the first round. The 33-year-old has racked up 17 wins by knockout which is quite an impressive stat.
14 - Rose Namajunas
Namajunas is currently on a three-fight winning streak after defeating Joanna Jedrzejczyk twice and Michelle Waterson before that back in April 2017. The 26-year-old who made her Octagon debut in 2014 has gone on to win six of her fights via submission.
13 - Tyron Woodley
Woodley has had a long career within the UFC and is currently number one ranked contender in the welterweight division. The American has won 19 of the 24 fights he has had, winning 12 inside the distance and four UFC title defences to his name.
12 - Tony Ferguson
Nicknamed ‘El Cucuy’, Ferguson is currently ranked as the #2 contender in the lightweight division after his win against Anthony Pettis late last year. That win extended his win streak to 11, beating the likes of Rafael dos Anjos, Edson Barboza and Kevin Lee. The 33-year-old has won 25 out of the 28 fights he has been involved in, making his inclusion no surprise.
11 - Stipe Miocic
Miocic is the number one challenger in the heavyweight division right now but his most recent fight was against Daniel Cormier, one that Miocic failed to win. However, Stipe holds the UFC record for heavyweight title defences with three and has won 13 fights by knockout.
10 - Robert Whittaker
“The Reaper” made his promotional debut back in 2012 and has since gone unbeaten in the middleweight division since a move up in weight class five years ago. Currently the middleweight champion and at just 28-years-old, the fighter has seen success in 21 out of his 25 fights, with 10 of these being by knockouts.
9 - Conor McGregor
Conor McGregor is one of the most well-known names in the industry not just because of his ability but also his personality. The Irish fighter has 21 wins to his name and has the right to boast about some of the names he has defeated. With an incredible 86% knockout ratio, McGregor cements his name into the top 10.
8 - Dustin Poirier
Poirier is currently next in line to face lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov after claiming the interim championship in his last outing. “The Diamond” currently boasts one of the most impressive winning streaks in MMA history after defeating Anthony Pettis, Justin Gaethje and Eddie Alvarez inside the distance before defeating Max Holloway in April.
7 - Kamaru Usman
Usman is widely known as the “Nigerian Nightmare”, losing only one fight in his professional career. After recently claiming the welterweight championship to cap off a 14 fight winning streak, Usman will be looking to build upon the incredible heights of his career thus far.
6 - Amanda Nunes
The current women’s bantamweight and featherweight champion has achieved huge success within the UFC. Her most recent win was against Cris Cyborg in a fight where Nunes knocked her out in under a minute. With a record of 17 wins and four losses, the “Lioness” is arguably the greatest female fighter in the history of MMA.
5 - Max Holloway
The current featherweight champion is steadily building a remarkable legacy in the UFC. The 27-year-old has 20 wins to his name and just three losses. Holloway has won 10 of his fights via knockout and has successfully defended his 145 lbs title twice.
4 - Henry Cejudo
The 31-year-old from Los Angeles is the current flyweight champion and has an impressive record of 14 wins and two losses. “The Messenger” is currently on a four-win streak after beating Wilson Reis, Sergio Pettis, Demetrious Johnson and most recently T.J Dillashaw. Cejudo also boasts an Olympic gold medal in freestyle wrestling.
3 - Khabib Nurmagomedov
27 wins and zero losses is the record for the lightweight champion of the world Khabib Nurmagomedov. Khabib most recently defeated Conor McGregor in dominant fashion at the end of 2018 and has barely lost a round in his flawless professional career.
2 - Jon Jones
Jon “Bones” Jones made his Octagon debut back in 2008 and has been a force to reckoned with ever since. Jones is the current light heavyweight champion and like the others boasts a great record. With only one loss on his copybook – a controversial disqualification against Matt Hamill – Jones is one of the most well-rounded fighters in MMA history.
1 - Daniel Cormier
Topping the pound-for-pound rankings is none other than Daniel Cormier who is the current heavyweight champion of the world. As a former concurrent two-weight champion, “DC’s” incredible pace and Olympic-level wrestling ability has seen him amass a huge 22 wins during his professional career with only one loss to his name.