RealGM

This is the third installment of this list, and the first since 2014. A lot has changed. Previous ranking is listed in the parenthesis. Hopefully this brings about some healthy debate.


Here is the Nov. 2014 thread/list: https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=270&t=1352824

Here is the Mar. 2013 thread/list: https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=270&t=1239202



Countdown:

1. Georges "Rush" St. Pierre (2)
2. Jon Jones (1)
3. Anderson Silva (3)
4. Fedor Emelianenko (4)
5. Chuck Liddell (5)
6. Matt Hughes (9)
7. Dan Henderson (6)
8. Wanderlei Silva (8)
9. Jose Aldo (7)
10. Demetrious Johnson (32)
11. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (10)
12. Randy Couture (11)
13. Vitor Belfort (12)
14. BJ Penn (13)
15. Royce Gracie (14)
16. Mauricio Rua (15)
17. Bas Rutten (16)
18. Frank Shamrock (20)
19. Daniel Cormier (57)
20. Conor McGreggor (NR)
21. Dominick Cruz (29)
22. Mirko Cro Cop (18)
23. Stipe Miocic (NR)
24. Mark Coleman (19)
25. Kazushi Sakuraba (21)
26. Cain Velasquez (17)
27. Frankie Edgar (22)
28. Eddie Alvarez (52)
29. Quinton Jackson (23)
30. Josh Barnett (24)
31. Lyoto Machida (26)
32. TJ Dillashaw (55)
33. Robbie Lawler (63)
34. Michael Bisping (77)
35. Chris Weidman (25)
36. Max Holloway (NR)
37. Fabricio Werdum (39)
38. Rich Franklin (27)
39. Junior dos Santos (33)
40. Dan Severn (28)
41. Tyron Woodley (NR)
42. Sean Sherk (30)
43. Tito Ortiz (31)
44. Frank Mir (37)
45. Benson Henderson (45)
46. Urijah Faber (36)
47. Rafael dos Anjos (NR)
48. Takanori Gomi (38)
49. Rashad Evans (34)
50. Tony Ferguson (NR)
51. Johny Hendricks (35)
52. Tim Sylvia (40)
53. Khabib Nurmagomedov (84)
54. Renan Barao (41)
55. Anthony Pettis (44)
56. Chael Sonnen (58)
57. Gilbert Melendez (42)
58. Luke Rockhold (NR)
59. Don Frye (43)
60. Andrei Arlovski (50)
61. Carlos Condit (47)
62. Masakatsu Funaki (46)
63. Forrest Griffin (48)
64. Gegard Mousasi (56)
65. Jon Fitch (53)
67. Oleg Taktarov (54)
68. Jake Shields (51)
69. Alexander Gustafsson (60)
70. Robert Whittaker (NR)
71. Pat Miletich (61)
72. Nate Marquardt (49)
73. Demian Maia (NR)
74. Nick Diaz (62)
75. Brock Lesnar (69)
76. Stephen Thompson (NR)
77. Chad Mendes (64)
78. Ken Shamrock (66)
79. Ryan Bader (NR)
80. Rickson Gracie (59)
81. Phil Davis (65)
82. Jens Pulver (67)
83. Igor Vovchanchyn (68)
84. Yuki Kondo (70)
85. Mark Kerr (71)
86. Kevin Randleman (74)
87. Jacare Souza (79)
88. Yushin Okami (73)
89. Mark Hunt (78)
90. Cub Swanson (72)
91. Donald Cerrone (98)
92. Yoel Romero (NR)
93. Joseph Benavidez (82)
94. Alistair Overeem (90)
95. Evan Tanner (80)
96. Pedro Rizzo (83)
97. Guy Mezger (81)
98. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (54)
99. Ben Askren (NR)
100. Cody Garbrandt (NR)

100. Cody "No Love" Garbrandt (NR)



Still only 26 with a resume just scratching the surface, this won't be the last time we see him on this kind of list.

99. Ben "Funky" Askren (NR)



Tough to place on a list like this due to fighting mostly weak competition, but an undefeated record and some decent wins in Bellator proves he belongs.

Silva is 1-4-1 with a suspension since you named him #1. Jones' career took a nosedive immediately after you named him #1. I'm anxious to find out who you're going to ruin next.

High 5 wrote:Silva is 1-4-1 with a suspension since you named him #1. Jones' career took a nosedive immediately after you named him #1. I'm anxious to find out who you're going to ruin next.

Be very afraid GSP.

98. Antonio Rogerio "Minotouro" Nogueira (54)



Pride star turned UFC stalwart, Lil' Nog may be overshadowed by his brother, but he's still an all time great.

97. Guy "The Sandman" Mezger (81)



A chronically underrated fighter from the UFC dark era, best known for a UFC victory of Tito Ortiz.

96. Pedro "The Rock" Rizzo (83)



Former UFC Heavyweight champion and one of the heaviest leg kickers the sport has ever seen.

Wanderlei/Mezger is one of the greatest fights in an combat sport, ever.

Same with Rizzo/Barnett. Rizzo/Igor was the fight everyone was clamoring for back in the day but it never materialized.

I don't think anyone should be penalized for PEDs. That's nonsense. Everyone is on gear. Some guys just have shoddy doctors that mis-calculate their cycling.

GameBredAPBT wrote:I don't think anyone should be penalized for PEDs. That's nonsense. Everyone is on gear. Some guys just have shoddy doctors that mis-calculate their cycling.

Even were that true, then the ability not to get caught (in the testing era) is an important MMA skill.

Jasen777 wrote:

GameBredAPBT wrote:I don't think anyone should be penalized for PEDs. That's nonsense. Everyone is on gear. Some guys just have shoddy doctors that mis-calculate their cycling.

Even were that true, then the ability not to get caught (in the testing era) is an important MMA skill.

Even were what true?

Anyone that says every athlete doesn't take PEDs hasn't spent any time around professional athletes.

I agree that it's unprofessional to not cycle correctly. It's sloppy & leads to more stringent testing, which winds up hurting everyone else.

95. Evan Tanner (80)



Tanner went from self taught fighter to UFC Middleweight champion of the pre-TUF Zuffa dark era.

Cammo101 wrote:95. Evan Tanner (80)



Tanner went from self taught fighter to UFC Middleweight champion of the pre-TUF Zuffa dark era.

Nice to see you put him on the list. Well deserved. R.I.P. Evan

94. Alistair "The Reem" Overeem (90)



Strikeforce champ and UFC and Pride standout, Overeem has been a top level fighter for going on 20 years now.

Don't even know how you're suppossed to comapre guys like Garbrandt and Overeem, which such different resumes. Not to mention pre unified rules guys.

Jasen777 wrote:Don't even know how you're suppossed to comapre guys like Garbrandt and Overeem, which such different resumes. Not to mention pre unified rules guys.

It certainly makes it difficult. Achievements become a big deal.

93. Joseph Benavidez (82)



Perennial smaller division standout who may be in the top 20 of this list if not for the existence of Demetrious Johnson.

92. Yoel "Soldier of God" Romero (NR)



He may have started MMA late in life, but he has made up for lost time by buzz-sawing his way through a murderer's row of top Middleweights since joining the UFC.

91. Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone (98)



Lightweight and Welterweight contender who is climbing the UFC all time wins list.