5 fighters who thrived in the UFC after their 40th birthday

#2. Demian Maia – former UFC welterweight

Grappling ace Demian Maia remained dangerous past his 40th birthday

When Demian Maia quietly departed the UFC earlier this year, he did so with little fanfare, which was, in many ways, highly disappointing. Not only should the Brazilian grappling legend be considered one of the greatest fighters in the promotion’s history to have never held a UFC title, he also deserves far more respect for being able to thrive as an older fighter.

Maia’s advanced age may surprise some fans, as he certainly doesn’t appear to look as old as he is. The former Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion actually turned 40 back in November 2017. At that stage, he was in the midst of the worst run in his UFC career, a three-fight losing skid. However, by 2019, he was back on track. He defeated Lyman Good, Anthony Rocco Martin and Ben Askren despite being well into his 40s at that stage.

In a way, it’s hardly surprising that Maia was able to succeed in the UFC at an advanced age. After all, his game was based around technique and skill rather than explosive athleticism. However, to be able to compete at the highest level at that kind of age despite a lack of natural athletic talent is truly a marvel, making Demian Maia one of the UFC’s all-time underrated fighters.

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#1. Randy Couture – former UFC heavyweight & light heavyweight champion

Randy Couture remains the greatest example of an older fighter succeeding in the UFC

When it comes to fighters succeeding in the UFC despite their advanced age, nobody comes close to matching the achievements of Randy Couture. ‘The Natural’ may be persona non grata with the promotion these days, but it’s hard to dispute his status as a genuine UFC legend.

Like many of the fighters on this list, Couture entered the UFC at a relatively advanced age. He was already well into his thirties when he first competed at UFC 13. Less than a year later, he defeated Maurice Smith to win the UFC heavyweight title.

Couture never lost the title inside the octagon, instead vacating it to leave the UFC. But in 2000 he returned at the age of 37 and defeated Kevin Randleman to reach the top of the mountain for a second time.

However, when he lost his title to Josh Barnett at UFC 36 and followed that with another defeat, this time to Ricco Rodriguez, it looked like his UFC career was probably coming to an understandable end. After all, he was 39 years old at that point.

Incredibly though, Couture returned after his 40th birthday and unseated longtime UFC light heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz. In doing so, he became the first man to win UFC titles in two different weight classes in the process. However, ‘The Natural’ wasn’t done there. After initially retiring in 2006 at the age of 42, he made a stunning return a year later. He defeated Tim Sylvia to regain the UFC heavyweight title before defending it against Gabriel Gonzaga.

Couture eventually hung up his gloves after a loss to Lyoto Machida in 2011, at which point he was actually closer to his 50th birthday than his 40th.

When you consider that his biggest successes in the UFC, including a total of three title wins, came after his 40th birthday, it’s easy to understand why Randy Couture remains the gold standard for older fighters succeeding inside the octagon.