5 MMA pioneers who should be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame

#4. Women's MMA pioneer Gina Carano

Judging by the current number of female MMA fighters, it seems crazy that Dana White once said women would never fight in the UFC. Not only have women fought in the UFC, but their fights have gotten increasingly popular. Gina Carano was at the forefront of establishing women in MMA.

Carano is arguably the sport's first female star. Her career began in 2006, when she earned a first-round knockout victory against Leiticia Pestova. She fought the majority of her fights in Elite XC and Strikeforce.

After beginning her career with an unbeaten 7-0 record, she earned a title shot against then Strikeforce women's featherweight champion Cris Cyborg. 'Conviction' was defeated via first-round TKO and never competed after the event. She has since transitioned to an acting career and has featured in Fast & Furious 6, Deadpool, and The Mandalorian.

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#3. Light heavyweight MMA pioneer Frank Shamrock

Despite being retired from MMA for over a decade, Frank Shamrock's absence from the UFC Hall of Fame is still puzzling. He debuted in Pancrase in 1994 by defeating Bas Rutten via majority decision. But it wasn't until his UFC debut that he would come into his own and showcase what he was capable of.

Shamrock was a standout fighter from The Lion's Den and made his presence known in the UFC. He submitted Kevin Jackson in 16 seconds at UFC Japan to become the inaugural UFC light heavyweight champion. This was significant as it essentially got him out of his half-brother Ken's shadow.

Shamrock had 4 successful title defenses, capped off by his TKO win over Tito Ortiz at UFC 22. He continued to have success, adding to his already Hall of Fame caliber resume after his UFC departure. Shamrock also won the inaugural WEC Light Heavyweight Championship and the inaugural Strikeforce Middleweight Championship.