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

#2. Heavyweight MMA pioneer Fedor Emelianenko

There is no denying that Fedor Emelianenko is one of the greatest heavyweight MMA fighters of all-time. Not only was he dominant during his prime, but is arguably the greatest fighter to never compete in the UFC. Although he never competed in the octagon, 'The Last Emperor' was one of the most feared fighters of his time.

'The Last Emperor' had an aura around him whenever he made his walk-out to the ring in Pride FC. It's hard to deny that he was the best heavyweight during the 2000s, considering he defeated a number of former UFC champions.

Emelianenko's reign as Pride heavyweight champion lasted 1663 days. Some of the fighters he defeated during his tenure at Pride include 'Minotauro' Nogueira, Mark Coleman, Kevin Randleman, and Mirko Cro Cop. He is currently competing in Bellator, where he is set to retire after his next fight.

Here's Emelianenko's superhuman recovery against Kevin Randleman:

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#1. Middleweight MMA pioneer Anderson Silva

Although he will likely be inducted one day, it's quite surprising that Anderson Silva's career didn't warrant an immediate induction. His career began in 1997, and it was apparent that he had elite striking ability. After a stint at Pride FC, he fought in Cage Rage, where he became the middleweight champion.

'The Spider' joined the UFC in 2006 and became the most dominant middleweight fighter the sport had seen at that point. He made many fighters, including former UFC champions, look like amateurs. There was no answer to his unorthodox style. He was strong in the clinch and off his back. At times, he even baited his opponents with his hands down, before dropping them with a front-kick to the face.

Silva's middleweight championship reign lasted 2457 days, during which he defended it on ten occasions. What made his reign even more impressive was that he also competed at light heavyweight to remain active and still found success.