5 of the tallest MMA fighters of all time

#2. Stefan Struve

For MMA fans who are already familiar with ‘Skyscraper,’ his inclusion on the list comes as no surprise. Akin to an NBA center, Stefan Struve is listed anywhere between 6-foot-11 and seven feet tall. Either way, Struve is a massive human and was an excellent fighter in his heyday.

Using his height and ridiculous reach, Struve won 29 professional bouts before retiring in 2020. The Beverwijk, Netherlands native holds victories over notable names such as Stipe Miocic, António ‘Big Nog’ Nogueira, and Antonio ‘Bigfoot’ Silva, among many others.

Of course, Struve has never been in a fight without a height advantage, providing him with ample time to hone his ability to fight at a distance. Even so, Struve was never able to reach the top despite 15 years in the sport. Which goes to show: size isn’t everything in MMA.

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#1. Hong Man Choi

If you’re an MMA fan and have never heard of Hong Man Choi, buckle up. Standing at an astounding 7-foot-2, Hong Man Choi is one of the largest humans on the planet.

Choi’s career is littered with ups and downs, along with varying levels of competition, most notably a three-year, three-fight stretch between 2007 and 2009.

In his second professional MMA bout, Choi was booked to fight the legendary Fedor Emelianenko. If this sounds absurd, that’s because it is. But when factoring in Choi’s 12-inch height advantage, however, the prospect became a bit more interesting.

Unsurprisingly, Fedor would finish Choi in the first round, securing a deep triangle choke to force the tap.

In 2008, Choi would fight Mirko Cro Cop, another all-time great. He again entered with a 12-inch height advantage. Again, unsurprisingly, Choi would be chopped down like a tree before being TKO’d via leg kicks.

The loss effectively washed away the mystique of the 7-foot-2 titan. That is, until a new, equally bizarre opponent surfaced.

Enter: Jose Canseco. Yes, the same Jose Canseco who was pushed out of Major League Baseball due to numerous steroid scandals. The 45-year-old would make his MMA debut in 2009 in a highly anticipated matchup with Choi. But this time, Choi would get the job done, and fast.

Just 1:19 into the first round, Canseco found himself belly-down, tapping to punches with Choi unleashing a barrage upon him before the ref mercifully stepped in to end the one-sided affair.

The win would mark the first of Choi’s career, a memorable way for MMA’s resident giant to secure his first victory.