The 5 best UFC fighters from the UK

#3 Brad Pickett

Brad Pickett is one of the most skilled and exciting fighters ever produced by the UK

With his nickname of ‘One Punch’ and an entrance that involved him dressing like Brad Pitt’s character from Snatch while reading a newspaper and walking out to a Chas & Dave track, Brad Pickett was always destined to be one of the UK’s most recognisable fighters. It turned out he was also one of the most skilled too, as a move to train with American Top Team in 2006 turned him from a power striker into a well-rounded fighter who could wrestle and grapple with the best of them.

Pickett debuted in the UFC in 2011 after a successful run at 135lbs in the WEC, a run that saw him go 3-1 and even pick up a victory over future legend Demetrious Johnson – he remains one of just two men to defeat ‘Mighty Mouse’. His UFC debut didn’t go so well as he was choked out by Renan Barao, but Pickett then went on to carve out his own spot in the top ten, with wins over the likes of Mike Easton, Damacio Page and Yves Jabouin.

A 2014 drop to 125lbs – chasing a title fight with Johnson, basically – didn’t serve Pickett quite so well as he only went 1-2 in his time there, and once he moved back to 135lbs his skills had started to wane. Pickett retired in March after losing four of his last five bouts, but he was always a tough gatekeeper for anyone wanting to break into the elite level, even as he aged. Not only was he one of the most skilled fighters from the UK, but he was also one of the most exciting.