Best UFC fighters of all time: Who are the MMA GOATs based on their resumes?

The UFC has been home to some of the best MMA fighters in the sport's history. However, given the divisional format and the rapid progression of the relatively new sport, it is difficult to objectively rank fighters in order of their greatness.

Therefore the ever-present ‘greatest of all time’ or GOAT argument is subjective, and opinions may vary based on several factors like perceived level of competition, era in which the fighters competed, the length of their title reigns and the number of titles won, among other factors.

Based on the statistical data and strength of resumes, Demetrious Johnson, Jon Jones, Anderson Silva, Georges St-Pierre, and Jose Aldo Jr. all have strong claims to be the title of the greatest fighter of all time.

While the lengths of their title reigns and career trajectories varied greatly, each of these fighters ruled their respective divisions for the better part of a decade and kept a strong line-up of challengers from touching UFC gold.

Inaugural UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson held the title for six years. He holds the record for most consecutive title defenses in UFC history (11).

Meanwhile, middleweight great Anderson Silva is a close second with 10 consecutive title defenses to his name. He reigned over the middleweight division from October 2006 all the way up to July 2013, when he lost the belt to Chris Weidman.

Silva’s reign is notable for his incredible finish rate. While most champions adopt a safer approach to retain the title when they reach the top, ‘Spider’ scored nine of his 11 title fight wins via knockout or submission.

Jon Jones (15) and Georges St-Pierre (13) are first and second for most title fight victories in UFC history. St-Pierre retired from the sport after becoming the two-division champion by defeating Michael Bisping to win the 185-pound strap.

Jones, who won the UFC heavyweight title in 2023 after a decade of dominance in the light heavyweight division is the only active fighter on this list.

Jose Aldo Jr. reigned supreme over the WEC and UFC featherweight divisions, securing 10 title fight victories in the peak of his career.

Aldo and Silva’s legacies took major hits because of their losses in the later parts of their careers. Despite the losses, their championship reigns and title fight records are still unmatched in their respective divisions.

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Active UFC fighters with a solid claim for GOAT status

UFC champions in recent years have not held titles for as long as their predecessors, particularly when compared to greats like Anderson Silva and Demetrious Johnson. However, many fighters have created records that are unique and difficult to achieve.

Former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov retired from the sport with a perfect 29-0 record and defended the title three consecutive times. To put his dominance in perspective, ‘The Eagle’ arguably only lost two rounds in his 29-fight MMA career.

Former champions Israel Adesanya and Kamaru Usman also went undefeated for long stretches of their careers. Reigning UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski seems to be fast approaching Jose Aldo’s record for most title defenses in the featherweight division’s history.

On the women's side of things, Ronda Rousey, Amanda Nunes, Joanna Jedrzeczyk and Valentina Shevchenko's achievements outshine other female competitors.

Older fighters like Royce Gracie, Frank Shamrock, Matt Hughes and many others have their special place in history for being pioneers of the sport. Meanwhile, megastars like Conor McGregor, Brock Lesnar and Jorge Masvidal all contributed to the UFC's growth from a commercial standpoint.