The Octagon has been graced by fighters of all shapes and sizes. From giants in the UFC division to monsters in MMA, the world of fighting has seen its fair share of big and heavy fighters. Due to their size and weight, most of these fighters have (obviously) competed in the heavyweight of superheavyweight divisions.

1. Largest Ufc Fighter Ever
2. Largest Mma Fighters
3. Highest Paid Mma Fighter Ever
4. Who Is Greatest Mma Fighter Of All Time
5. Biggest Woman Mma Fighter
6. Top Mma Fighters

Size, of course, is a key advantage to win a fight. However, it’s not the only factor that contributes. In the UFC’s rich history, we’ve seen many Davids slay Goliaths. Just because a fighter is big doesn’t mean he’ll win for sure. The list of big & heavy UFC heavyweight fighters is long, so we can’t list them all.

A high-stakes clash between Joanna Jedrzejczyk and Michelle Waterson highlights a pivotal UFC card this weekend, as Jedrzejczyk hopes to get back on a winning track at the expense of an opportunistic Waterson. Jedrzejczyk’s decorated career has her in the conversation as one of the best female fighters in MMA history, so let's take a look at who she’ll be compared to when we look back at. There's no other way to put it: Hector Lombard is a big, Cuban man-beast. The best MMA fighter in the world not currently competing in the UFC has 19 wins by striking-related stoppage.

With that being said, we’ve picked the most successful and biggest UFC fighters we’ve ever seen step into the Octagon.

Brock Lesnar

Largest Ufc Fighter Ever

Brock Lesnar is not only an MMA heavyweight champion – he’s also one of the most talented and naturally gifted fighters to enter the Octagon. Lesnar is an impressive physical specimen whose physique has helped him defeat opponents such as Randy Couture and Frank Mir.

Standing at 191 cm. height and weighing around 286 lb., Lesnar is a freight-train you don’t want to see coming your way. Currently a WWE champion in his fifth reign, Lesnar’s future in the UFC is still up in the air.

We would be lying if we said we’re not excited about seeing Lesnar grace the Octagon once again. Most fans would.

Bob Sapp

Bob Sapp is definitely one of the biggest UFC fighters of all time. Although he was never an MMA heavyweight champion, Sapp’s impressive physique and aggressive fighting style have made him a household name. That, and the fact that he’s quite the freak in physical terms.

The former wrestler and American football player stands at 1.95 m. while weighing even more than Lesnar (329 lb.). His huge hands and massive chest have earned him the nickname ‘The Beast’ and it really suits him well. Sapp has seen his fair share of kickboxing and UFC fights with a so-so record. He never established dominance in each sport despite his obvious physical advantage.

Still, he’ll be remembered as a true beast in the ring who holds notable victories over fighters such as Akebono Taro, the first non-Japanese-born wrestler to become yokozuna.

Mariusz Pudzianowski

Pudzianowski really gave the term Strongman a new meaning. A five-time World’s Strongest Man champion himself, Mariusz Pudzianowski is also one of the biggest UFC heavyweight fighters we’ve ever seen.

Just like Sapp, Mariusz Pudzianowski never won an MMA/UFC title. However, the fact that he was never an MMA heavyweight champion doesn’t diminish what he did for the sport. A true mountain of a fighter nicknamed ‘The Dominator’, Pudzianowski weighs over 313 lb. – that comes on a “frame” of only 186 cm.

Take a look at some of his pics and you’ll see why he’s called the ‘Dominator’. In his UFC career, he holds a win over Bob Sapp as one of his greatest achievements. On a fitness level, his personal records include 145 kg. in deadlift and 380 kg. in squats – how’s that for strenght?

Antonio ‘Bigfoot’ Silva

Antonio Silva joined the UFC in 2012 and hasn’t exactly had a stellar career. However, his physical attributes put him near the top of biggest UFC fighter lists. The Brazilian is 193 cm. tall and weighs over 265 pounds – he’s not really the man you want to face in the Octagon.

Before joining the UFC, ‘Bigfoot’ defeated future MMA heavyweight champion Fedor Emelianenko in 2011. In the UFC, he has wins over Allistair Overeem and Travis Browne. Although he never won the belt, his career looks pretty good to us.

In 2016, Silva was released by the UFC after a string of losses. Although he hasn’t officially retired, he never returned to the Octagon.

Alexandre Lungu

A professional judoka before signing with the UFC, Alexandre Lungu is a Romanian giant and one of the heaviest UFC heavyweight fighters. Clocking in at 364 lb. for his last fight, Lungu was rightfully named ‘The Bihor Mountain’ after Bihor Country, the place where he was born.

His MMA career isn’t a resounding success, but he does hold a record of 16 wins in 21 fights. At the age of 42, Lungu may never become an MMA heavyweight champion, but at least he’ll be remembered as one of the biggest UFC fighters.

Butterbean

A favourite of many, Eric ‘Butterbean’ Esch is one of the biggest UFC fighters to enter the Octagon and we don’t believe anyone will top his record weight soon. For his last fight, Butterbean weighed a monstrous 425 lb. while standing at only 1.82 m.

Initially a professional boxer, Esch made his debut in the MMA in 2003, losing to Genki Sudo. Although many saw his weight as a disadvantage, he managed to have quite a successful career, even becoming a MMA Super Heavyweight Champion in Elite-1.

During his MMA career, he lost to Mariusz Pudzianowski but still ended with a respectable record of 17 wins in 28 fights. To be honest, we don’t see how anyone would break his record weight anytime soon.

Stefan Struve

Stefan Struve is the tallest fighter in the history of the UFC, with 7 ft 0, that is, 2.13m and about 265 lb (120 kg).

He is of Dutch origin, and competes as a heavyweight. Originally, he played football, but his brother took him to martial arts gym, and he made up his mind.

Struve joined UFC at the beginning of 2009, and ever since he faced some of UFC’s most famous and most popular figures, such as Junior dos Santos, Roy Nelson, Stipe Miocic, Alistair Overeem or Alexander Volkov.

Emmanuel Yarbrough

Emmanuel Yarbrough with his 600 lbs (272 kg) was one of the heaviest fighters ever to appear in UFC.

Until his unfortunate death in 2015, he was a martial artist, wrestler, football player and actor. Yarbrough was mainly interested in judo and sumo. He was one of the most famous sumo wrestlers outside Japan, and holds the Guinness World Record for the heaviest athlete.

His most famous fight took place in 1994, where he fought against Keith Hackney, pushing the much smaller fighter out of the cage. Eventually Hackney won the fight, achieving the nickname “The Giant Killer” for this victory.

Yarbrough also appeared in a number of Bollywood movies with action hero Akshay Kumar, and in a number of other films.

Choi Hong Man

Choi Hong Man or Hong-man Choi, is a South Korean-born kickboxer and mixed martial artist. His height is around 2.18m (7 ft 2 in) and weighs around 140-160 kg (310-366 lbs). His most famous nicknames are “Che Man”, “Techno Goliath” and “Korean Colossus”.

He fought against such figures like Mirko Cro Cop, Fedor Emalienenko, Ray Sefo, Mighty Mo, Remy Bonjasky, Bob Sapp or Kaoklai Kaennorsing. He took part in K-1, DREAM, Road Fighting and Ssireum Championships.

He also joined the Korean army for his mandatory service, but was relieved from duty because of a brain tumor. Choi also appeared in a number of films an tv shows.

Teila “Takamishu” Tuli

Also known as Taylor Wily, Teila Tuli is an American actor and former sumo wrestler, MMA fighter. Teila was born in Laie, Hawaii, he is of American-Samoan origin. He had a successful sumo wrestling career, but retired due to knee problems.

He competed in the very first fight of the UFC 1, in November 1993 against Gerard Gordeau, being his only UFC fight. Actually, he suffered the very first KO of UFC. With 420 lb (190 kg) Teila outweighed his opponent, but Gordeau delivered a knockout kick to his head, kicking out Teila’s tooth.

Teila Tuli later became a famous actor involved in such series like Magnum P.I., MacGyver and Hawaii Five-O, and other movies, too.

Who is the best MMA fighter of all time?

Who is the best UFC fighter ever? Read on the find out.

Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) had become one of the major sports that has won the hearts of many. The MMA came into limelight during the days of “the underground” where there were basically no rules and sanctioned fighters were allowed to do all sorts of moves, including hair pulling and groin strikes.

To determine who the best fighters are, among the numerous fighters to have graced the MMA, we have considered factors such as their dominance in the game, their skills, and their peaks. Yet, it still boils down to endless debate when trying to determine who the greatest fighters of all-time are.

This article gives insight into the top-20 of the best MMA fighters ever. History will never forget their contributions and how they have been able to gain the hearts of fans in the MMA space.

Here are the Best MMA Fighters of All-Time in UFC History

* Pro MMA record are in Win-Loss-Draw and No Contest formats.

20. Quinton Jackson “Rampage”

• Country: United States
• Record: 38-14-0

There are different tactics and fighting styles in the MMA, and each fighter is usually known for a particular skill or tactic. For Jackson, (also known as Rampage) his spectacular tactics were to carry his opponent over his head and give them great slams. He was popularly known for his move and it also helped to save him on several occasions. An instance was when he was stuck in Ricardo Arona’s triangle submission. Surprisingly, he delivered himself – using this spectacular move.

19. Amanda Nunes “The Lioness”

• Country: Brazil
• Record: 20-4-0

This is one of the greatest female fighters ever to grace the MMA and the UFC. After her great defeat at the UFC 178, she was able to turn things around. Shortly after the loss, she bounced back and became an animal, defeating many of her mates including the notorious Cyborg. Amanda Nunes is gradually becoming one of the biggest names in the industry.

18. Wanderlei Silva “The Axe Murderer”

• Country: Brazil
• Record: 35-14-1, 1 NC

Nicknamed ‘The Axe Murderer’, Silva gained his nickname by how he fights. Going back to the days when he was in his prime, only a few other fighters had the courage to face him. How he would stare at his opponent and wring their hands was one of the things the world will never forget about him. What many liked about Silva was how he would chase his opponents, as he moved forward forcing his opponent to move backwards in response to the deadly pressure being mounted.

17. Randy Couture “The Natural”

• Country: United States
• Record: 19-11-0

To become the UFC champion on two different occasions in one’s career as a fighter in the MMA is not easy to achieve. Randy Couture is one of the few fighters who has been able to achieve this, thus, joining the ranks of the best UFC fighters ever. Randy was popularly known for his “dirty boxing’ tactics, which have earned him victory over his opponents on several occasions.

16. Frankie Edgar “The Answer”

• Country: United States
• Record: 23-8-1

Edgar became popular when he had a remarkable victory over B. J. Penn. Prior to the fight, Penn had smashed Diego Sanchez, and fans were expecting Penn to at least keep the momentum going for a short while. Surprisingly, Edgar had a fantastic victory over him. What surprised fans most was how he was able to prove himself as he did in several consecutive challenges after beating Penn.

15. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira “Minotauro”

• Country: Brazil
• Record: 34-10-1, 1 NC

To win the UFC Heavyweight title is no easy feat. However, Antonio Rodrigo is one of the rare fighters to earn this through his fights and victories over many big names in the industry. He was known for not wasting time in going for the submission. Unlike other fighters who will hold their opponent closely and wait for the referee to come to stand them back up, Rodrigo had spectacular moves he used in getting his opponents stuck in his trap.

14. Mauricio Rua “Shogun”

• Country: Brazil
• Record: 26-11-1

Nicknamed as Shogun, Rua is popularly known for his superior striking skills. He is also known for not rushing to go for the submission. He would make sure he satisfies his appetite by dishing out some heavy hammer fists on his opponents before going for the submission. Shogun had his training with a few other fighters at the famous Chute Boxe Academy in Brazil. Coming out of such an academy, Rua’s moves came as no surprise to fans.

13. Dan Henderson “Hendo”

• Country: United States
• Record: 32-15-0

Nicknamed Hendo, Dan Henderson was popular for his overhand right tactics. With the power in his right hand, he was able to defeat many of his opponents. Another thing that has helped Henderson survive the heavy impacts of his opponents’ blows was his iron chin. With this chin, he was able to withstand heavy blows that might have finished other fighters.

12. Dominick Cruz “The Dominator”

• Country: United States
• Record: 22-3-0

Cruz is popularly known for his superb movements, which made it hard for his opponents to predict what his next move would be. The number one item on his priority list was to not get hit. Although he is not one of the best when it comes to submission and knockout, he is able to comfortably evade many of his opponents’ hits.

11. Daniel Cormier “DC”

• Country: United States
• Record: 22-2-0, 1 NC

This is one of the few fighters to have gained success in both heavyweight and light heavyweight divisions. Cormier was able to defeat many of his opponents who would stand on his way of maintaining his position as light heavyweight champion. However, he was stopped by Jon Jones.

10. Conor McGregor “The Notorious”

• Country: Ireland
• Record: 22-4-0

Conor McGregor is one of the biggest names in the industry right now who is popularly known for his frequent trash talks. Ranked #4 in the UFC lightweight rankings and #8 in the UFC Men’s pound for pound rankings as of June 2020, McGregor is also one of the rare fighters who have been able to hold the UFC featherweight and lightweight titles two times. His left punch is one of his most favourite weapons and he uses it to have his way with his opponents. He is still young in the game and more is expected from him.

Largest Mma Fighters

9. B.J. Penn “The Prodigy”

• Country: United States
• Record: 16-14-2

Penn is one of the few great fighters the MMA can boast of. He is one of the fastest fighters to earn the Jiu-Jitsu and the first American to bag the Jiu-Jitsu World Championship. Penn was able to defeat many of his opponents with his grappling skills. One event that fans will never forget was when he was seen licking the blood on his gloves after his victory over Joe Stevenson. “The Prodigy” deserves to be among the list of the best MMA fighters of all-time.

8. Chuck Liddell “The Iceman”

• Country: United States
• Record: 21-9-0

Chuck may not have the fancy striking skills, but his vicious hands and granite chin were two of his deadliest weapons. He has been able to deceive his opponents with his deadly striking only to surprised them with his kicks. All these have made him stand out among many of his counterparts.

7. Matt Hughes

• Country: United States
• Record: 45-9-0

Matt was known for how he would carry his opponents and smash them down, sending them into a great defeat. He had many skills in his arsenal to defeat his opponents. Matt is one of the scariest and toughest fighters in the industry. He was never satisfied with just taking his opponents down, he would always follow with a great punch, which also contributed to his reputation.

6. Demetrius Johnson “Mighty Mouse”

Highest Paid Mma Fighter Ever

• Country: United States
• Record: 30-3-1

Demetrius Johnson is not only the first fighter to earn UFC flyweight championship, but he is also the only fighter to hold the record. He is holding the title and on his mission to break Anderson Silva’s record of defending the title consecutively. What makes him stand out among other fighters is his high IQ, speed, and footwork, which has made it difficult for his opponents to defeat him.

5. Fedor Emelianenko “The Last Emperor”

• Country: Russia
• Record: 39-6-0, 1 NC

Before Fedor Emelianenko came to MMA, he was a Combat Sambo champion, and this has helped him blend him succeed in the MMA. At first glance, you may write him off as unfit for a fight. But as the fight goes on, you become convinced that he is one of the best fighters the MMA has been blessed with in UFC history.

4. Khabib Nurmagomedov “The Eagle”

• Country: Russia
• Record: 28-0-0

Who Is Greatest Mma Fighter Of All Time

If we are to mention a few fighters who will never be forgotten in the world of MMA, Khabib is one name that will never be left out. He does not only win his fights, he wins most of them hands-down. Fans even regard him as an animal as a result of his great moves and performances.

What makes Nurmagomedov truly remarkable is the fact that his opponents usually know his next moves, yet they still lack what it takes to stop him. You may want to ask why he is not the first on the list? He is not making it to the first position because he hasn’t had the chance perhaps after he has had the time to defend his titles consistently as a few others have.

3. Jon Jones “Bones”

• Country: United States
• Record: 26-1-0, 1 NC

In his early career, Jones was able to defeat Mauricio Rua to earn the UFC youngest champion when he was just 23. He had a rapid rise in his career and is not showing any sign of slowing down. He is always remembered for his great victory over Reyes, which was his 14^th title defence. Jon Jones is simply a legend. He is often revered by pundits as one of the best fighters ever. All eyes are on Jones for what his performances will be in his next fights.

2. Anderson Silva “The Spider”

• Country: Brazil
• Record: 34-10-0, 1 NC

Though he is known for his great performance in the Jiu-Jitsu, what makes Anderson Silva stand out among other fighters in the UFC is his great striking skills. He has been able to deceive his opponents with his smooth and harmless looks, through which he is able to defeat many of his opponents. Silva was able to set his opponents into a trap by mocking them of their actions and moves. When this happens, opponents become frustrated and try to bring him down, and that is when Silva would have his way. Anderson Silva is a major contender of the title of the greatest in the UFC.

1. George St. Pierre “Rush”

Biggest Woman Mma Fighter

• Country: Canada
• Record: 26-2-0

George St. Pierre is the best MMA fighter of all-time. Yes, he was not the best at knockouts, but his strong will was too much for many fighters to break. One thing that surprised all was that he did not have any wrestling background before launching into MMA. Yet, he was always in the best position to put his opponents down. Pierre’s reputation was further heightened when he had a great victory over Michael Bisping at UFC 217.

Final Words

Regardless of the sport, the ‘best-ever’ topic is always a controversial matter. Aside from Wayne Gretzky, Usain Bolt, Michael Phelps and perhaps Serena Williams who are unarguably the best in their sport, there are rarely a few sports where it might be obvious who the title of the greatest of all time should be bestowed.

Top Mma Fighters

What are your thoughts on our top-20 best MMA fighters of all-time? Please feel free to share in the comments section below.