Magomedov (19 wins (8 by knockout, 1 reception), 2 losses) is perhaps the most underestimated Russian fighter. Rashid rarely ends fights ahead of schedule, but shows himself to be a very confident and stable fighter. In Russia, he managed to beat everyone he could - from Frodo Khasbulaev and Alexander Yakovlev to Shamil Zavurov and Yasubei Enomoto.

About his fights in the UFC they say and write less than about the fights of Oleinik or Nurmagomedov, although there is something to see: in the opening, Rashid endured the elbow lever, which looked almost fatal, and in the fight against Elias, Silverio managed to knock out the opponent 3 seconds before the final bell ...

9. ALEXEY OLEINIK

Among his Russian colleagues, Oleinik (51 wins (5 by knockout, 41 receptions), 10 defeats, 1 draw) stands out for his grappling skills and his ability to choke opponents. Oleinik began performing during the "fighting without rules" and continues now, when MMA is controlled by athletic commissions, anti-doping laboratories and sponsored by global brands.

For five years now, Oleinik has been performing in the status of a veteran - an elderly fighter who has seen a lot. It was the achievements of this period that became decisive for Alexei's status as one of the best Russian fighters... During this time, he managed to win victories over Jeff Monson and Mirko Filipovich, seemingly leave MMA and return to the UFC, where he received a couple of awards for best performance evenings and became the first person in UFC history to defeat the rare and technically challenging stranglehold of Ezekiel.

8. ALEXANDER VOLKOV

Two-meter heavyweight Volkov (27 wins (18 by knockout, 3 receptions), 6 defeats) is similar at the same time to an excellent student and cousin Ivan Drago, trained specifically for MMA. Alexander's main trump cards are blow, character and learning. Surprisingly, he became a really good fighter after he lost to Vitaly Minakov by knockout and lost the Bellator champion title. After that, Volkov's fangs seemed to cut through, and he began to fight more ferociously and meaningfully. Progress after defeat is the quality of a truly good fighter. If we single out one victory, then this is a strangulation from the back of the world SAMBO champion Blagoy Ivanov. Drummer Volkov left his comfort zone here and defeated an unbeaten opponent. Alexander remains one of the most promising Russian heavyweights and most recently made his UFC debut.

7. ALI BAGAUTINOV

Bagautinov's path (14 wins (5 by knockout, 4 receptions), 5 losses) in the UFC from the first fight to the title looked exemplary. In the opening, Ali knocked out the Brazilian fighter in his home arena, then convincingly dealt with top contenders Tim Elliott and John Lineker. Bagautinov's hands were fast, the fight was flawless, the plans for the fight were meaningful and even witty (Lineker lost the fight, and did not understand what to do in principle with Ali, who suddenly got into a left-handed stance).

The shine ended before the fight with champion Demitrius Johnson - Ali was convicted of doping and lost main battle his life, losing on points with a crushing score. In fairness, it should be said that Johnson is rightfully considered the best MMA fighter, regardless of weight. After losing to Demetrius, Ali's career began to decline, but becoming the first Russian to fight for the UFC title in the 21st century is a major achievement.

6. VITALY MINAKOV

Former Bellator heavyweight champion Vitaly Minakov (19 wins (10 by knockout, 7 receptions), 0 losses) is fast, agile and coordinated, equally dangerous in the stance and on the ground. Minakov is able to throw out knockout blows, the power of which was admired by the world boxing champion Grigory Drozd, and to carry out armbars, for which neither Fedor Emelianenko nor Ronda Rousey would be ashamed. 19 battles won in a row speak for themselves.

Paradoxically, the most unconvincing fights of Vitaly are those where he showed will and character - he fought against the background of fatigue with Cheyk Kongo and caught the fat Linderman for a blow. These opponents were supposed to be torn apart by Minakov, but fights with them called into question the degree of his endurance and made him wonder whether he would last winning streak against stronger opponents. We should know the answers soon. Minakov assures that he is about to return to Bellator, and this is a good promise of competitive fights in which you can realize your potential.

5. ANDREY KORESHKOV

Koreshkov (19 wins (10 KOs, 3 receptions), 2 losses) became Bellator champion, winning two Organization Welterweight Grand Prix and defeating strong Brazilian Douglas Lima. The Bellator Grand Prix was a very tough test - 3 fights in three months, without any indulgences or rest. Koreshkov's victories were brought by his ability to fight in a variety of positions and to adhere to the plans for the fight, invented by his coach Alexander Shlemenko. Koreshkov is Shlemenko's most successful student and one of the most dangerous drummers among Russian MMA fighters.

Andrey has a victory over ex-UFC champion Ben Henderson, in the passive one serious debt - to recoup the defeat of the Brazilian Douglas Lima in the last fight. While the score of their meetings: 1-1.

4. SERGEY KHARITONOV

Kharitonov (23 wins (13 by knockout, 9 receptions), 6 defeats) became famous for his boxing skills, the ability to knock out people and a protracted conflict with Alexander Emelianenko. Sergei has one of the most impressive scalp collections among Russian MMA fighters. He defeated Andrei Orlovsky, Fabricio Werdum and Alistair Overeem. Throw in Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Josh Barnett and Jeff Monson, whom he lost to, for a list of the most famous heavyweights of his time. Sometimes he was let down by gaps in wrestling technique and excessive self-confidence in the stance, but when he hit, people fell.

Perhaps Kharitonov could have achieved even more by focusing entirely on MMA. But Sergei fought in parallel according to the kickboxing rules and during world series boxing (World Series Boxing) for the Azerbaijan team. It is said that when he played at the WSB, special gloves had to be ordered for him. Regular models didn't fit on his fists.

3. KHABIB NURMAGOMEDOV

Khabib (24 (8 by knockout, 8 receptions), 0 losses) is the strongest fighter from our country right now. And he is the brightest representative of the young generation of Russian MMA fighters - he trains with the UFC champions, speaks great English, masterfully knows how to present himself and bring people to their feet. The latter, as we know from the example of Conor McGregor, is one of the key skills in modern MMA. Nurmagomedov managed to create a recognizable brand with his own recognizable elements - the fight with the bear, the hat and the treshtok.

Khabib marketer Lately outshines Khabib the fighter. This is not entirely fair. His winning streak of 24 fights is the longest of any active fighter. His forceful manner, built on constant pressure and use of struggle, has not misfired so far. On March 3, Eagle fights for the belt of the interim UFC champion, and if the fight is successful, then all of Nurmagomedov's previous achievements will turn out to be a preface to something greater.

2. ALEXANDER SHLEMENKO

Shlemenko (54 wins (30 by knockout, 9 receptions), 9 defeats, 1 fight was declared invalid) is one of the most spectacular Russian fighters, due to the absence of fear of reaching the edge. "Storm" prefers to lose consciousness, rather than surrender, falling for a chokehold, and more than once staged a battle against opponents whom he could outwit.

As a hero of a computer game, Shlemenko has a signature technique - a backfist. His side blows to the head and body are no less dangerous. He is one of those fighters who like to exacerbate fights and strive for victory by knockout. Alexander literally chewed out the Bellator middleweight title and beat rivals such as Kendall Grove, Melvin Manhoef and Michael Falcao. His dilogy with Vyacheslav Vasilevsky is perhaps the loudest and most powerful confrontation with the participation of Russian fighters.

1. FEDOR EMELYANENKO

The popularity of Emelianenko (36 wins (11 knockouts, 17 receptions), 4 losses, 1 fight was declared invalid) has long stepped over the sphere of fights. The main thing to say is: even if you undertake to name the top ten best fighters MMA from all over the world, and not just from Russia, Emelianenko will still be in first place. The fighter from Stary Oskol did not lose for 10 years, beat everyone he could, and mixed SAMBO and unpredictable striking technique into a completely cocky cocktail that turned out to be too strong for Mirko Filipovich, Kevin Randallman, Andrey Orlovsky, Tim Sylvia and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira.

The modern Emelianenko, who has survived several severe defeats, is not at all like Fedor of the Japanese period, a man with the eyes of a watchdog from the times of performances in Pride. This should not cast a shadow over his old victories. Now Fedor looks like a relic of another era, but that was the most fun and cruel era in the history of heavy weight.

All undefeated fighters' careers start the same way and end differently. Some are ending their careers ahead of schedule, like Cole Konrad, without waiting for real tests. Others go through fire and water, victories and defeats and remain forever in the history of sports. Still others burst like soap bubbles and after the first misfire they never return to their former level. Almost no one is destined to stay on top and leave undefeated. In the elite of modern MMA, there are quite bright fighters, whose records are still adorned with a wonderful zero in the column of defeats, and therefore it is especially interesting to watch their fates.

(Russia), 29 years old, over 93 kg, 14-0

Four-time world sambo champion Vitaly Minakov, representing the FN team, took three years to get used to MMA and systematically move from amateur to professional sports. He burst into the elite of mixed martial arts quickly. He scattered his rivals in the Grand Prix with lightning, then, almost without noticing resistance, crushed Alexander Volkov and, finally, passed the maturity exam to Sheikh Congo. Now he will have several more fights under his contract with Bellator, including a rematch with Volkov or a meeting with another unbeaten titled sambist Blagoy Ivanov. Soon, Vitaly will be faced with a choice - to go to the UFC and take risks or stay in Bellator without a chance to become a world legend.

Chris Wademan (USA), 29 years old, up to 84 kg, 11-0

One of the best American wrestlers Chris Wademan became the first champion after Lyotu Machida with a clear record (John Jones managed to spoil him by disqualification). The path to the top was surprisingly short. Through the championship in the Ring of Combat personnel forge, Wademan got into the UFC, where he went to the title fight in five fights. Many believe that he was very lucky that by that time the king of the middle weight of the last decade, Anderson Silva, was tired both in spirit and in body, and therefore lost twice absurdly. But lightning does not strike one tree several times, which means there is something in this guy. Now he faces a series of new challenges with the defense of the title, which could drag on for years. The first in line are compatriots Silva Machida and Vitor Belfort.

(Russia), 25 years old, up to 70 kg, 22-0

Before joining the UFC, only a few knew the Russian, who had almost no serious rivals. Now Nurmagomedov is one of the best fighters in his division, having confidently won all six fights in best league the world. In recent battles, he left no chances for rating Pat Healy and Rafael dos Anjus, but he is not progressing so fast so far. There are several reasons for this. Firstly, the competition in the division is as strong as anywhere else, and for title fight an impressive queue lined up, and secondly, Khabib is still little known in America, and not every MMA lover will consider his style spectacular. Finally, sudden injuries and refusals of opponents make their contribution. We hope that Nurmagomedov will get a big fight this year.

Mixed martial arts(MMA) is arguably the fastest growing sport in the world and continues to attract new fans every day. Despite the fact that this sport is only 25 years old, during this time it has had many great champions who have become known all over the world. It is possible that such a list will look very different in another 25 years, but it is still interesting enough to consider and pay tribute to the 10 greatest fighters of the moment.

10. Georges St. Pierre

Following the recent defeat of Anderson Silva, Saint-Pierre has become the most undefeated MMA champion. Georges is still in his prime and it seems that no one can stop him in the near future. He is, without a doubt, the best fighter in the welterweight division and he fights like no other - he overwhelms his opponents with excellent physical preparation and fighting skills. For many years he has been participating in the most difficult tournaments of the Absolute Fighting Championship (UFC) and on his account 24 wins and only 2 losses, and for those he subsequently took revenge. He has won the UFC welterweight tournament twice and currently holds the record for most decision wins at 11. He is also on par with Matt Hughes in total wins in UFC history at 18.

Both of these records are likely to be broken soon by Georges himself, and most fans are eagerly awaiting this moment. Considering how strong Georges looks and his young age, it is difficult to even imagine what other records he will set.

Important victories: Sean Sherk, BJ Penn (x2), Matt Hughes (x2), Josh Koscheck (x2), Matt Serra, Jon Fitch, Dan Hardy (Dan Hardy), Jake Shields, Carlos Condit, Nick Diaz.

9. Anderson Silva


Spider recently lost his title to younger and stronger Chris Weidman, but he remains one of the best fighters in the octagonal ring. The Brazilian fighter holds the record for the number of fights in which he defended his championship - 10 fights in a row. For every fan that Silva has won for himself, there is also someone who will remind you that the fighter lost five fights to lesser-known opponents and blame Anderson for actually starving to stay in one of the weakest divisions in the UFC - middleweight. Despite all his opponents, the facts speak for themselves - this is a really good fighter.

Important victories: Rich Franklin (x2), Dan Henderson, Forrest Griffin, Chael Sonnen (x2), Vitor Belfort.

8. Randy Couture


No wonder Randy Couture is called "Captain America" ​​and "Natural". If anyone can compete with Chuck Liddell for the title of the most popular fighter in the history of the UFC, then it is Randy. During his illustrious career, he became a three-time UFC heavyweight champion. Randy also became the first fighter to be a champion in two different UFC categories when he won the light heavyweight division. He is also the most decorated fighter in UFC history - five times champion. Despite all his amazing achievements, he will forever be remembered for winning the fight against boxer James Toney, who said that he would show everyone that Couture and MMA in general is a sport for soft, mediocre boys. If anyone looked mediocre and bland after their fight, it was James Toney.

Important victories: Vitor Belfort (x2), Maurice Smith, Kevin Randleman, Pedro Rizzo (x2), Chuck Liddell, Tito Ortiz, Tim Sylvia, Gabriel Gonzaga ( Gabriel Gonzaga), Mark Coleman, James Toney.

7. Chuck Liddell


The MMA Chuck was Babe Ruth for baseball, Michael Jordan for basketball, Tom Brady for American football and David Beckham(David Beckham) for football - MEGA STAR. It is no exaggeration to say that at the moment he is the most popular UFC fighter of all time and, perhaps, one of the best fighters in general. He became the light heavyweight champion by defeating Tito Ortiz and defended his title four times in 2 years. Unfortunately, his prime was short-lived, and towards the end of his career he suffered several disappointing defeats. However, Liddell's heyday was one of the most impressive periods for MMA. According to some, he was the most famous fighter in the history of the UFC and helped to draw the attention of the American public to the MMA.

Important victories: Jeff Monson, Kevin Randleman, Guy Mezger, Vitor Belfort, Renato Sobral (x2), Alistair Overeem, Tito Ortiz (x2), Randy Couture (x2), Vernon White (Vernon White), Wanderlei Silva (Wanderlei Silva).

6. Bas Rutten


"Handsome" is another fighter who made his invaluable contribution to the development of sports at the time of its inception. Dutchman Bass was a black belt in karate and was a professional kickboxer who successfully moved into the world of MMA. He was the right size appearance and possessed good style- all this helped him become one of the most formidable champions of all time. He became the UFC Heavyweight Champion and ended his career with an impressive record of 22 unbeaten fights. During his time in the UFC, he became widely known for his favorite tactic, the liver attack, which usually paralyzed his opponents. Rutten's charisma, both in and out of the ring, helped him become one of the earliest stars of the sport. Although he still takes part in sports (albeit now as a commentator), he also starred in several films and became a character in the game.

Important victories: Vernon White, Maurice Smith (x2), Frank Shamrock (x2), Guy Mezger, Tsuyoshi Kohsaka, Kevin Randleman.

5. Royce Gracie


Could the King of Submissions compete with today's UFC fighters? Probably not, but that doesn't change the fact that Royce was a real beast in his day, when MMA was just taking its first timid steps towards the fans, and Gracie will forever remain one of the sports pioneers. Fans will never forget the endless hypothetical questions and dialogues in which Royce has always been one of the possible options: "Royce Gracie vs. Mike Tyson" or "Royce Gracie vs. Alexander Karelin."

In fact, since Royce was at the peak of his career, and now he would hardly have succeeded, but this does not mean that it is worth belittling his role in sports history. Royce is the number one UFC Hall of Famer and winner of the first, second and fourth UFC tournaments and it was he who popularized Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in the United States and Europe. It will forever remain in the annals of sports history.

Important victories: Art Jimmerson, Ken Shamrock, Dan Severn, Kazushi Sakuraba.

4. Matt Hughes


Hughes was one of the sport's earliest superstars and the strongest welterweight champion until Georges St-Pierre came along. He was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame and has won the UFC welterweight title twice. He successfully defended his title seven times, which was a record at the time, and he still holds the record for the most UFC wins, along with WSP.

At the height of his career, Matt was considered the best fighter regardless of weight class, and he was literally unbeatable. Along with ZSP and Anderson Silva, he is one of the most best champions in UFC history.

Important victories: Carlos Newton (x2), Sean Sherk, Royce Gracie, BJ Penn, Georges Saint-Pierre

3. Dan Henderson


It is impossible to describe in words the greatness of Dan Henderson. He is, without a doubt, one of the best and most resilient fighters of all time and even more impressive - he still participates in battles with modern, younger fighters.

Henderson is one of the few men to become superstars in both the UFC and the Pride Fighting Championships. The former Olympic wrestler has fought in the welterweight and middleweight divisions for most of his career, but has won titles in three different categories. He won 17 UFC middleweight championships and became the first fighter to win the Pride Championship in two weight classes (welterweight and middleweight). He also has a Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Championship and a 1999 RINGS King of Kings title. He has won more organization titles than any other fighter in the world.

Important victories: Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira, Renato Sobral, Vitor Belfort, Wanderlei Silva, Maurício Rua and Fedor Emelianenko.

2.Igor Vovchanchin


Igor is the best example of the word “underappreciated”. He is the man with the longest winning streak in history (37) and at the height of his career he was one of the best fighters ever. Igor was also one of the shortest heavyweight champions (174 cm), which makes his records and achievements even more impressive.

Important victories: Kazushi Sakuraba, Mark Kerr, Valentijn Overeem, Adilson Lima (x2).

1. Fedor Emelianenko


"The Last Emperor", "Terminator", "Russian Experiment": simply put, Emelianenko is the best fighter mixed fights s of the arts in history. The peak of Fedor Emelianenko's career cannot be compared with anyone else, and if anyone who has participated in combat sports can compare with him, then this is only another Russian - Alexander Karelin.

Fedor remained undefeated for ten years and 32 battles, and was defeated only when he became relatively old and was not in his prime, and the opponents to whom he was losing would surely have suffered crushing defeats if the battle had taken place a couple of years earlier. He has been the heavyweight champion for an astounding 10 years and nearly killed several Pride and UFC champions along the way. He has arguably defeated more champions than anyone in the world and is considered by most experts to be the king of MMA.

Important victories: Renato Sobral, Semmy Schilt, Heath Herring, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (x2), Gary Goodridge, Mark Coleman (x2), Kevin Randleman, Mirko Filipovic, Mark Hunt ( Mark Hunt), Matt Lindland, Tim Sylvia, Andrey Orlovsky, Choi Hong-man, Jeff Monson, Pedro Rizzu.

Martial arts, unarmed fights are deep historical roots... Also in antique times there was such a type of wrestling - pankration, a prototype of modern mixed fights. By the way, he was even included in the program of the Olympic Games in 648 BC.

From the times of Ancient Greece to the present day, watching the fight between fighters attracts the unrelenting attention of the audience.

"Meal'n'Real!" - the audience demanded tens of centuries ago. Requires the same now.

The best fighter in the world in cinema

Films about fighting have always been and will be popular, if not cult. An interesting plot, chases, stunts - they capture you entirely. The heroes use in practice various systems of martial arts: boxing, sambo, karate, aikido, possession of melee weapons.

Pictures of this genre attract a lot of fans, who immediately create idols for themselves, for whom they are ready to conduct their "fights without rules" in various forums and chats.

Therefore, it is simply impossible to single out the "best fighter" of the cinema. I will name only a few of the most, very, classics, so to speak, of the genre:

• Steven Seagal
• Bruce Lee
• Chuck Norris
• Jackie Chan
• Jean-Claude Van Damme

And also Billy Blanks, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Mark Dacascos, Don "Dragon" Wilson, Tadeusz Kasyanov and others.

These actors were fighters on the screen and in real life. Their films have played a huge role in the rise in popularity of martial arts. In the eighties there was just a boom, even housewives loved them.

However, the fashion for action films will never pass. I would like to note the hits of recent years:

• Never Give Up (2008)
• "Fight without rules" (2009)
• Bouncer (2011)
• "Made in Mexico" (2012)
• "The Fighter" (2014)

What is so attractive about this genre? What qualities of heroes are so attractive, especially for men? Character, self-control, code of honor, brutality? Oh sure. But the main thing is strength. Moral and physical. And the ability to take a punch.

Impact force

One of the criteria for the skill of a fighter is the force of the blow, which for a man ranges from two hundred to a thousand kilograms. Although you can turn off a person with a 15-kilogram blow.

It is believed that the most a strong beat among heavyweight boxers. According to experts, the record holder in this category was Mike Tyson. His blow reached eight hundred kilograms. You can kill like that, not only knock out.

By the way, Mike was not shy about using his abilities in his personal life. He himself admitted that his wife Robin received the most powerful blow. At the same time, she flew 8 meters and hit the wall. Such is the character of the boxer, for which he paid with three convictions. As they say, there is strength ... what else is needed?

Ernie Shavers, nicknamed "The Black Destroyer", was also famous for the crushing blow. On the set of Rocky III, he nearly killed Sylvester Stallone. True, he himself asked not to indulge him.

Comparing Tyson and Shaney, they say that when Mike strikes, it seems that a Ferrari hit you, while Ernie's strike is like a truck that has run over.

But the impact force depends not only on the weight. According to Newton's second law, force is equal to the product of body mass and acceleration. And the acceleration is proportional to the difference in speeds, which, when applied to the impact technique, can be called its sharpness.

An example of proof that not everything depends on the mass can be considered Mike Zambidis, a fighter from Greece born in 1980, nicknamed “Iron” (kickboxing, Thai boxing).

With a height of 167 cm and a weight of only 70 kg, the force of his impact was:

• right hand - 1200 kg
• left - 987kg
• right foot - 1870 kg
• left - 750.

And the strongest kick in the world was recorded by Mirko Filipovic - Croatian mixed martial arts fighter, professional heavyweight kickboxer named Cro Cop. The impact force of his left leg was 2703 kg.

So it's not just body weight that matters. The defining qualities of a fighter are speed, body control technique, the highest skill and perfect interaction of all muscles.

Fighters. The best of the best

It is difficult to name the absolute record holders in mixed martial arts. In this sport, stars come and go more often than in classic boxing. In addition, there are many organizations and many titles. But we can name the most popular fighters.

• The most powerful fighter in the world is Anderson da Silva from Brazil, nicknamed "Spider". He lost only 4 fights out of 35. His fans adore him, as he turns every entry into the ring into a show.
• Brazilian heavyweight Junior Dos Santos owns jiu-jitsu, has a black belt, defeated the most legendary Mirko “Cro Cop”.
• American Luke Rockhold, world champion.
• American Robbie Lawler.

In Russia, the most successful fighter at the end of 2014 is Khabib Nurmagomedov from Dagestan. He spent 22 fights, and in all he was undefeated.

And here are the ten most popular fighters following him:

• Ali Bagautinov
• Rustam Khabilov
• Alexey Oleinik
• Adlan Amagov
• Rashid Magomedov
• Zubayra Tukhugov
• Ruslan Magomedov
• Albert Tumenov
• Mayrbek Taysumov
• Omari Akhmedov

The popularity of martial arts among women is growing from year to year. Here are some examples of world famous people: Julianne Peña (USA), Isabella Badurek (Poland), Alexandra Albu (Moldova), Michelle Waterson (USA).

The star of Russia - Yulia Berezikova, originally from Siberia - is the champion of Russia in mixed martial arts. She is a master of sports in hand-to-hand combat, jiu-jitsu, sambo.

Julia is an active fighter; she uses men as sparring partners in training. It is possible that she will become the star of the screen, she has already starred in two films.

Of course, the attitude of society towards mixed martial arts both in the world and in Russia is ambiguous. Some consider such competitions a bloody, primitive ritual that inflicts physical harm on its participants and arouses an unhealthy excitement of the audience.

Others, on the other hand, are ardent supporters, even fans of martial arts.

Natural selection has always existed in nature, and in human nature, one of the basic instincts will forever remain the desire to fight, fight, fighting for their survival. And the unfulfilled striving gives rise to this thirst for the SIGHT.

Yes, it's a cruel sight. But at the same time beautiful.

The fight demonstrates courage, endurance, courage, professionalism, effective mastery of martial arts technique and gives an answer to the age-old question: “Who is stronger? Which of us is the best fighter? "

2015-03-27

Mixed-style fights are gaining more and more popularity, and the ratings of fights of the best fighters are gathering a huge audience of viewers. There are many different promotional organizations, each with their own rules and their own stars. However, today most of the strongest athletes are performing under the auspices of the UFC, which has absorbed its most serious competitors and has great financial capabilities.

Ukrainian kickboxer in MMA

Igor Vovchanchin began his big sports career before the heyday of the UFC and was noted for fights in the Pride promotion. As a child, he practiced athletics, boxing, then seriously took up kickboxing, having managed to become the world champion by the age of twenty. Not tall for this sport, Igor Vovchanchin compensated for this lack with speed and sharpness, crushing his competitors. In 1995, he first began participating in mixed style fights.

In 1998, the Ukrainian signed a contract with Pride, and for two years of performances in the cage, he became one of the best MMA fighters.

In 2000, he was invited to participate in the Grand Prix, where he managed to reach the final. Here the strongest American Mark Coleman was waiting for him. Vovchanchin was exhausted after a tough semifinal bout, while Coleman finished with his rival in the first seconds of the fight, so he lost in a stubborn fight.

In the following years, the Ukrainian alternated between successful fights and failures. The battle with the legendary Mirko Filippovich stands apart. The meeting of the two kickboxers ended with a strong left foot blow from the Croatian, which knocked out Vovchanchin. Having completed his career, Igor did not leave MMA and opened his own fight club.

People from completely different sports come to mixed-style fights. For example, one of the best MMA fighters in the 2000s is a former Greco-Roman wrestler.

Dan Henderson has successfully competed as a classic wrestler and has even represented the United States twice at Olympic Games... Having tightened up his boxing training, he began to compete in mixed style fights.

The American was one of the first UFC fighters having won the UFC 17 tournament in 1998, then played a lot in other promotions. He has achieved particular success in Pride and Strikeforce, having repeatedly collected world titles from these organizations.

However, Dan spent his main fight in 2011 at the age of 40, when he knocked out the previously undefeated Fedor Emelianenko, becoming one of the best mixed fighters of all time.

Few people are capable of becoming world champion at the age of 43. Randy Couture was born back in 1963, and during his youth no one had heard of mixed style fighting. At this time he was engaged Greco-Roman wrestling achieving excellent results in international tournaments. In the mid-nineties, an older athlete made the daring decision to go in for ultimate fighting and quickly burst into the ranks of the best fighters, becoming the champion of UFC 13 in 1997.

The star fighter has repeatedly clashed with the leadership of the promotion, now and then moving to other organizations. Despite this, he managed to win the UFC world title five times by the age of 43 and entered the hall of fame as the oldest champion.

On account of Randy Couture, victories over such strong fighters as Kevin Randleman, Tito Ortiz, Chuck Lidel. He had his last fight at the age of 46 in 2009.

Connor McGregor

Among the best fighters in the world, the magnificent Irish athlete stands apart. Connor McGregor competes in the lightweight category, but many reputable publications are included in the top five UFC fighters, regardless of weight.

The Irishman holds the world title, and another star athlete, Khabib Nurmagomedov, is eager to meet him.

Connor McGregor has a very spectacular and unconventional fighting style. A specialist in martial arts, he perfectly works with his feet, crushing many opponents with his "turntables". At the same time, his fighting range is very wide, he hits hard with both hands and works great in a boxing stance.

He works especially hard on wrestling and has already achieved the right to a brown belt in Jiu-Jitsu.

The spectacular fighting style, as well as the eccentric behavior outside the cage, make McGregor one of the most popular fighters, his fights are sold out by viewers of paid cable channels like hot cakes.

Khabib Nurmagomedov

Dagestan is famous for its freestyle wrestling school and is becoming the homeland of the best mixed style fighters. Among them is Khabib Nurmagomedov, who is ranked 13th in the UFC rankings, regardless of the category. In his lightweight division, he is considered the best after the legendary McGregor, with whom he is diligently seeking a fight.

Unlike the Irishman, Khabib is a wrestling specialist, he twice became the world champion in combat sambo, grappling, pankration. In 2012, he began playing in the UFC.

For two years he was inactive due to injury, however, despite this, he managed to play 30 fights, in all of which he won.

Nevertheless, Khabib also has weak points. Apparently, he is not entirely comfortable with the frame. light weight, which is why it is difficult to lose weight before fights. Just after such preparation, he recently felt unwell before the fight with Tony Ferguson, and the fight was postponed.

Stipe Miocic

American fighter of Croatian descent holds the title firmly of the UFC world in the heavy weight category. By many analysts, he is recognized as the absolute best fighter, regardless of the weight category. Prior to joining mixed martial arts, he was successful in boxing and wrestling, in particular winning the prestigious Golden Gloves tournament, and also entered the first division of NCAA wrestlers. This explains his invulnerability both in the standing position and on the ground. Fighter without weak points rarely gives his opponent a chance to show his strengths.

On account of the formidable Croatian victories over Fabiu Maldonado, Andrei Orlovsky, Fabrice Werdum. In 2015, Stipe Miocic set a unique achievement against Mark Hunt with 361 hits. This fight was named "Beat of the Year" by the UFC.

Misha Tate

Another American beauty is among the best MMA fighters among women. For several years, fans watched with admiration the confrontation between Rhonda Rosie and Misha Tate in the bantamweight division. Just like her main rival, Misha was especially good at choking and painful techniques... At the youth level, she was engaged in freestyle wrestling, won regional competitions, after which she began to perform in mixed martial arts fights, immediately becoming one of the best fighters. Over and over again knocking over rivals with her lightning passes to the feet, the American even earned the nickname "Takedown" among fans and specialists.

Her confrontation with Ronda Rosie turned out to be especially epic. Twice she met her in the fight for the championship belt and lost twice.

Finally, Misha Tate fulfilled her cherished dream, defeating Colley Holm in the title fight, but did not hold the title for long, losing to the dangerous Brazilian Amanda Nunez.

Rhonda Rosie

The list of the best fighters in the world in fighting without rules would be incomplete without the fair sex. A special place here is occupied by the former world bantamweight champion Rhonda Rousey. She was a professional judo player and was on the US Olympic team at the age of seventeen.

In 2008, Rhonda Rousey won the Beijing Olympics in brilliant style. Having won everything you can in amateur sports, the strong girl decided to test herself in mixed style fights. In the octagon, she made full use of her judo skills, and none of her rivals for many years could oppose her deadly painful techniques.

In her twelve UFC victories, she used the elbow lever, which was her signature move, nine times. From 2012 to 2015, she held the title of world bantamweight champion. A real sensation was her defeat in 2015 against Collie Holm, who managed to keep a dangerous rival at a distance and knocked out Rhonda in a boxing style.

A year later, she tried to regain the title of world champion, but again came across an unyielding rival with strong shock training. Amanda Nunez managed to break the legendary American and won by TKO.