MMA’s greatest fighter of all ages, from 19 to 46

Few sports activities worldwide have a wider age vary of execs collaborating in it, equivalent to MMA.

Simply take a look at one specific Saturday in February for instance. On the PFL Champions vs. Bellator Champions occasion, Yoel Romero, 46, added one other victory — a unanimous choice win over Thiago Santos — to his prolonged profession ledger. Later that very same night time at UFC Mexico Metropolis, Francisco Prado, 21, and Raul Rosas Jr., 19, every had scheduled fights on the cardboard. Prado was defeated by choice, whereas Rosas needed to withdraw from his contest on account of illness.

Throughout the three main MMA promotions, there are fighters starting from age 19 (Rosas) to 46 (Romero) who not solely have been lively throughout the final 12 calendar months, however are additionally nonetheless profitable at a excessive stage. All this speak of age begs the query: Which fighters within the sport are the perfect at their respective age?

ESPN’s reporters and editors got here collectively to vote on every age. After tabulating the outcomes, Brett Okamoto, Marc Raimondi, Jeff Wagenheim, Andres Waters and Eddie Maisonet analyzed the profitable fighters.

---

19 – Raul Rosas Jr.

Rosas was simply 17 when he stepped into the Octagon in 2022 for his sixth professional battle. He introduced with him a extremely developed grappling recreation and unbridled confidence. That self-belief didn’t dissipate after he suffered his first profession defeat final April. He bounced again 5 months later with a end of Terrence Mitchell in underneath a minute. Who is aware of the place this younger fighter’s ceiling is? It may be enjoyable watching how far he goes. — Wagenheim

---

20 – Igor da Silva

A standout from Dana White’s Contender Sequence final yr, this 20-year-old from Brazil offered precisely the sort of fashion White seems for on that present: violent and all fuel. He is 8-0 with eight finishes and can make his UFC debut in March on the Apex in Las Vegas. If he wins, it would not be shocking to see him in a showcase battle when the UFC hits Rio de Janeiro in Might. — Okamoto

---

21 – Francisco Prado

Prado’s begin to the UFC has been rocky, as his file fell to 1-2 after a tricky choice loss to Daniel Zellhuber at UFC Mexico Metropolis. Nonetheless, Prado’s 10-0 file earlier than the UFC, alongside together with his general skillset, ought to yield him a bit extra runway to seek out his footing in MMA’s high promotion. Prado flashed his potential final July with a formidable spinning again elbow that landed crisp on Ottman Azaitar’s chin, resulting in Prado forcing the referee to name the battle within the first spherical after touchdown a number of ground-and-pound strikes.

If Prado can once more discover that kind and string alongside just a few extra wins, he could discover himself on this record subsequent yr at age 22 and 23. — Maisonet

---

22 – Iasmin Lucindo

Lucindo (15-5) suffered a loss to fellow strawweight prospect Yazmin Jauregui in her UFC debut in August 2022, however she has rebounded fairly properly, placing collectively back-to-back wins the next yr. With 11 of her 15 wins coming through end (eight knockouts and three submissions), she has confirmed that she is a well-rounded fighter able to ending fights along with her hanging and submission recreation.

Now, coming into her third yr competing within the UFC, Lucindo, who ranked No. 14 in ESPN’s 25 underneath 25 record, can maintain constructing momentum. She’s competing in a stacked division, however that solely means there are many alternatives to check her expertise. — Waters

Others receiving votes: Joshua Van

---

23 – Muhammad Mokaev

Mokaev goes to fall in need of his intention to be the youngest champion in UFC historical past. He would have needed to win the title this month to eclipse Jon Jones’ file. So, the file will not fall, however the flyweight championship would possibly nonetheless go round this younger man’s waist quickly. Essentially the most spectacular factor about Mokaev’s 10-0 run so far is his stage of maturity. He carries himself and competes like somebody a lot older than 23. Along with that hanging maturity stage, his expertise are additionally superb. He is bodily and opportunistic with submissions on the bottom. He’s the total package deal, and this may very well be his true breakout yr. — Okamoto

Others receiving votes: Felipe dos Santos

---

24 – Erin Blanchfield

The New Jersey native was ESPN’s top-ranked fighter underneath 25 years previous in 2023. She is an ideal 6-0 within the UFC with three submission finishes and may very well be one win away from a ladies’s flyweight title shot. Blanchfield, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist, will headline a card in her house state on March 30 at UFC Atlantic Metropolis towards Manon Fiorot. If all goes properly for her in that bout, Blanchfield may very well be on faucet for a monster 2024. There’s little doubt that she is likely one of the greatest younger fighters on this planet, no matter gender. — Raimondi

---

25 – Usman Nurmagomedov

The undefeated Bellator light-weight champion has fairly the pedigree, as a longtime coaching associate of Islam Nurmagomedov. Each obtained their begin in MMA underneath his uncle, the late Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, who was Khabib’s father and coach. This Nurmagomedov is a extra well-rounded fighter than his fellow Dagestani, with a extra refined standup recreation. Now that the PFL has purchased Bellator, Nurmagomedov has a brand new crop of potential opponents standing in his path. — Wagenheim

---

26 – Music Yadong

At simply 26 years previous, Music has loads of skilled expertise. He is been competing within the UFC for practically seven years and has had wins over among the greatest bantamweight fighters within the sport, together with Marlon Vera, who will problem Sean O’Malley for the UFC title in subsequent week’s UFC 299 fundamental occasion.

Music is presently driving a two-fight win streak and is a extremely expert striker with legit knockout energy. He is already completed fairly a bit within the sport. Nonetheless, it definitely appears that his greatest days are nonetheless forward of him. — Waters

Others receiving votes: Ian Machado Garry

---

27 – Ilia Topuria

That is the person of the hour proper now in blended martial arts. Topuria is making some lofty (maybe, unrealistic) callouts — Islam Makhachev, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Conor McGregor — however hey, he is earned the correct to name out anybody he needs after knocking out Alexander Volkanovski.

Everybody within the sport is speaking about Topuria’s expertise proper now. The battle neighborhood generally has a tough time agreeing on issues, nevertheless it appears in full alignment on simply how good Topuria is. Everybody, from followers, media, coaches and different fighters themselves, are impressed. He is a pound-for-pound candidate and the perfect fighter of his age. — Okamoto

---

28 – AJ McKee

McKee reminded everybody of simply how good he’s final weekend in Saudi Arabia. On the PFL vs. Bellator: Champs card, the California native completed Clay Collard with a stupendous armbar from the underside out of a triangle place — in simply 70 seconds. McKee is a former Bellator featherweight champion, and it will be fascinating to see what’s subsequent for him on this new period with Bellator now working as one-off occasions underneath PFL possession. Nonetheless not but in his prime, McKee can be a key determine for PFL shifting ahead. He is already probably the greatest fighters on the mixed roster. — Raimondi

Others receiving votes: Benoit Saint Denis

---

29 – Sean O’Malley

There was a time when it was affordable to view O’Malley as merely an attention-grabbing large talker. He had but to face a high contender however was constructing himself up like one. Then “Suga Sean” confronted former bantamweight champion Petr Yan, received a decent choice to earn a title shot, and captured the belt with a knockout of Aljamain Sterling. He defends his belt in every week in a rematch with the one fighter to defeat him, Marlon “Chito” Vera. The 135-pound division is filled with harmful contenders, and O’Malley has the daring self-assurance to take all of them on. — Wagenheim

Others receiving votes: Shavkat Rakhmonov, Khamzat Chimaev

---

30 – Tom Aspinall

The way forward for the heavyweight division has formally arrived in Aspinall. Many observers had hitched themselves to his wagon years in the past, pegging him as a future champ, and he proved them appropriate in November with an interim title win over Sergei Pavlovich.

It is laborious to know when precisely Aspinall’s prime will hit, as a result of heavier fighters appear to hit their peaks comparatively later. The one factor we do learn about Aspinall is that he’s nonetheless enhancing. He has matured so much since a scary knee damage in 2022. He is at all times been such a exact, skillful heavyweight, and people expertise seem to sharpen every time he fights. — Okamoto

Others receiving votes: Alexa Grasso

---

31 – Vadim Nemkov

Nemkov’s place in MMA historical past is at a pivotal level. He is already arguably the best gentle heavyweight in Bellator historical past, as his 5 title defenses at 205 kilos are tops within the promotion’s historical past. He hasn’t misplaced in practically eight years — at 23, he misplaced twice at Rizin — and now he is pursuing success in his former weight class, heavyweight. A kind of losses was a heavyweight match towards eventual UFC gentle heavyweight champion Jiří Procházka.

Procházka would discover final success happening in weight, and there is actual potential for Nemkov to seek out glory with the heavyweights as he pairs a strong hanging recreation with equally good grappling. With the PFL-Bellator merger, new stars await with big-money purses. The subsequent “baddest man on the planet” would possibly find yourself being Nemkov. — Maisonet

Others receiving votes: Cory Sandhagen, Marlon Vera

---

32 – Islam Makhachev

He is the perfect pound-for-pound fighter on this planet. So, Makhachev was going to be the perfect fighter at any age. The UFC light-weight champion is coming off back-to-back wins over Alexander Volkanovski, who was the featherweight champion and neck and neck with Makhachev within the pound-for-pound dialog when the bouts occurred. Makhachev knocked Volkanovski out with a head kick within the first spherical at UFC 294 in October. Not dangerous for the Dagestani star, who is thought for his wrestling.

Makhachev has received 13 straight fights, together with 12 in a row at light-weight, which ties Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson for the longest win streak in division historical past. — Raimondi

---

33 – Alexandre Pantoja

Following Demetrious Johnson’s file of 11 consecutive title defenses, the UFC’s flyweight title has been up for grabs between Henry Cejudo, Brandon Moreno and Deiveson Figueiredo. Wild, as a result of at one level, the UFC thought of eliminating the division altogether. Pantoja could be the one to really give it stability on the high. He’s, frankly, dominant in each aspect of the sport. He has a world-class submission recreation, mixed with energy in his strikes. Pantoja has a high-octane fashion that requires power, but he was additionally capable of win five-round fights towards high-pace, high-cardio opponents in Moreno and Brandon Royval in his final two fights. — Okamoto

Others receiving votes: Kayla Harrison, Kyoji Horiguchi, Merab Dvalishvili

---

34 – Zhang Weili

Zhang shouldn’t be merely the perfect 34-year-old within the sport. She’s the perfect in ladies’s MMA at any age. Zhang can do all of it, whether or not the battle is standing or if it hits the canvas. She is in her second reign as UFC strawweight champion, and subsequent month, she’s going to make an particularly emotional title protection, going through Chinese language countrywoman Yan Xiaonan. If Zhang wins at UFC 300, she could have cleared out practically all 115-pound contenders and may very well be on the verge of difficult for a second title at flyweight. — Wagenheim

Others receiving votes: Israel Adesanya

---

35 – Belal Muhammad

Valentina Shevchenko and Justin Gaethje have been shut calls right here, particularly given their standing as a former champion and present BMF titleholder. Nonetheless, it is laborious to disregard a 10-fight unbeaten streak in arguably the hardest division in all of MMA. Muhammad’s rise as a star within the sport does not come from a slew of highlights or salacious moments on the microphone. As an alternative, he is a affected person craftsman contained in the Octagon with a bevy of instruments in his arsenal. Muhammad blends a pointy jab and crisp strikes with a bruising grappling recreation and a marathoner-esque stage of cardio.

Muhammad’s preventing fashion may not be horny, nevertheless it’s sensible and suited to get a profitable consequence — 17 of his 23 wins in MMA have come by choice. And if he wins his subsequent battle — possible towards UFC welterweight title holder Leon Edwards — battle followers could have no alternative however to “Keep in mind The Title” as a champion. — Maisonet

Others receiving votes: Justin Gaethje, Conor McGregor, Valentina Shevchenko

---

36 – Jon Jones

It is laborious to consider that Jones grew to become the youngest UFC champion of all time when he was 23 years previous — a file that has caught for 13 years now — and he’s nonetheless on the high of the game. “Bones” is the UFC heavyweight champion and has nonetheless by no means actually misplaced a battle. His solely defeat was through controversial disqualification in 2009. Since then, he is been unbeaten in 19 straight fights, the longest stretch in UFC historical past.

Jones has had his points with the regulation and drug exams. However on paper, there’s by no means been anybody higher in MMA. And it will be laborious for anybody to match his data. — Raimondi

---

37 – Demetrious Johnson

It is a protected guess that no matter age Demetrious Johnson is, he is the perfect. That has been the case his total profession. He is probably the greatest minds in MMA. He is one of the crucial well-rounded abilities in MMA historical past. On this sport, when performances begin to decline, they often achieve this quickly. With DJ, nonetheless, it is simple to check a tender touchdown into no matter retirement he needs. He is simply too sensible, too technical and too athletically gifted to fall off a cliff.

Search for him to be the perfect 38-year-old in 2025. And the perfect 39-year-old in 2026. Johnson’s stage of excellence possible is not going anyplace. — Okamoto

Others receiving votes: Michael Chandler, Henry Cejudo, Gilbert Burns

---

38 – Cris Cyborg

Cyborg’s continued dominance in her final thirties is nothing in need of spectacular. Her reign as Bellator’s ladies’s featherweight champion started in 2020, and her 5 title defenses have all been received dominantly. Her transfer to Bellator got here after additionally holding the featherweight titles in UFC, Strikeforce and Invicta. With the merging of PFL and Bellator, Cyborg appeared primed to be in a possible superfight. Preliminary expectations post-merger pointed in direction of a dream matchup with Kayla Harrison, however Harrison’s sudden bolt to the UFC eliminated that possibility from the desk.

Now, all eyes level to present PFL featherweight champion Larissa Pacheco. May Cyborg add a fifth promotional title to her trophy case? Cyborg nonetheless possesses sturdy takedown protection and highly effective, technical hanging. She would possible be a favourite towards Pacheco. — Maisonet

---

39 – Jared Cannonier

Cannonier misplaced to Israel Adesanya in 2022 in his solely title shot, and his solely different losses over the past seven years additionally got here towards fighters who wore a title belt (Teixeira, Blachowicz, Robert Whittaker) or had a questionable choice deprive them of that honor (Dominick Reyes). Cannonier additionally owns wins over two champs, Sean Strickland and a past-his-prime Anderson Silva. Simply weeks shy of his fortieth birthday, Cannonier stays a top-five middleweight in a profession that has additionally seen him compete at heavyweight and light-weight heavy. — Wagenheim

Others receiving votes: Rafael Dos Anjos

---

40 – Ryan Bader

Sadly, Bader ran right into a sledgehammer of a human being in his final look, a first-round knockout loss to PFL’s Renan Ferreira. Earlier than that, nonetheless, he was 3-0 over the past two years, and his ability set remains to be there, even when it is not working with the identical horsepower it as soon as did.

Bader nonetheless has energy in his proper hand and his lifelong wrestling means. He clearly had a giant downside with Ferreira’s velocity and explosiveness final month, however at these heavier weight courses, the age of 40 does not essentially should be the tip of the street. Bader possible nonetheless has a handful of wins in his future if he needs to pursue them. — Okamoto

Others receiving votes: Liz Carmouche, Derek Brunson

---

41- Jan Blachowicz

Though it has been an uncommon stretch for the previous champ, solely profitable one in all his final 4 bouts, Blachowicz remains to be on the shortlist of the highest gentle heavyweights in all of MMA. And, whereas he’s on the opposite aspect of 40 now, at 41 years previous, Blachowicz might discover himself again within the title image if he can get again within the win column quickly. His solely losses since 2019 have come to among the greatest fighters the 205-pound division has to supply: a title battle loss to Glover Teixeira in October 2021, and a loss to now champ Alex Pereira in a No. 1 contender battle final July. Between these fights, Blachowicz fought Magomed Anakalaev to a attract a title battle at UFC 282 in Dec. 2022. — Waters

Others receiving votes: Stipe Miocic

---

42 – Holly Holm

Holm’s continued run within the UFC into her 40s hasn’t include diminishing returns to her file. She’s 3-1 with one no contest in her final 5 matches, and he or she’s been tasked to face one other Olympic judo gold medalist and former MMA champion at UFC 300, Kayla Harrison.

Holm, thought of probably the greatest strikers in MMA historical past, famously dethroned Ronda Rousey at UFC 193 to turn into the promotion’s new ladies’s bantamweight champion. 9 years later, she will not have a chance to win a title, however she may very well be the primary roadblock in Harrison’s quest so as to add UFC gold to her resume.

At 42, there’s nothing Holm hasn’t seen within the Octagon. Holm’s means to counterpunch and end opponents may very well be harmful for Harrison, and a win over the latest UFC signee might get her proper again in competition for a title shot later this yr. — Maisonet

---

43 – Matt Brown

Brown’s exercise stage has waned in recent times, however in profitable two of his final three, he continues to point out that he stays a harmful man. Win or lose, it is a fighter who goes for the end — solely two of his most up-to-date 11 bouts have gone to the judges.

“The Immortal” is a becoming nickname for this veteran of 43 professional fights, the final 30 contained in the Octagon. Brown is an athlete who does not again off from anybody or something. — Wagenheim

Others receiving votes: Sara McMann, Charlie Ward

---

45 – Andrei Arlovski

Keep in mind when Arlovski was the UFC heavyweight champion? You may not, if you happen to started following MMA anytime within the final 18 years. Arlovski received the interim title in 2005, was promoted to undisputed champ six months later and reigned for lower than a yr. However he remained on the high of the sport for a number of years, and even after experiencing just a few shedding spells, he at all times obtained again on observe. Arlovski remains to be at it, one battle shy of the sixtieth of his profession. And whereas Arlovski shouldn’t be a contender in in the present day’s heavyweight title image, “The Pitbull” stays a big presence. His 23 UFC victories are probably the most ever by a heavyweight. — Wagenheim

Others receiving votes: Lyoto Machida

---

46. Yoel Romero

Is that this probably the most spectacular stretch of Romero’s athletic profession? That sounds absurd, contemplating this man medaled in Olympic wrestling and has overwhelmed a number of former champions in MMA. However what he can nonetheless do at age 46 places him in a league completely of his personal. Nobody competes like this at age 46. He simply fought Vadim Nemkov, one of many high gentle heavyweights on this planet, final yr — and regardless that he did not win that battle, he received a spherical and held his personal. In fact, Romero is not what he as soon as was, however nonetheless competing at this excessive stage at a time when a few of his friends are properly into retirement is outstanding. — Okamoto

Editor’s word: There will not be any presently lively fighters that symbolize age 44 in MMA, so it was left off this record.