Greatest American MMA Players
The greatest American mma players in history — ranked by career achievements, honours and legacy.
AmericanAll American MMA Athletes
Browse all 45 american mma athletes in our database.
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Aljamain Sterling
Featherweight
American who won bantamweight gold via DQ over Petr Yan, defended three straight times, then lost…
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Anthony Smith
Light Heavyweight (retired from UFC)
Veteran, durable light heavyweight contender who challenged for UFC gold in 2019 and has since…
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Belal Muhammad
Welterweight
Chicago-born welterweight who won the title from Leon Edwards in 2024 before losing it in his first…
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BJ Penn
Lightweight/Welterweight
BJ Penn is a UFC Hall of Famer who became the second fighter in UFC history to win titles in two…
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Brian Ortega
Featherweight
Brian Ortega is a former RFA Featherweight Champion known for come-from-behind submission finishes…
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Bryce Mitchell
Featherweight
Bryce Mitchell 'Thug Nasty' is a grappler known for elite ground control and submission grappling.
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Cain Velasquez
Heavyweight
Cain Velasquez is a two-time UFC Heavyweight Champion regarded as one of the greatest heavyweights…
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Carla Esparza
Strawweight
Carla Esparza is a two-time former UFC Women's Strawweight Champion and accomplished collegiate…
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Chuck Liddell
Light Heavyweight
Chuck Liddell is a UFC Hall of Famer and former Light Heavyweight Champion famed for devastating…
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Cory Sandhagen
Bantamweight
Cory 'The Sandman' Sandhagen is a long-tenured UFC bantamweight contender known for spectacular…
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Curtis Blaydes
Heavyweight
Curtis Blaydes built his UFC heavyweight career on dominant wrestling and ground-and-pound,…
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Dan Henderson
Middleweight/Light Heavyweight
Dan 'Hendo' Henderson was a two-time Olympic wrestler turned MMA legend, famed for his overhand…
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Daniel Cormier
Light Heavyweight/Heavyweight
Former two-division UFC champion who simultaneously held the light heavyweight and heavyweight…
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Demetrious Johnson
Flyweight
Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson is the inaugural UFC Flyweight Champion who set the promotion's…
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Derrick Lewis
Heavyweight
Derrick 'The Black Beast' Lewis is a fan-favorite UFC heavyweight who holds the promotion's…
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Dustin Poirier
Lightweight (formerly Featherweight)
Dustin 'The Diamond' Poirier retired in 2025 as a beloved UFC lightweight legend, a former interim…
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Henry Cejudo
Flyweight/Bantamweight
Dethroned Demetrious Johnson for the flyweight title, then moved up to win the bantamweight belt,…
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Jamahal Hill
Light Heavyweight
Won the vacant UFC Light Heavyweight title over Glover Teixeira at UFC 283 in January 2023, then…
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Jon Jones
Light Heavyweight / Heavyweight
Dominant two-division champion whose only loss is a disputed 2009 DQ; retired in 2025 after…
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Kayla Harrison
Bantamweight (formerly PFL Lightweight)
Dominant judoka-turned-fighter who won two PFL lightweight tournament titles before capturing UFC…
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Matt Hughes
Welterweight
Dominant wrestling-based champion widely considered one of the greatest welterweights in MMA…
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Max Holloway
Featherweight
A volume-striking phenom who set UFC career-strike records and became the first-ever 'BMF'…
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Miesha Tate
Women's Bantamweight
A pioneer of women's MMA who won titles in Strikeforce and the UFC before retiring, then returned…
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Nate Diaz
Lightweight/Welterweight
Stockton-born standout with a 3rd-degree BJJ black belt under Cesar Gracie, famed for back-to-back…
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Randy Couture
Heavyweight/Light Heavyweight
Former Greco-Roman wrestler who became a legendary two-division UFC champion across a 14-year MMA…
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Ronda Rousey
Bantamweight
Pioneering women's MMA star who dominated the UFC bantamweight division with six consecutive title…
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Rose Namajunas
Strawweight/Flyweight
Two-time UFC strawweight champion known for her striking and calm, composed fighting style; now…
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Sean O'Malley
Bantamweight
Flamboyant, highlight-reel striker who won the UFC bantamweight title in 2023 before losing it to…
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Stipe Miocic
Heavyweight
Retired after a third-round TKO loss to Jon Jones at UFC 309 (Nov 2024), capping a legendary…
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Tatiana Suarez
Strawweight (formerly Flyweight)
Former world-class freestyle wrestler and TUF winner who challenged for the UFC strawweight title…
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Tito Ortiz
Light Heavyweight
Pioneering UFC light heavyweight champion whose 3.5-year title reign (2000-2003) remains the…
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Frank Shamrock
Light Heavyweight (then called Middleweight)
Frank Shamrock retired undefeated as UFC champion, going 5-0 in title fights, and later became the…
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Mark Coleman
Heavyweight
Mark Coleman, an Olympic-level wrestler, became the first UFC Heavyweight Champion and later won…
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Rich Franklin
Middleweight
Rich Franklin, a former math teacher, won the UFC Middleweight Championship in 2005 and defended it…
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Evan Tanner
Middleweight
Evan Tanner, a self-taught fighter, won the UFC Middleweight Championship at UFC 51 in 2005 before…
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Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson
Light Heavyweight
Rampage Jackson became a star in Japan's Pride FC before unifying the Pride and UFC Light…
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Forrest Griffin
Light Heavyweight
Forrest Griffin's classic TUF 1 finale win over Stephan Bonnar is credited with saving the UFC, and…
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Rashad Evans
Light Heavyweight
Rashad Evans, a former NCAA Division I wrestler, won TUF 2 and later captured the UFC Light…
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Tony Ferguson
Lightweight
Gritty, unorthodox lightweight famous for his win streak and never getting an undisputed title shot…
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TJ Dillashaw
Bantamweight
Pioneered a new-school movement-based bantamweight style, twice won UFC gold, and was later…
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Dominick Cruz
Bantamweight
Pioneering unorthodox bantamweight movement fighter, widely regarded among the greatest 135-lb…
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Holly Holm
Bantamweight
Former world champion boxer turned UFC bantamweight titleholder, still an active elite contender in…
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Cat Zingano
Bantamweight
Hard-hitting wrestler-striker who reached title contention despite major injuries and personal…
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Sean Strickland
Middleweight
Blunt-spoken pressure striker who won and lost the middleweight title before reclaiming it via…
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Khalil Rountree Jr.
Light Heavyweight
Kickboxing-based light heavyweight known for heavy hands, who rose through the UFC 205-lb rankings…