Top 5: Undefeated Current UFC Fighters

Ronda Rousey

There are many reasons to love MMA, but right at the top is its unpredictability. In other sports, there are only so many ways to win or lose. Score more points, defend well and Bob’s your uncle, game won. Not so in MMA. You could be an expert striker with solid defence and one takedown can take that all away. Or you could be a world class grappler but someone with a solid takedown defence could nullify everything you bring. There are a multitude of ways to take a loss on any given day. That’s why it’s extra special in MMA when you see someone go undefeated. So let’s take a look at the most special five undefeated athletes in the UFC today.

5 – Thomas Almeida (2-0 UFC, 19-0 MMA)

Entering the UFC with 17 consecutive wins, Thomas Almeida had quite the hype to satisfy. But, to his credit, he has done just that with two tremendous wins to kick off what is sure to be a long and successfully Octagon career. All that, though, is predicated on the toughest task of his career next time out against Brad Pickett at UFC 189.

4 – Joanna Jędrzejczyk (3–0 UFC, 9-0 MMA)

When the women’s strawweight division was born, not many people thought a Polish kickboxer with minimal experience could live with some of the veterans that transitioned over from the bought-out Invicta pre-division. Those people were wrong. Jędrzejczyk was extremely impressive when beating Rosi Sexton in Cage Warriors in her last fight outside of the UFC and then eked out a hard fought win over the highly touted Claudia Gadelha before demolishing the inaugural champion Carla Esparza in a fight she was not expected to win. Now, with her undefeated record in tact, she will headline the next event in Berlin.

3 – Khabib Nurmagomedov (6–0, 22-0 MMA)

Rarely, if ever, has an athlete in MMA been so highly touted and championed as a future belt holder as this Dagestani sambo technician. And it’s all deserved. Nurmagomedov has blitzed everyone that has stepped in his path to date, including current lightweight champion Rafael Dos Anjos. The only thing that may halt him is an injury record which currently seems him sitting on the sidelines.

2 – Chris Weidman (8–0 UFC, 12-0 MMA)

Although still pretty young in his career, on sheer competition alone, there is no denying Chris Weidman belongs towards the very top of this list. In just his 10th pro fight Weidman beat the greatest fighter in MMA history. In his 11th, he did it again. In his 12th he beat a former UFC light heavyweight champion who specializes in nullifying wrestler-boxers and now he is at the beginning of a series of opponents which could see his star rise to even more galactic levels.

1 – Ronda Rousey (5–0 UFC, 11-0 MMA)

Sometimes in sport, you can run out of superlatives to describe an athlete. Ronda Rousey fits that bill. She is, without question, the number one pound for pound female MMA fighter now, and ever, and has done it while breaking through into the mainstream in a fashion rarely seen in the sport. Not only, though, has she remained undefeated, she has done it in an extraordinarily dominant and attacking manner; stopping every opponent and beating all but one inside the first round.

Podcaster, lead MMA writer and analyst for SevereMMA. Host of the SevereMMA podcast, out every Sunday. Economics and Mathematics graduate from UCC. Also write for Sherdog. Previously of hov-mma and fightbooth. As heard on 2FM, Red FM, Today FM and more. Follow me on twitter for updates @SeanSheehanBA and on Facebook Facebook.com/seansheehanmma

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