5 Best UFC fighters of the 21st century

The UFC is widely regarded as the world’s premier Mixed Martial Arts promotion today.

Featuring fighters who come from varied martial arts backgrounds, modern-day MMA witnesses well-rounded martial art combatants who possess a decent base in multiple striking as well as grappling arts.

That is in fact apart from the highly-specialized skill-set they possess in their foundation martial art—depending on whether they excel in boxing, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ), Muay Thai, wrestling or an individual combat sport of the sort.

The 21st-century prototype of a good Mixed Martial Artist is that of a fighter who’s well-versed in both the striking and the grappling departments of the MMA game.

Today, we take a look at some of the best UFC fighters of the 21st century—

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#5 Cris Cyborg

Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino has competed in the sport of MMA since 2005, and the rest, as they say, is history. Cyborg lost her MMA debut by way of submission, however, she has been a wrecking machine ever since.

Cyborg has also competed in the sport of Muay Thai and went the distance with one of the greatest MT fighters of all time—Jorina Baars. Cyborg is perhaps best known for her destructive performance against MMA icon Gina Carano.

However, a few years after the star-making matchup, Cyborg tested positive for a banned Performance Enhancing Drug (PED)—something that was revealed in early 2012. Regardless, the Brazilian superstar is till date hailed as one of the best fighters in the history of the sport.

Cyborg made her UFC debut back in 2016 and is the reigning UFC Women’s Featherweight Champion.

Her fighting style is rather intriguing—so to speak—especially considering how she went from being a wild KO machine in the early stages of her MMA run, to now having transformed into a patient, slick KO artist.

Furthermore, Cyborg possesses fantastic grappling as well, which complements her terrifying striking skills. She boasts great wrestling skills, whilst also utilizing her BJJ largely in a defensive manner and to set up ground and pound.

Despite the steroid abuse knock against her career, Cyborg is indeed touted by many as one of the best UFC fighters in the 21st century.

#4 Daniel Cormier

Daniel “DC” Cormier started off as a freestyle wrestler and is a former Olympian, representing the United States of America.

Cormier made his MMA debut at the age of 30, and despite having started training in the striking arts relatively late in his life—DC achieved tremendous success in the cage.

Cormier won the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix and went on to capture the UFC Light-Heavyweight title. It was earlier this year that DC became the first man to hold both the UFC Light-Heavyweight and Heavyweight Championships simultaneously when he knocked out Stipe Miocic.

Cormier possesses a great grappling game—excellent wrestling with respectable BJJ as well. On the other hand, the “Champ-Champ” also has great boxing and low kicks but has struggled with his foes’ high kicks over the course of his legendary career.

With only 1 career loss and 1 No-Contest to arch nemesis Jon Jones, who later tested positive for banned PEDs—Cormier is undoubtedly one of the greatest UFC combatants to ever lace up the gloves.

#3 Jon Jones

Daniel Cormier’s biggest rival, Jon “Bones” Jones, is oft placed at a higher position than the former by the MMA community—particularly when discussing the greatest to ever compete inside the UFC’s famed Octagon.

Jones has been competing in the sport of MMA since 2008 and is a former UFC Light-Heavyweight Champion. JBJ is presently suspended from MMA competition owing to a failed test in relation to his UFC 214 fight against Daniel Cormier—a matchup that Jones won by way of Knockout.

Nevertheless, the result of the fight was overturned to a No-Contest owing to Jones’ failed drug test. Regardless, while strictly speaking about combat skill, Jones is one of the best to ever do it.

Jones possesses an excellent understanding of timing and distance management in the striking department. Furthermore, JBJ also boasts a highly technical understanding of leverage and positions in the grappling realm of MMA.

#2 Georges St-Pierre

Georges “Rush” St-Pierre is arguably the greatest fighter of all time.

GSP began learning Kyokushin Karate at a young age and subsequently began training in other disciplines such as boxing, wrestling and BJJ among others for a career in the sport of MMA. St-Pierre competed in MMA from 2002 to ’13 and then returned to the sport last year.

While GSP is presently dealing with a dangerous disease known as ulcerative colitis, his legacy as one of the best UFC fighters is already secure. St-Pierre who always had great striking fundamentals added world-class wrestling to his game after his upset KO loss to Matt Serra—one that GSP eventually avenged in brutal fashion.

St-Pierre is one of the rare greats in the sport of MMA to have never tested positive for steroids and is regarded as a great technician inside the cage and a class act out of it.

#1 Demetrius Johnson

Demetrius “Mighty Mouse” Johnson is hailed by many as one of the most complete MMA fighters of all time.

Apart from decision losses to Dominick Cruz and Brad Pickett early in his career, Johnson has remained relatively unshakeable—as Mighty Mouse has conquered one and all in the UFC Flyweight Division.

Johnson possesses great boxing fundamentals, which include slipping, ducking, bobbing-and-weaving and rolling with strikes—something he implements in a modified manner so as to suit his overall MMA game.

Besides, Johnson also boasts great Muay Thai skills, as evidenced by his destruction of Henry Cejudo in their first encounter back in 2016. DJ is an excellent grappler as well—skilled in both wrestling and BJJ.

While critics often point out that Johnson hasn’t proved himself in a stacked division, his skills and undeniable movement coupled with power and speed inside the Octagon—make it rather difficult for anyone to downgrade his accomplishments.

Mighty Mouse is indeed one of the best UFC fighters of the modern era.