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The UFC is undoubtedly no country for old men. Over the years, we’ve seen countless examples of younger fighters making their name off the back of veteran talents. However, that isn’t always the case.
Plenty of great veteran fighters are now reaching the end of their time with the UFC. However, a handful of others are still thriving, and seem to be as dangerous as they once were in their prime.
Quite how long they can keep this up for is anyone’s guess, particularly as they reach their late 30s and early 40s. However, the fact that they remain part of the promotion’s roster is still impressive.
On that note, here’s a look at five long-time UFC veterans who still remain dangerous today:
#5. Rafael Dos Anjos – former UFC lightweight champion
Given that he’s still ranked #6 in the UFC’s lightweight rankings, it seems difficult to believe that Rafael Dos Anjos could be considered a long-time, aging veteran. If anything, the Brazilian still appears to be close to his prime.
However, RDA has actually been competing in the octagon for well over a decade now. He made his debut in a losing effort to Jeremy Stephens in November 2008. Incredibly, the Brazilian is set to reach his 38th birthday this October.
In many ways, it’s arguable that Dos Anjos should be considered one of the most underrated fighters in the history of the lightweight division. After finding his feet in the octagon following two losses to begin his career there, he lost just three of his next 16 bouts en route to winning the lightweight title in 2015.
Dos Anjos’ title reign didn’t last long at all – he made just one successful defense before being stopped by Eddie Alvarez in the summer of 2016. When he then lost to Tony Ferguson, it appeared that his career was on the wane. However, he then made an excellent resurgence as a welterweight, fighting for the interim title in a losing battle against Colby Covington in 2018.
That loss led him to a slide of sorts, but most recently, the Brazilian looked back to his best in a win over Paul Felder. Now set to fight hot prospect Rafael Fiziev early next month, with a win, Dos Anjos could even find himself back in title contention.
That would be a huge achievement for a fighter who has been around as long as he has.
#4. Matt Brown – UFC welterweight contender
Veteran UFC welterweight contender Matt Brown might’ve returned to the promotion from retirement once already. However, judging by his most recent performance in the octagon, he has still got plenty to offer in the future.
‘The Immortal’ made his octagon debut way back in the summer of 2008, following a semi-successful appearance on the seventh season of The Ultimate Fighter.
Already an experienced fighter with a 7-6 record, Brown quickly established himself as a reliable action hero. However, early on, at least, it looked like he had found his ceiling, too. ‘The Immortal’ beat the likes of Pete Sell and James Wilks, but always fell to higher-level opponents like Ricardo Almeida and Chris Lytle.
However, starting in 2012, Brown began to improve dramatically, tightening his game up to become a truly fearsome pressure striker. He reeled off seven straight wins, and appeared to be on the verge of a title shot before suffering a loss to future champion Robbie Lawler.
That defeat knocked him out of contention. ‘The Immortal’ has fallen to defeat on many occasions since then. However, he has kept winning impressively too, taking out opponents like Diego Sanchez, Ben Saunders, and more recently, Dhiego Lima after returning from retirement in 2019.
Now 41, for how much longer Brown can continue to compete at the top level is up in the air. However, it’s clear that he has lost none of his ferocity or hunger, making him just as dangerous today as he was at his peak.
#3. Bobby Green – UFC lightweight contender
This weekend’s UFC Fight Night show is set to be headlined by a 160 lb catchweight bout. Surprisingly enough, it features a long-time veteran in Bobby Green in his first-ever main event.
‘King’ is a classic example of a fighter who doesn’t exactly seem like a long-tenured veteran, but who has, in fact, been around for a very long time. His debut came almost a decade ago, as he moved over from StrikeForce in 2013 to beat Jacob Volkmann in his first octagon appearance.
In the years that have followed, Green has fought some of the best 155 lbers on the planet, and has always been a tough and capable – if at times frustrating – fighter. In fact, it’s arguable that he has never quite reached his potential.
An excellent wrestler who has also developed a highly skilled boxing game, particularly from a defensive standpoint, ‘King’ has defeated the likes of Josh Thomson, James Krause and Clay Guida. While he has suffered his fair share of losses, he has only been finished once – by Dustin Poirier in 2016.
More recently, Green appeared to be nearing the end of his time at the top, as he suffered back-to-back losses to Thiago Moises and Rafael Fiziev. However, 2021 saw him shock fans by knocking out Al Iaquinta – his first finish in the octagon since 2013. Even more recently, he overcame another younger fighter in Nasrat Haqparast.
Nobody is really expecting ‘King’ to have much success against Islam Makhachev this weekend. However, the fact that he’s even heading into his first headline bout is remarkable in itself. With that in mind, he’s definitely a prime example of a long-time veteran who remains dangerous today.
#2. Andrei Arlovski – former UFC heavyweight champion
Former heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski is easily the promotion’s most experienced fighter. He made his octagon debut way back in 2000 at UFC 28. The fact that he’s still around today, and is still winning fights at the age of 43, is genuinely incredible.
It’s true Arlovski’s tenure with the promotion hasn’t been an unbroken one. After seeing his reign as champion end against Tim Sylvia in 2006, ‘The Pitbull’ left for pastures anew in 2008. He fought for rival promotions like Affliction, Elite XC and StrikeForce.
The Belarusian fighter was largely written off when he fell to four defeats in a row outside the UFC from 2009 to 2011. However, he then made a surprise return to the octagon in 2014 following a strong run on the regional circuit. He proceeded to shock everyone by reeling off four straight wins to get back into title contention.
A slump of five losses in a row then sent him back down the ladder. In the years that have followed, he has tended to fall to better opponents he has faced. However, he has also picked up strong wins over the likes of Philipe Lins, Tanner Boser and Ben Rothwell.
Right now, ‘The Pitbull’ is on a three-fight win streak. While none of his opponents have been top contenders, the fact that he’s still winning in the octagon despite having over 20 years experience is ludicrous. He remains a long-time veteran who is still dangerous today.
#1. Jim Miller – UFC lightweight contender
Jim Miller’s impressive knockout win over Nikolas Motta this weekend saw him break or equal many UFC records. Not only did the veteran lightweight become the fighter with the most octagon appearances (39), but he also tied the record for the most wins in the promotion’s history.
Simply put, despite being 38 now, the New Jersey native appears to be just as dangerous as he was when he first entered the octagon in October 2008.
Back then, Miller was a fresh-faced 25-year old with an MMA record of 12-1. When he won nine of his first ten octagon bouts, including a submission of future lightweight kingpin Charles Oliveira, it seemed he was destined for title contention.
‘A-10’ has never been able to capture a shot at the gold – falling at the last hurdle to the likes of Benson Henderson and Nate Diaz. However, it’s safe to say that he has always been one of the UFC’s most reliable fighters, both in terms of putting on exciting bouts and also pulling off victories.
Even when he went on a slide of four losses in a row from 2017 to 2018, Miller never looked completely finished. So it should come as no surprise that in the years since that run, he has been able to secure six more victories, and is now on a two-fight win streak.
At this stage, of course, any hopes of a title run are now highly unlikely. However, Miller’s goal of fighting at UFC 300 is very much still in play. So he definitely stands as a long-time veteran who remains highly dangerous today.
