5 longtime UFC veterans who are still dangerous today

#4. Matt Brown – UFC welterweight contender

Despite being in his 40s, Matt Brown still carries dangerous knockout power/

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.

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#3. Bobby Green – UFC lightweight contender

Bobby Green is preparing to headline his first UFC show, despite being in the promotion for almost a decade.

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.