Dan Severn MMA record: How many fights has the UFC 5 winner won?

Dan Severn was just the third person to be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame, following Royce Gracie and Ken Shamrock. 'The Beast' earned those prestigious honors despite remaining active in mixed martial arts for another seven years. Severn remains one of the most active and accomplished mixed martial artists of all-time.

The UFC 5 winner retired with a professional mixed martial arts record of 101 wins, 19 losses and seven draws. His 127 bouts are the third-most sanctioned matches in the history of mixed martial arts, while his 101 victories are the second-most.

In addition to UFC 5, Severn also won the Ultimate Ultimate 1995 Tournament, as well as the UFC Superfight Championship at UFC 9, making him the first and only UFC Triple Crown champion in promotional history. Furthermore, his UFC 5 tournament winning performance earned him the first title belt in promotional history.

Dan Severn began his mixed martial arts career at UFC 4, all the way back in 1994 and remained active as a fighter for nearly two decades. The UFC Hall of Famer competed as a heavyweight, however, he began his career as an openweight as mixed martial arts did not have weight classes in the early days of the sport.

Prior to weight classes becoming mandatory, fighters would often face one another regardless of the size difference. The bouts would often pit those with different fighting styles against one another to determine which martial art is the most effective.

Watch Dan Severn's UFC 5 tournament winning victory below:

Will there be a fighter who surpasses Dan Severn's 127 fights?

Dan Severn taking 127 fights almost seems unheard of in the modern era of mixed martial arts. 'The Beast' often fought at least five times a year, with his most active year coming in 2004, where he took 12 fights. While fighters nowadays rarely have more than three bouts in a calendar year, there is one mixed martial artist quietly approaching Severn's ranking on the all-time list of most sanctioned fights.

Jay Ellis, an unheralded fighter with the most losses in mixed martial arts history, has taken 123 bouts. Ellis holds a professional record of 16 wins and 107 losses. In a streak that lasted for about four years, he lost 27 consecutive bouts. Ellis last competed in February 2023 and remains active.

While it is unclear if he will take five more fights and surpass 'The Beast', it is evident that he has not reached the same level of impact. Aside from Ellis, it is difficult to envision another fighter coming close to Severn's mark as there is a much larger focus on health and safety in the modern era of mixed martial arts.