'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAHAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFQABAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAf/2gAIAQEAAAAAjZf/xAAUAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAC/9oACAECEAAAAF//xAAUAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAC/9oACAEDEAAAAH//xAAfEAABAwMFAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAgMEAAUTESEycpH/2gAIAQEAAT8AtC4xkNxpEhbS8eUN4+RKSdQrqBQu7BAO/lf/xAAVEQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAv/aAAgBAgEBPwCX/8QAFhEBAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQAy/9oACAEDAQE/AHJf/9k='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
2018 has without a doubt one of the best and most exciting years for the UFC and the world of MMA.
The premier promotion celebrated it's 25th anniversary this year and delivered stacked cards throughout the year.
We got to witness some truly epic and historic moments and also some intense and entertaining contests.
Be it Daniel Cormier's historic win over the longest reigning Heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic, or the biggest fight in UFC history between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor; 2018 was a good year for the UFC and particularly for some fighters who have risen to super stardom in the span on a year.
In a year filled with excitement, some fighters truly outshined the rest to deliver memorable performances and historic moments. Here is our list of the Top-5 UFC fighters of 2018.
#5 Khabib Nurmagomedov
Starting off our list at no. 5 is the Russian sensation, the UFC Lightweight Champion and the No.2 ranked pound-for-pound fighter, Khabib "The Eagle" Nurmagomedov.
2018 has without a doubt been the best year in Khabib's legendary career. In a span of 12 months, the Dagestani Sambo phenom has gone from a fighter only well known to the hardcore fan-base to a global superstar.
Looking back at the year Khabib has had, we should look back to his fight with Edson Barboza at UFC 219 on 30th December 2017.
Before the Barboza fight, Khabib had been a fighter fighting on the undercards of PPV events or in small Fight Night events.
His dominant victory over Edson Barboza on the co-main event in one of the biggest cards of 2017 sky-rocketed Khabib's stock and instantly made him the No. 1 contender at Lightweight.
Khabib started the year with a fight scheduled against the then interim Lightweight Champion Tony Ferguson. With Ferguson having been forced to pull out of their fight due to a nasty knee injury, Khabib faced Al Iaquinta at the shortest notice of 24 hrs in the main event of UFC 223 on April 7th. Khabib became a UFC champion with a win over Iaquinta; and the biggest fight in UFC history followed as the Dagestani Sambo phenom faced the biggest superstars in the history of MMA, Conor McGregor.
Khabib and Conor fought at UFC 229 on October 6th and "The Eagle" left no doubt in anyone's minds as to who is the King at 155 lbs.
Khabib fought the best fight of his life to dominate and submit McGregor in the fourth round and capped off his amazing year as the Undisputed Lightweight Champion and the No. 2 ranked Pound for Pound fighter in the world.
From fighting at undercards to headlining and winning the biggest fights in UFC history, Khabib made a statement and has become one of the biggest stars in the UFC. As Khabib famously says, "What time is it?! It's Khabib Time".
#4 Thiago Santos
The Brazilian Light Heavyweight powerhouse Thiago "Marreta" Santos takes the No. 4 spot on our list of top 10 UFC fighters of 2018.
Santos has put the light heavyweight division and the entire UFC on red alert with his unreal performances and devastating knockouts this year.
Marreta has racked up an impressive four wins in 2018 with losing only one. He has also finished three out of those four wins and every knockout has been scarier than the previous one.
Originally competing at Middleweight, Santos has recently moved up to 205 lbs recently and has looked even more dominant with the transition.
Santos has had only two fights at Light Heavyweight and is already ranked No. 7 in the division, which is a testament to the quality of those two performances.
He began the year with beating and finishing fellow knockout artist Anthony Smith at Middleweight back in February.
Santos then went on to get a taste of his own medicine when he fought top-10 Middleweight David Branch in April where he was knocked out in the very first round.
Following that loss, Marreta turned his game around to first beat Kevin Holland on points and then moving up to Light Heavyweight.
Santos' first challenge at 205 lbs came in the form of heavy hitter Eryc Anders as the two headlined the UFC Fight Night 137: Sao Paolo in September.
He came out on top and battered Anders badly enough for the doctors to call a stop to the fight at the end of the third round.
Thiago Santos' major step up challenge came when he faced the English knockout phenom, Jimi Manuwa at UFC 231. The two big men delivered a barn burner of a fight but Santos was the man that night as he viciously knocked Manuwa out in the 2nd round.
Santos has gone from being unranked at Middleweight to being ranked at No. 7 in this year itself. He has also become one of the biggest stars in Brazil following his recent dominant performances and has become a major face for UFC in Latin America.
His nickname "Marreta" literally translates to "Sledgehammer" which is a very apt description of the style of combat this man brings inside the cage.
Santos is a fighter who is on the rise and likes to fight often which is a good mix for the fans because we can see him fight the very best at 205 lbs very soon and possibly a title shot come year end.
#3 Anthony Smith
With three wins and one loss in 2018, Anthony "Lionheart" Smith takes the No. 3 spot in our list of best fighters of 2018.
Anthony Smith has had a meteoric rise in 2018, going up from an unranked and unknown fighter to becoming the No. 3 ranked contender at Light Heavyweight.
And to top it off, Lionheart has done it with style, finishing all of his wins in 2018 with two knockouts and one submission.
Anthony Smith began 2018 on rocky roads as he lost his first fight in the year to Thiago Santos at Middleweight.
Smith was always too big for 185 lbs and following his loss to Santos, he decided to move up to 205 lbs which might have been the best decision he has made in his career.
Lionheart has looked like a different beast at Light Heavyweight and he proved his mettle as he faced the former champ, Rashad Evans, his first fight at 205 lbs.
The two collided back in June at UFC 225 and Smith made quick work of Evans as he knocked the veteran out cold with a single knee strike just 50 seconds into the first round. Anthony Smith had a quick turn around and fought another legend and former champion Mauricio 'Shogun' Rua in July.
Shogun vs Smith was set as the main event for UFC Fight Night 134: Hamburg. Smith rose to the occasion of his first main event and finished Shogun Rua with devastating elbows in just 90 seconds of the first round.
Following his win over Shogun Rua, Smith was offered yet another main event fight against the Swiss knockout machine and former title challenger Volkan Oezdemir at UFC Fight Night: Moncton.
Volkan was expected to put a brake to the hype of Anthony Smith but he too fell to the thunderous power and a deep well-rounded game of Smith.
Lionheart beat Volkan up and finally submitted him in the third round to take the win and also the No. 3 spot at Light Heavyweight.
Anthony Smith has been making a lot of noise and has been delivering some remarkable performances in 2018.
With Smith positioned right at the top of the Light Heavyweight division mountain, a title fight against the winner of Jones vs Gustaffson seems very likely. Look out for Anthony Smith to be one of the premier stars for the UFC in 2019 as well.
#2 Israel Adesanya
Easily the breakthrough star of 2018, Israel Adesanya is ranked at No. 2 on our list. Israel Adesanya's rise to the top has been nothing short of spectacular.
Undefeated at 15-0, Adesanya has been compared to a young Jon Jones or Anderson Silva and everyone fully expects this man to reach the top of the mountain at Middleweight soon.
"Stylebender" has become one of the marquee fighters and one of the biggest stars in the UFC with his unreal four wins and two knockouts in this year.
What is even more spectacular is the fact that Adesanya wasn't even on the UFC roster before this year.
A former Pro-Kickboxer, Israel Adesanya fought his first UFC fight in February 2018 at UFC 221 where he knocked Rob Wilkinson out in the second round.
Adesanya went on to fight Marvin Vettori at UFC on FOX 29: Glendale. Adesanya came out on top narrowly with a split decision victory but still caught the eyes of the MMA world as he showcased some of the best striking techniques we have ever seen in the Octagon.
Adesanya's breakthrough moment came when he fought the dangerous No. 8 ranked Brad Tavares in the main event of The Ultimate Fighter 27 Finale.
"Stylebender" outclassed Tavares for five rounds to win on points. Although unable to get the finish, Adesanya showed the world that he has a deep MMA skillset along with elite level striking and can also go five rounds easily.
Adesanya's major test came in the form of the perennial top-10 Middleweight contender Derek Brunson at UFC 230.
Adesanya talked the talk as he unleashed a verbal and social media assault on Brunson and finally walked the walk as he finished Brunson in just the first round.
Adesanya looked absolutely flawless in his performance and the veteran Brunson hardly even landed a punch and fell to the barrage of clinical strikes unleashed by Adesanya. Adesanya earned his spot at the No. 6 ranked Middleweight in the UFC.
With his flawless wins over Brunson and Tavares and his outspoken and brash attitude, Israel Adesanya has quickly become one of the biggest stars of the UFC.
Stylebender is a huge fan favourite and has an aura of invincibility around him at the moment. Israel already has his next opponent decided as he is scheduled to face one of the greatest martial artists who ever lived, Anderson Silva on the co-main event of UFC 234.
Many have compared Israel to a young Anderson Silva and the world waits to watch what will happen when the Stylebender meets the Spider in the Octagon.
A Middleweight title fight is set to headline UFC 234 as Champion Robert Whittaker faces Kelvin Gastelum for the belt. Israel Adesanya is on the verge of earning a title shot and a win over Silva will possibly get him one. 2018 was surely Stylebender's year and by the looks of it, 2019 can be even bigger and better for him.
#1 Daniel Cormier
It isn't even up for debate as to who is the fighter of the year at this point. It is the reigning Double Champ, the P4P no. 1 ranked fighter and the baddest man on the planet, Daniel Cormier at the top of our list as the best UFC fighter of 2018.
DC made 2018 the best year of his pro career by first reclaiming his Light Heavyweight belt and then making history by winning and defending the Heavyweight title.
DC started 2018 with a title defence at Light Heavyweight against Volkan Oezdemir at UFC 220 in January. In the wake of a loss to Jon Jones last year, DC looked like he had a point to prove when he absolutely demolished Volkan and stopped him in the 2nd round via TKO.
Stipe Miocic had cemented himself as the most dominant Heavyweight Champion in UFC history with a win over Francis Ngannou at UFC 220 and Daniel Cormier moved on to challenge him for the Heavyweight belt next at UFC 226.
DC created history by knocking out Stipe Miocic in the very first round and became the "Double Champ" holding two belts simultaneously, an achievement he shares with only with Conor McGregor. A title defence against Derrick Lewis followed at UFC 230 in Madison Square Garden.
DC made Derrick Lewis, one of the most scariest and the most powerful Heavyweights to ever compete in the sport of MMA, look like he didn't even belong in the Octagon with him.
Cormier, in typical fashion, dominated and submitted Lewis in the second round to defend his belt and continue to remain the No. 1 Pound for Pound fighter in the world.
2018 is the most dominant and decorated year in the long storied martial arts career of Daniel Cormier. DC has established his legacy as one of the Greatest of All Times by creating UFC and MMA history this year and has also become the face of UFC and MMA and is without a doubt, the Best UFC Fighter of 2018.
