The Ultimate 30: All-Time Roster

You cannot possibly bring up the last 30 years of UFC history without discussing Royce Gracie. Here are some of his notable accomplishments: 

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• Gracie’s November 12, 1993, performance marked a groundbreaking moment in combat sports history.
• A commanding victory at UFC 2 followed his remarkable showing at UFC 1 and preceded a memorable series of wins at UFC 4, including a triumph over future hall of famer Dan “The Beast” Severn.
• Two decades after UFC 1, Gracie was honored, along with Ken Shamrock, as the inaugural inductees into the UFC Hall of Fame.
• Even today, Gracie remains an icon in the MMA and Brazilian jiu-jitsu world, holding the highest submission rate in UFC history at 91%.
• Gracie participated in the most UFC fights in a single night (4).

A young man hailing from a farm in Illinois made his UFC debut in 1999 and eventually emerged as one of the most formidable welterweights in the sport’s history.

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• Hughes won the 170-pound championship twice.
• He was honored with two inductions into the UFC Hall of Fame (in the Pioneer and Fight wings), solidifying his status as one of the greatest fighters ever. 
• Hughes holds the second-most title fights in welterweight history with 12 bouts.
• Hughes holds the highest number of finishes in welterweight title fights with 8.
• The third-highest number of finishes in welterweight history with 11.
• Hughes defeated six champions.
• He concluded his career with 45 victories in 54 professional fights.

“The Prodigy” BJ Penn

Only a handful of fighters can claim to have made their professional debut inside the UFC Octagon, and among them, BJ Penn stands out uniquely. 

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• In his first bout against Matt Hughes in 2004, Penn took the belt from the reigning king of the welterweight division.
• Even today, many credit this UFC Hall of Famer with bringing the lighter-weight divisions into the mainstream and inspiring a generation of fighters.
• Penn was a double champ, earning titles in the UFC welterweight and lightweight divisions.
•  Penn is tied with Khabib Nurmagomedov, Frankie Edgar and Benson Henderson for the most successful lightweight title defenses in UFC history with three.
• In 2015 Penn was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame’s Modern wing.

Georges St-Pierre

Any discussion about the all-time greats inevitably includes the initials GSP. 

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• The welterweight division was his domain over a remarkable seven-year period.
• GSP secured 12 welterweight title fight victories against some of the sport’s most renowned competitors.
• After a four-year hiatus, GSP returned for one final challenge, moving up to the middleweight division to face champion Michael Bisping at Madison Square Garden.
• In 2020, his Hall of Fame moment arrived, and his name was displayed in the Modern era wing. 
• St-Pierre was a two-time UFC welterweight champion.
• GSP collected one middleweight championship belt.
• He holds the record for the most successful title defenses in welterweight history.
• He is in a tie for the third-longest win streak in UFC history at 13.
• The most takedowns in UFC history at 90.
• GSP has the longest control time in UFC history at 2 hours, 42 minutes, and 4 seconds.

Robbie Lawler

“Ruthless” Robbie Lawler, made his Octagon debut in 2002, thrilling fans with his relentless attack and fight-ending power. 2013 marked a turning point in his career, returning to the 170-pound division for one purpose: the undisputed welterweight title. 

• At UFC 181, that dream became a reality as he took the title from Johny Hendricks.
• The UFC 189 rematch between Lawler and Rory MacDonald was a battle for the ages that took its rightful place in the UFC Hall of Fame.
• In July 2023, Lawler closed out his historic career with a fitting send-off, as he scored a first-round TKO over Niko Price. 

Chuck Liddell

In the early days of the Zuffa era, there was a need for a superstar. Enter Chuck Liddell. And though there have been plenty of stars, none is more significant than “The Iceman.”

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• UFC light heavyweight champion.
• Liddell successfully defended the light heavyweight title four times.
• Fight Of The Year (vs Wanderlei Silva, UFC 79).
• Liddell holds the most knockouts in UFC light heavyweight history.
• In 2009, Liddell was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame Pioneer wing.

Forrest Griffin

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• The first fighter to make 20 Octagon appearances.
• Ortiz retired with a 22-12-1 record.
• The debut of the “Huntington Beach Bad Boy” took place in 1997 at UFC 13.
• Ortiz was a coach on season 3 of The Ultimate Fighter.
• Light heavyweight champion from 2000 to 2003.
• On July 7, 2012, Ortiz was inducted into the UFC Hall Of Fame’s Pioneer wing.

Randy Couture