UFC stars of old helped generate millions in pay-per-view buys, but times have changed and Dana White’s latest century-celebrating show proved that.
Ronda Rousey, Brock Lesnar, and Georges St-Pierre are just some of the bankable fighters who left a star-shaped hole by moving on from MMA.
Of course, Conor McGregor helped fill the gap, but a new crop of fighters are coming through and looking to knock the Irishman off his perch
Following a record-setting show at UFC 300, talkSPORT.com has ranked the top 10 fighters who demand attention whenever they speak, and draw massive crowds every time they fight.
#10 Paddy Pimblett
Five fights and five wins in the UFC but some people still aren’t convinced Pimblett is the real deal. Regardless, MMA fans always tune in to watch ‘The Baddy’, and his star power will continue to grow if he manages to crack the lightweight top 15 in 2024.
#9 Sean Strickland
Strickland’s short-lived reign as middleweight champion was eventful, to say the least. The wacky American is one of MMA’s most divisive figures, but he certainly knows how to create a buzz about his career – even when he’s not fighting.
#8 Khamzat Chimaev
There’s nothing more appealing to fight fans than a scary Russian who runs through opponents in the manner Chimaev did during his early career. The 13-0 contender is on the brink of a title shot, and if he’s able to become a UFC champion he could shoot to the top of this list.
#7 Alex Pereira
Dana White clearly thinks Pereira is a big star because he trusted the kickboxing phenom to headline UFC 300 and he delivered! Ridiculous KO power and a willingness to fight anyone have also made ‘Poatan’ a favourite with fans.
#6 Dustin Poirier
Poirier was the UFC’s nearly man for years, but then he beat Conor McGregor twice and became one of MMA’s biggest stars. Win, lose, or draw fans always tune in to watch ‘The Diamond’ as he’s never in a dull fight.
#5 Sean O’Malley
O’Malley is a KO artist with rainbow-coloured hair, celebrity friends and a wild personal life. Basically, he’s a promoter’s dream, and now he holds bantamweight gold the sky really is the limit.
#4 Max Holloway
Amazingly, Max Holloway has been in the UFC for over a decade and has never been in a dull fight. ‘Blessed’ stole the show when he scored the ‘greatest KO of all time’ at UFC 300 to earn a $600,000 bonus and become a bigger star than ever before.
#3 Israel Adesanya
Anderson Silva’s middleweight dominance seemed unmatchable until Adesanya came along and lapped the division. ‘Stylebender’ has suffered a couple of setbacks recently, but his star power remains intact ahead of an eagerly anticipated comeback bout.
#2 Jon Jones
Jones is the best fighter ever, and his epic run in the UFC has seen him dominate legends, peers, and a new wave of fighters. A two-weight champion, fans are fixated on Jones’ personal life as much as his combat sports career.
#1 Conor McGregor
McGregor is the biggest star the UFC has ever produced.
‘Notorious’ might keep this accolade until the end of time, but right now he’s intent on improving his legacy further.
The former dual-weight champion hasn’t fought in three years, but he’s still an active UFC fighter as his comeback fight against Michael Chandler is booked for UFC 303 on June 29.
Honourable mentions: Alexander Volkanovski, Charles Oliveira, Justin Gaethje, Islam Makhachev, Ilia Topuria, Tom Aspinall, Michael Chandler, and Colby Covington
News Summary:
- From Conor McGregor to Jon Jones and Israel Adesanya – the biggest stars ranked after UFC 300 breaks records
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