Famous American Mixed Martial Artists

A professional WWE wrestler, Ronda Rousey was the first UFC Women's Bantamweight Champion and also the first woman to be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame. Earlier, she became the first US woman to win an Olympic medal in judo. Amongst the greatest female MMA fighter, Ronda has also appeared in films like The Expendables 3 and Furious 7.

A multi-faceted personality, Brock Lesnar has had successful careers in the field of wrestling, mixed martial arts, and football. Best known for his wrestling career, Brock is widely considered one of the greatest professional wrestlers ever. Brock, who has had an equally successful MMA career, is the only person in history to hold a WWE world championship and UFC championship.

Jon Jones, the American professional mixed martial artist, is widely regarded as one of the greatest mixed martial artists ever. He holds many Ultimate Fighting Championship records in the light heavyweight division. However, he has been also been involved in several controversies and has been arrested for felony, hit-and-run charges and has tested positive for banned substances.

Brazilian MMA legend Anderson Silva began learning Taekwondo at 12. He holds the record of the longest reign by any UFC title-holder, being the middleweight champion from 2006 to 2013, and also has a record of 16 consecutive wins. He also has black belts in multiple martial art forms.

Dustin Poirier is an American mixed martial artist who currently fights in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). An absolute angel off the ring, Poirier often auctions his UFC kit to donate money to various charitable causes. In 2018, he founded a non-profit organization called The Good Fight Foundation, along with his wife.

Daniel Cormier is a retired professional mixed martial artist and amateur wrestler who is a former  King of the Cage Heavyweight Champion. He began wrestling while still in school and attended Colby Community College, where he continued to wrestle. He then turned professional and also ventured into mixed martial arts. He has also made a few media appearances. 

Rising from a humble background, Stipe Miocic won NAAFS Heavyweight Championship and reached Ultimate Fighting Championship, the biggest MMA platform. His talent made him one of the most successful heavyweight champions in UFC history with numerous awards. Apart from fighting MMA matches,Stipe Miocic works as a firefighter and paramedic and saves lives in Cleveland.

A former mixed martial artist, Gina Carano went on to become an actress; she uses her martial arts skills to perform stunts in popular action movies. Before becoming an actress, she was quite popular in the MMA scene, being termed the face of women's MMA. In 2008, she was named in a Top 10 Influential Women list.

CM Punk is an American retired professional wrestler and mixed martial artist. CM Punk is one of the first independent wrestlers to have achieved tremendous success in WWE; his success served as a precedent for other independent wrestlers. Over the years, CM Punk has influenced and inspired popular wrestlers like Seth Rollins, Adam Cole, and Rhea Ripley.

Nate Diaz is an American mixed martial artist with experience of competing in several promotions, such as Strikeforce, World Extreme Cagefighting, and Pancrase. He is currently signed with the UFC and is tied with Joseph Edward Lauzon Jr. for the second-most bonus awards. In 2007, Nate Diaz took part in the fifth season of the reality TV series Ultimate Fighter.

Kimbo Slice, dubbed The King of the Web Brawlers by Rolling Stone, gained fame for his mutual combat street fights. He dabbled in MMA, boxing, and wrestling, eventually signing with EliteXC and competing in UFC. A little over a year after signing with Bellator MMA, he died of heart failure.

Mixed martial artist, Tito Ortiz, is currently signed to the Combate Americas promotion. In the past, he has worked with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and was the Light Heavyweight Champion for three years. He also owns an MMA training gym and an MMA equipment and clothing line. In 2020, he ventured into politics. 

Mixed martial artist T. J. Dillashaw is currently signed with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). He is a two-time UFC Bantamweight Champion. Interested in wrestling from a young age, he made his professional debut in 2010 and went on to achieve much success. He tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug in 2019 and was suspended for two years.

Holly Holm is a mixed martial artist. A former world champion in boxing, Holm currently competes in the UFC and holds the distinction of being the first fighter to hold a UFC title and a world boxing title. Her win against Ronda Rousey at UFC 193 is regarded as one of the biggest upsets in the history of combat sports.

Dominick Cruz is an American mixed martial artist. Renowned for his quick striking, powerful wrestling base, and unorthodox movement, Cruz is one of the most agile competitors in the history of mixed martial arts. A two-time Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Bantamweight champion, Dominick Cruz is currently one of the most popular competitors at the UFC.

Chuck Liddell is a retired mixed martial artist. He participated in 23 fights in the UFC and is a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. He is widely credited with bringing MMA into mainstream American entertainment. He was featured on the cover of ESPN The Magazine in 2007. He was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2009. 

Randy Couture is a former U.S. Army sergeant and retired mixed martial artist. He currently works as an actor. He began his career as an army man and later turned to mixed martial arts. In this field, he was a three-time UFC Heavyweight Champion. After quitting UFC, he became an actor and starred in the hit film The Hard Way. 

Eddie Alvarez is an American MMA fighter who fights for ONE Championship. A former UFC and Bellator MMA fighter, Alvarez has held the UFC Lightweight Championship as well as the Bellator Lightweight World Championship. He is credited with being Bellator MMA's first Lightweight champion. He is also the first person to have won championships in both UFC and Bellator MMA. 

Quinton Jackson is a mixed martial artist and former professional wrestler turned actor. He is famous for his eccentric personality traits and aggressive style of fighting. He is credited with making MMA a popular sport worldwide. As an actor, he has appeared in a few films, including Miss March and Bad Guys. He is a controversial person. 

Chael Sonnen is a retired mixed martial artist. He is also a submission grappling promoter and mixed martial arts (MMA) analyst. He began his mixed martial arts career in 1997 and soon became a top contender in both the light heavyweight and middleweight divisions of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). He has also made a few film appearances. 

Paige VanZant is an American mixed martial artist, model, and author. Although she spent over 13 years exploring dance forms like hip hop, ballet, and jazz in a dance studio owned by her parents, VanZant took up martial arts during her teenage years and went on to compete in Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). A multi-talented personality, VanZant also loves hunting.

Matt Hughes is a retired mixed martial artist widely considered one of the greatest fighters in the history of MMA. He is a two-time UFC Welterweight Champion. He is also counted among the greatest welterweight fighters of all time. His autobiography, Made in America, is a New York Times bestseller. He hosts the hunting program Trophy Hunters TV. 

MMA fighter Travis Browne is a renowned heavyweight who is known for his association with the UFC. He had an undefeated streak for his first 14 professional matches. He was interested in basketball before he ventured into Brazilian jiu-jitsu at 26. He is nicknamed Hapa, because of his mixed ancestry.

Bas Rutten is a Dutch–American actor, former kickboxer, mixed martial artist, and professional wrestler. A former UFC Heavyweight Champion and a King of Pancrase world champion, Rutten finished his career on a high as he remained unbeaten for the last 22 fights of his career. In 2015, Bas Rutten was made an inductee of the UFC Hall of Fame.

Andrei Arlovski, also known as “The Pitbull,” is a Belarusian MMA fighter who is known for his UFC Heavyweight Championship win. He has also appeared in films such as Universal Soldier: Regeneration and been part of shows such as MTV's Bully Beatdown. He has competed for Strikeforce and Affliction, too.

Dan Henderson is a retired mixed martial artist, who last competed as a middleweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He was the Rings: King of Kings 1999 Tournament Champion. He began his mixed martial arts career in 1997. At the time of his retirement in 2016, he was the oldest fighter on the UFC roster. 

Shayna Baszler is an American WWE wrestler and former WWE women's tag team champion. Before signing with WWE, Baszler was a mixed martial artist. She served as an important spokesperson in a movement, which was initiated to create an athletic commission for combat sports in South Dakota. A multi-talented personality, Shayna Baszler is also a certified Emergency Medical Technician.