Fansided

30 greatest UFC fighters of all time

By Richard Ferraina

UNIVERSAL CITY, CALIFORNIA - JULY 08: Henry Cejudo's UFC Championship belt is displayed at "Extra" at Universal Studios Hollywood on July 08, 2019 in Universal City, California. (Photo by Noel Vasquez/Getty Images)
UNIVERSAL CITY, CALIFORNIA - JULY 08: Henry Cejudo's UFC Championship belt is displayed at "Extra" at Universal Studios Hollywood on July 08, 2019 in Universal City, California. (Photo by Noel Vasquez/Getty Images) /
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Randy Couture (Photo by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images)
Randy Couture (Photo by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images) /

14. Randy Couture

Randy Couture has quite the resume with the UFC. Couture was a three-time heavyweight champion and two-time light heavyweight champion and he also won an interim title, making him a six-time UFC champion. Couture was the first multi-division champion in the UFC, was 9-6 in a record 15 title fights, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2006.

Couture started fighting in 1997 with the UFC, winning the UFC 13 heavyweight tournament and defeating Vitor Belfort and then Maurice Smith for his first championship. Couture later vacated the title due to a contract dispute but returned in 2000 and defeated Kevin Randleman to win back the heavyweight title. Couture defended the title twice, both against Pedro Rizzo before losing to Josh Barnett.

From there Couture moved down to light heavyweight and claimed the interim belt in a win against Chuck Liddell, later unifying it with a win against Tito Ortiz. Couture lost and then reclaimed the title against Belfort, making him a two-time champion in two divisions. Couture lost the title again, failing to get past Chuck Liddell twice, and moved back up to heavyweight.

Couture won his fifth title, beating heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia before losing to Brock Lesnar. Couture is the only fighter to win a championship while being in the Hall of Fame and is the oldest fighter to be a champion at age 43. Couture bounced between both weight classes to finish off his career, facing future ONE FC champion Brendan Vera, boxer James Toney, and Mark Coleman in the first-ever Hall of Famer vs. Hall of Famer fight in 2010. Couture’s last fight was against Lyoto Machida at UFC 129.

Couture retired in 2011 with a 16-9 overall record and two performance bonuses with the organization and established Team Quest with fellow fighters Matt Lindland and Dan Henderson, eventually opening his own chain of gyms known as Xtreme Couture. Couture now works for the Professional Fighters League.

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