Ever since Khabib Nurmagomedov went 29-0 in his MMA career (and Floyd Mayweather went 50-0 in boxing), undefeated records have been all of the rage in combat sports. Nurmagomedov, who is clearly one of the greatest UFC fighters ever, is the only athlete to retire from the promotion with his record unblemished.
There are tons of up-and-coming UFC fighters (and some who are pretty well-established) who still hold onto their zero and have ambitions of ending their career like Nurmagomedov did. That is certainly easier said than done, though, considering championship-caliber fighters get matched up against other elite athletes. For example, two of the most popular undefeated fighters are scheduled to face each other at UFC 310.
After Belal Muhammad pulled out of his championship bout with the 18-0 Shavkat Rakhmonov, the UFC found a replacement fighter for “Nomad” by the name of Ian Machado Garry (15-0). Both fighters have dominated throughout their careers so far and can easily be future champions, but someone won’t be able to claim that they are undefeated after Dec. 7, 2024.
Because one of the best unbeaten fighters will be losing their undefeated title, we decided to rank the 10 best active undefeated fighters in the UFC. There are currently 25 active UFC fighters (with at least 10 wins) who are still undefeated, so check out the gallery to see who is the best of the best for a big group of fighters who don’t know what it feels like to suffer defeat.
*Note: To qualify for this list, an undefeated fighter must have at least 10 wins in their MMA career. For example, Bo Nickal, with a 7-0 record, won’t appear.*
1. Ilia Topuria (16-0)
The only champion on this list, Ilia Topuria, is the best undefeated MMA fighter in the world. There are those out there who think he has future G.O.A.T potential because he has one of the most versatile and dynamic skill sets that we’ve ever seen. El Matador has been fighting big names in the 145-pound division – arguably the best weight class in the UFC currently – since the beginning of his tenure with the promotion.
Topuria dominated well-known fighters such as Damon Jackson, Ryan Hall, Bryce Mitchell, and Josh Emmett before getting a shot at featherweight gold, and he became the Featherweight Champion after knocking out Alexander Volkanovski. Prior to that, Volkanovski was a dominant champion and a fighter who had already established himself as one of the best UFC athletes ever.
Most recently, Topuria defended his belt against Max Holloway. Although Holloway’s BMF belt wasn’t on the line, collecting a win against the UFC’s baddest motherf***** and the all-time leader in strikes was still very impressive. Topuria is a complete fighter, as he has the wrestling, the striking, the kickboxing, and the grappling all at elite levels. He might not have the most wins of the undefeated UFC fighters right now, but he certainly has the potential to go the longest time without losing his zero.
2. Shavkat Rakhmonov (18-0)
While Topuria is the only current champion on this list, Shavkat Rakhmonov was supposed to have a chance to fight for the Welterweight Championship and, therefore, prove himself to the MMA world. That fight was supposed to be at UFC 310 against Belal Muhammad, but when Muhammad was forced to pull out of the fight, Rakhmonov was forced to settle for a number one contender match against Ian Machado Garry.
For Rakhmonov, it doesn’t matter who you put in front of him. All 18 of his victories were finishes, which is an extremely astonishing fact. That includes finishes against UFC competition in all six of his fights at the highest level in MMA. While Rakhmonov certainly has impressive striking, it is his submission ability that really stands out. Whether it is a rear naked choke or a guillotine choke, the fighter from Uzbekistan knows how to get on people’s backs and make them tap.
Rakhmonov’s record is not only flawless, but he hasn’t even really suffered any bumps in the road yet. The only reason that Topuria ranks higher than him, other than the fact he has a belt, is because Rakhmonov has predominantly only faced strikers in the UFC. His biggest wins are against Neil Magny, Geoff Neal, and Stephen Thompson, all of which have questionable takedown defense/ground ability. If Rakhmonov continues to prove himself, though, he can certainly pass Topuria, especially considering his 18 wins are more than the Featherweight Champions’ 16.
3. Khamzat Chimaev (14-0)
Khamzat Chimaev is another fighter whose ceiling is through the roof. The Chechen fighter garnered tons of hype when he won his first three UFC fights in just over a two-month period. That included two wins in only 10 days, which was the quickest turnaround between victories in UFC history.
Chimaev is unstoppable in the early rounds, evidenced by when he most recently tapped out former champion Robert Whittaker in round one at UFC 308. Chimaev might be the best pure wrestler in the UFC. He shoots for takedowns with aggression and connects with them at a 46% clip. On the other end, he has a 100% takedown defense in the UFC.
Chimaev’s hype train has slowed down a little. Since his magnificent start, Chimaev has struggled with weight cuts and pulling out of fights, which has led to him only fighting five times since 2020. He has seemingly gotten things back on track, though, as he has found a home at middleweight and bested former Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman before defeating Whittaker. That means he has beaten a champion in each of his last two fights, all before hitting the 15-win threshold.
4. Umar Nurmagomedov (18-0)
The Nurmagomedov clan knows how to win. We already mentioned that Khabib Nurmagomedov went 29-0 in his UFC, and there is also Usman Nurmagomedov, who is the Lightweight Champion in Bellator. Usman is the cousin of Khabib and brother of Umar Nurmagomedov.
Umar could very well become a champion in the near future, too. Umar seems to be next in line to fight Merab Dvalishvili for the UFC Bantamweight Championship. His 18 wins without a loss are tied for the most in the UFC, and he is coming off of a big win against Cory Sandhagen.
Umar, like his relatives, is a dominant wrestler who applies constant pressure and thrives on the ground. Because of that, his potential fight with Dvalishvili would be interesting. The current champion is also a wrestling specialist with incredible stamina. Overall, the Nurmagomedovs are 65-0. Throw in close friend Islam Makhachev, and the foursome are 91-1. Clearly they are doing something right in Dagestan, Russia.
5. Ian Machado Garry (15-0)
As an Irish fighter, Ian Machado Garry has obviously drawn Conor McGregor comparisons. Just like McGregor, he talks a big game, and he backs it up, too. Eight of Machado Garry’s 15 wins come in the UFC, including wins over Neil Magny, Geoff Neal, and Michael Page.
Machado Garry was supposed to take on Joaquin Buckley at UFC 310, but he was offered an even bigger fight against Shavkat Rakhmonov when Belal Muhammad pulled out of their fight. This will be by far Machado Garry’s toughest matchup yet, but he is one of the few fighters who could give Rakhmonov a run for his money.
Most of the noise about Machado Garry recently has been about his personal life, but you shouldn’t overlook how much of a threat he is in the octagon. He is huge for a welterweight, and his kicking ability is off the charts. Advanced wrestling means he is well-rounded as a fighter, too, and the fighter nicknamed “The Future” will become the current number-one contender if he beats Rakhmonov.
6. Movsar Evloev (18-0)
The third 18-0 fighter in the UFC is Movsar Evloev. While he might not have the name recognition of Rakhmonov or Nurmagomedov, he is right up there in terms of talent, and he could become a household name in the near future. Evloev is taking on former Bantamweight Champion Aljamain Sterling in his next fight, which is another great battle scheduled for UFC 310.
Evloev has been criticized for having a boring style that results in decision victories, but he does what it takes to win, nonetheless. His takedown ability is clear; now he just needs to work on adding more submission moves and increasing his threat in ground-and-pound. Evloev is ranked as the fifth contender in the featherweight division.
7. Sharabutdin Magomedov (15-0)
Shara “Bullet” Magomedov has burst onto the scene in 2024. The fighter also nicknamed The Pirate made his promotional debut in 2023, and he has been much-watch TV ever since. Despite being from Dagestan, Magomedov isn’t known for his ground game. Instead, he is one of the most entertaining stand-up strikers in the world.
He throws kicks from a variety of different angles and uses unique combinations to land punches on his opponents. His most recent knockout was one of the most iconic of all time. At UFC 308, Magomedov threw a spinning backfist that was deflected, and he immediately countered into another spinning backfist that knocked out Armen Petrosyan. A double-spinning backfist just isn’t something you see.
Magomedov’s takedown defense is improving, and considering his origins, you have to assume he has potential in that department. The Pirate has all of the makings of a star. In addition to his unique and entertaining style, Magomedov also has a distinguishable look. He has a big red beard, and he is blind in one eye.
8. Michael Morales (17-0)
You will notice a common theme with up-and-coming fighters, and that is that they have to get past Neil Magny to prove themselves. Michael Morales’ most recent win came over the gatekeeper of the 170-pound division, so he could be in line for some big fights to come.
Currently, Morales is ranked as the 12th best welterweight. He is only 25 years old, so he has room to grow, but having 17 wins by age 25 is super impressive.
9. Lerone Murphy (15-0-1)
Lerone Murphy did fight to a draw in his UFC debut, but every match before and after that has ended in a victory for the English fighter. Even with a draw on his record, Murphy is still undefeated, and he is one of the best UFC fighters without a loss. Although Murphy hasn’t tasted defeat yet, he doesn’t rank as high as the fighters above him because he has had some more close calls. His recent win over Dan Ige was big, though, considering Ige gained serious momentum and notoriety after stepping up on super short notice to fight at UFC 303.
10. Azamat Murzakonov (14-0)
Azamat Murzakonov might be the least known of the undefeated UFC fighters with at least 10 MMA wins, but he is quickly rising up the ranks. He is already the number 11 contender in the light heavyweight division, and considering that Alex Pereira is running through everyone at 205 pounds, Murzakonov might be thrown into the fire for a title shot sooner rather than later.
Murzakonov hasn’t fought any big names yet, but he has displayed his knockout power with KO wins in four of his five UFC victories. While most undefeated fighters are up-and-coming, Murzakonov is on the older side. He is already 35 years old, but his strength could put anyone to sleep on the canvas.
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