4 Old Guard UFC Fighters Who Can Still Hang with the Best of Them

Photo courtesy of en.susumug.com

In the UFC today there are many fighters.

Some are young and looking to make an impact in the sport.

Some are in the middle, veterans of the sport who are searching for title shots, money and respect.

Then there are the old guard UFC fighters. Fighters from a previous generation that are able to hold their own against the best the UFC has to offer them.

They are living legends, with highlights of their exploits from years past.

These fighters should never be underestimated in a fight because despite their age, they may still hold some incredible tricks.

Age is just a number, after all.

Mark Hunt

Mark Hunt is as much a cult symbol as he is a fighter.

He is a veteran of K-1 and Pride, and is four fights into his UFC career.

Despite being 38 years old, Hunt is still making a name for himself in the UFC's heavyweight division.

He came into the UFC and dropped his first fight via straight armbar to Sean McCorkle. Since that loss he has reeled off three straight wins, with the most notable being a knockout victory over Cheick Kongo.

Hunt has shown that he is a force to be reckoned with in the heavyweight division. He owns knockout power, and will present a challenge to any fighter he faces.

His next fight is against the much improved Stefan Struve. Veteran vs. young lion? Sign me up.

Mike Pyle

Josh Holmberg-USA TODAY Sports

Mike Pyle started his Mixed Martial Arts career way back in 1999.

By comparison, in 1999 I had no idea what MMA was because I was six years old.

Recently, Pyle has looked the best he ever has, despite being 37 years old. He started off with a nice technical knockout win over Ricardo Funch.

He topped that with a punch that put Josh Neer to sleep on the canvas. In his most recent fight, he defeated the much bigger James Head with a beautiful knee and ground and pound.

Pyle appears to have realized just how good he really is. He's found his groove and is putting the welterweight division on notice.

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira

Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira is a living MMA legend.

He was a feared competitor in Pride, and that has translated over into his UFC career.

Nogueira has withstood the test of time, especially when he beat much younger fighters, such as Brendan Schaub and Dave Herman.

Nogueira has excellent boxing and some of the best submissions in the heavyweight division. He's still a threat and should never be taken lightly in a fight.

Dan Henderson

Photo courtesy of UFC.com

Dan Henderson is the definition of living legend.

He is 42 years young, and his career is still on an upward swing.

He is currently riding  a four-fight winning streak with victories over Fedor Emelianenko, and most recently Mauricio "Shogun" Rua.

Hendo went toe-to-toe with Rua for five rounds, and they produced one of the best fights of 2011.

Henderson was set to face young champion Jon Jones, but had to pull out of the bout because of an injury.

Hendo earning his title shot proved that even at 42, he can hang with the young guns of the division.

He has high-level wrestling, and the feared H-bomb. Henderson is the golden standard that being old doesn't mean you're not a good fighter.

Age is just a number, and Henderson knows that better than anyone.

 

Tweet me @FuscoNation16.