Michael Bisping, Dan Hardy and The Top 25 European Fighters In MMA Today

As the UFC and other MMA promotions continue to expand their rosters and the reach of their brands, it stands to reason that areas outside the sport's traditional power corridors will begin to get fresh looks from talent scouts and matchmakers.

To a large extent, that means Europe. Though typically flush with kickboxers and judo champions, Europe has labored under several historical disadvantages (such as a lack of a national competitive wrestling infrastructure) that have stymied its ability to produce complete mixed martial artists who can compete on the global stage.

There is evidence, however, that this may be changing. The world is flat, after all, and information doesn't travel by carrier pigeon anymore. European fighters and trainers now circle the globe in search of the best instruction, and in the process are quickly closing the gaps between themselves and some of their counterparts on other continents.

They still have a ways to go, but the fact that the UFC and other promotions seem to be snapping up fresh European prospects like minnows is proof positive that the tide is turning.

Here are the 25 best fighters—young and old, established and emerging, obscure and familiar, champions and challengers—that Europe has to offer. Altogether, they represent about a dozen countries.

So sit back, relax and enjoy the long strings of consonants as they go whizzing through the air.

Honorable Mentions

Jon Olav Einemo (6-2)
Aleksander Emelianenko (17-4)
Tomasz Drwal (18-4-1)
Marcus Vanttinen (20-3)
Jonas Billstein (9-1)
Gunnar Nelson (8-0-1)
Jimi Manuwa (9-0)
Jan Blachowicz (13-3)
John Hathaway (15-1)
Stefan Struve (21-5)

And before you ask:

Manny Gamburyan and Krzysztof Soszyński, though born in Europe, both immigrated to North America at age 10, and have lived and trained there since. So strictly speaking, they do not qualify (in my book) as purely European fighters.

25. Pascal Krauss

Weight class: Welterweight
Promotion: UFC
Country: Germany
Record:  10-0

In his Octagon debut, Krauss picked up a Fight of the Night bonus for his unanimous decision win over Mark Scanlon at UFC 122.

24. Cyrille Diabate

Weight class:  Light heavyweight
Promotion: UFC
Country: France
Record:  17-7

The longtime MMA veteran entered the Octagon for the first time last May. He has gone 2-1 since, losing only to Alexander Gustafsson (and more on him later).

23. Alexander Shlemenko

Weight class:  Middleweight
Promotion: Bellator
Country: Russia
Record:  39-7

Lot of fights—and a lot of wins—for a guy who's only 27.

Though he lost his title shot to Hector Lombard last fall, Shlemenko still impressed plenty of observers by winning Bellator’s season 2 middleweight tournament.

22. Joachim Hansen

Weight class:  Featherweight/Bantamweight
Promotion: DREAM
Country: Norway
Record:  22-10-1

Hansen is a seasoned veteran and submissions expert who would provide great depth for either of these burgeoning weight classes in the UFC.

21. Paul Sass

Weight class: Lightweight
Promotion: UFC
Country: England
Record:  11-0

All he did in his UFC debut was earn Submission of the Night honors by finishing Mark Holst by triangle choke, a move he has now used to win eight of his 11 professional fights.

20. Ross Pearson

Weight class: Lightweight
Promotion: UFC
Country: England
Record:  12-4

The English fire hydrant has a huge fight this August, when he faces Muay Thai destroyer Edson Barboza at UFC 134 in Rio.

19. Guram Gugenishvili

Weight class: Heavyweight
Promotion: M-1 Global
Country: Georgia
Record:  11-0

M-1 Global's reigning heavyweight champ has only been taken out of the first round twice. At 6'5" and 249, he is large. He is also mean. And hairy. VERY hairy.

18. Dan Hardy

Weight class:  Welterweight
Promotion:  UFC (for now)
Country: England
Record:  23-9-1

He has definitely fallen on hard times—and if he loses again, he may not be long for this list—but he still has more than 20 professional wins and several high-profile scalps to his name.

17. Tom “Kong” Watson

Weight class:  Middleweight
Promotion: BAMMA
Country: England
Record:  14-4

BAMMA's current middleweight champ is a member of Greg Jackson’s camp in Albuquerque, N.M. His last victory came in May over famed MMA sibling Murilo “Ninja” Rua.

16. Christian M’Pumbu

Weight class: Light heavyweight
Promotion: Bellator
Country: France
Record:  18-3-1

The current Bellator light heavyweight champ, whose last five wins have come by a striking-related stoppage, could go even farther up this list if he can successfully defend the title.  

15. Vyacheslav Vasilevsky

Weight class: Light heavyweight
Promotion: Pro Fights/M-1 Global
Country: Russia
Record:  15-1

M-1 Global's current light heavyweight champion is one of the most exciting prospects on the European scene.

14. Mirko “Cro Cop”Filipovic

Weight class: Heavyweight
Promotion: UFC
Country: Croatia
Record: 29-9-2-1

He may not be what he once was, but he is still a legit opponent with legendary status in the sport.

And, because I never get tired of saying it:  "Right leg, hospital. Left leg, cemetery."

13. Mamed Khalidov

Weight class:  Middleweight/Light heavyweight
Promotion: KSW
Country: Chechnya
Record:  23-4-2

One of Europe's most well-rounded fighters, Khalidov is currently riding a three-fight win streak, with his most recent victory coming in May over Matt Lindland.

12. Alexander Gustafsson

Weight class:  Light heavyweight
Promotion: UFC
Country: Sweden
Record:  11-1

The powerful 24-year-old Swede is now 3-1 in the UFC, with his only loss coming to phenom Phil Davis. An August bout with Vladimir Matyushenko—a man 16 years his senior—could determine whether a changing of the guard is afoot among the Euros at 205.

11. Martin Kampmann

Weight class: Welterweight
Promotion: UFC
Country: Denmark
Record:  17-5

He has now dropped two straight, although one of those came against the pile of raw hamburger that was Diego Sanchez before The Hitman got ahold of him.

Still, the talented and charismatic if slightly up-and-down Kampann could use a win to reestablish his footing among the UFC's contenders at welterweight.

10. Cheick Kongo

Weight class:  Heavyweight
Promotion: UFC
Country: France
Record:  16-6-2

Kongo is often dismissed as a gatekeeper in the UFC heavyweight division. And that's fine. Because he is a gatekeeper.

But the fact is that few European fighters have even risen that far on the sport's biggest stage. His knockout-for-the-ages a few weeks ago against Pat Barry may have given the 36-year-old Kongo's career more momentum than it has seen in quite a while.

9. Vladimir Matyushenko

Weight class: Light heavyweight
Promotion: UFC
Country: Belarus
Record:  26-5

Look up "grizzled European MMA veteran" in the dictionary, and you get this photo. Go ahead! They made it a term just for The Janitor.

After Jon Jones wiped the floor with him, back-to-back wins showed that Matyushenko was still game for a fight. We'll see if he truly still has his fastball when he tangles with Gustafsson this August.

8. Paul Daley

Weight class: Welterweight 
Promotion: Strikeforce
Country: England
Record:  27-10-2

Despite hitting a bit of a rough patch lately, Semtex is still one of the best pound-for-pound power strikers in mixed martial arts.

7. Dennis Siver

Weight class: Lightweight 
Promotion: UFC
Country: Germany
Record:  19-7

A controversial decision win put Siver on the defensive, but it also put this rock-solid kickboxer's win streak at four and his overall record at 7-1 during his second career tour of the Octagon.

6. Brad Pickett

Weight class:  Bantamweight
Promotion: UFC
Country: England
Record:  20-5

He should change his nickname from “One Punch” to “I could not be any more British-looking if I tried." I think his gloves should be pipe-colored.

5. Gegard Mousasi

Weight class:  Light heavyweight
Promotion: Strikeforce
Country: The Netherlands
Record:  30-3-2

Too high? Shmoo high.

How's that for debate?

Yes, he lost his Strikeforce belt to King Mo Lawal. But he still has the DREAM strap, and is set to defend it July 16. A rematch with Lawal or another high-profile bout will likely be in the offing for this 25-year-old Fedor Emelianenko protege and 2012 Olympic boxing hopeful.

4. Michael Bisping

Weight class:  Middleweight   
Promotion: UFC
Country: England
Record:  21-3

I know, I know. You don't care for his attitude. He has no power. He has no wrestling. His antics leave you cold.

But the fact is, in the weight class rankings I've read, only one European fighter consistently ranks higher than Bisping as of right now. Like it or not, he's accomplished a lot in the UFC, and deserves respect for his elite skill set.

3. Sergei Kharitonov

Weight class: Heavyweight
Promotion: Strikeforce
Country: Russia
Record:  18-4

For my money, one of the heaviest brawlers and all-around underrated fighters—of any nationality—in the game today, and a dark horse to win this year's Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix.

I can't talk this guy up enough. He is just a terrific fighter, and more people should pay attention.

2. Alistair Overeem

Weight class:  Heavyweight
Promotion:  Strikeforce
Country: The Netherlands
Record:  35-11-1

As the third-ranked heavyweight in the world on most rankings, Overeem is the only European who, at the moment, ranks consistently higher than Bisping. 

His upcoming fight with Antonio Silva will say a lot—a LOT—about where Overeem ranks on the grand scale of European fighters, and in the MMA landscape of the last decade. Not that I'm into hyperbole or anything.

1. Fedor Emelianenko

Weight class: Heavyweight
Promotion: Strikeforce
Country: Russia
Record:  31-3-1

He's a little older these days. And he's lost a step, sure. But one of these European fighters is going to have to make a big move to knock The Last Emperor from this particular throne. To this point, it hasn't happened.