UFC 137 Fight Card: B.J. Penn and the Fighters with the Most Octagon Appearances

A former champion in the lightweight and welterweight divisions, B.J. Penn has become a staple in the UFC roster. One of the most successful fighters in MMA history, Penn has made more Octagon appearances than almost every fighter to compete in the organization.

With his fight against Nick Diaz at UFC 137, Penn will enter the Octagon for the 21st time, which will move him into fifth place in all-time UFC appearances. 

Who are the four fighters with more fights under the UFC banner?

Let's take a look at the top 12 most experienced UFC veterans of all time.

T8. Chris Leben

Octagon Appearances: 18

A cast member on Season 1 of "The Ultimate Fighter," Chris Leben has been with the UFC for more than six years. Add Leben's willingness to take fights on short notice to his long tenure and it is easy to comprehend why Leben is one of the most experienced fighters in UFC history.

T8. Frank Mir

Octagon Appearances: 18

Heading into his UFC debut, Frank Mir had only two professional fights under his belt. Despite his lack of experience as a UFC newcomer, Mir has become one of the more successful heavyweights in the organization's history and is approaching a decade of employment with the promotion.

T8. Georges St-Pierre

Octagon Appearances: 18

Although he only turned 30 years old in May, Georges St-Pierre is already one of the most decorated and experienced fighters in the UFC. It has been nearly eight years since St-Pierre first stepped into the Octagon for a bout with Karo Parisyan at UFC 46.

T8. Rich Franklin

Octagon Appearances: 18

At 37 years old, Rich Franklin is nearing the end of his career, so it's not surprising that he's amounted more UFC fights than the aforementioned fighters. From the time he joined the UFC in 2003 through 2009, Franklin averaged three fights per year, though some of those bouts were fought outside of the UFC.

T8. Tank Abbott

Octagon Appearances: 18

The UFC will likely never see another individual the likes of Tank Abbott. While he is one of the most interesting characters MMA has ever seen, the possibility of a fighter with a losing record, which Abbott has, competing in the organization for such a long period of time seems impossible nowadays. 

7. Josh Koscheck

Octagon Appearances: 19

Like Frank Mir, Josh Koscheck only had two professional fights before joining the UFC. A contestant on Season 1 of "The Ultimate Fighter," Koscheck's outstanding wrestling background has helped him achieve plenty of success in MMA.

T5. Chris Lytle

Octagon Appearances: 20

Incredibly, Chris Lytle finished his career, which consisted of more than 50 fights, without ever being knocked out or submitted. Lytle's toughness and exciting style allowed him to end his very respectable career with a UFC victory over Dan Hardy.

T5. B.J. Penn

Octagon Appearances: 20

After his bout with Nick Diaz on Saturday, B.J. Penn will break his tie with Chris Lytle for most Octagon appearances, putting him all alone in fifth place in UFC history. Penn still has some gas left in the tank, so he could finish his career with more UFC fights than any other fighter in MMA history.

4. Chuck Liddell

Octagon Appearances: 23

After suffering knockout losses in three straight fights, Chuck Liddell's MMA career came to an end with 23 UFC fights on his record. Although his career didn't end how he would've liked, Liddell will go down as one of the best to ever compete in the sport.

3. Randy Couture

Octagon Appearances: 24

When a fighter competes until the age of 47, it shouldn't come as a surprise to see them in the record books for most fights in an organization. Had Couture started fighting at a younger age, he may have had the most Octagon appearances by a long shot.

T1. Matt Hughes

Octagon Appearances: 25

Tied for the most UFC fights in the organization's history, Matt Hughes will go down as one of the best fighters of his generation. Even more impressive than his number of fights inside the Octagon is the fact that about half of those bouts took place with the welterweight title on the line. 

T1. Tito Ortiz

Octagon Appearances: 25

Had Tito Ortiz lost to Ryan Bader at UFC 132, his UFC career would have come to an end. However, Ortiz rocked Bader early in that fight and secured a submission to keep his legendary career alive, which allowed him to keep pace with Matt Hughes for the most Octagon appearances in MMA history.