The 25 Most Complete Fighters in MMA Today

Complete: Having all parts or elements; lacking nothing.

While achieving completeness is easy in some aspects of life, it is not so in others. It is easy to complete a book, eat a complete pizza or be a complete idiot. But it is not easy to be a complete mixed martial artist.

When we transfer the definition of "complete" into the cage, our scope of assessment turns to combatants that have all elements necessary for success.

The elements of successful mixed martial artists are subjective, so we will establish some fundamental criteria for the purpose of this list.

First, overall success is not the basis for the ranking. Some fighters have a singular skill that is so strong they find success quicker than others with a full arsenal. This ranking is based on completeness.

Second, completeness entails the ability to succeed in all realms of MMA. This does not mean a fighter must excel in every martial art. Rather, a fighter who employs multiple methods of attack and defense is deemed complete.

Simple enough?

On with the show...

25: Evan Dunham

Dunham gets the nod over fellow lightweight standouts Clay Guida and Gilbert Melendez, as well as TUF alum, John Dodson, for the 25 spot on the list. 

Dunham has compiled 13 professional wins, including three knockouts, six submissions and four decisions. The Xtreme Couture product comes from a wrestling background but has embraced the submission side of the sport and boasts above average striking.

Though some lightweights have singular skills that make them more dangerous than Dunham, few have such a sprawling collection of tools to work with. 

24: Luke Rockhold

Rockhold has won six of nine fights via submission, but the stats do not do justice to the Strikeforce middleweight champion's striking.

The American Kickboxing Academy standout has developed a very sound standup game, utilizing a varied arsenal of punches and kicks. While he has turned into a threat on his feet, Rockhold remains an excellent wrestler and a dangerous submission specialist.

23: Jim Miller

Miller is of the same prototype as Evan Dunham. Both guys come from wrestling backgrounds but can throw hands when need be.

Over half of Miller's wins have come by submission, which speaks volumes about both his wrestling and submission skills.

22: Hector Lombard

Those who only recently began following Lombard's career know him as a striker, but the Cuba native is anything but a one-dimensional fighter.

Lombard's primary assets are his boxing and Olympic-level judo; he is a powerful striker and deadly in the clinch. But, he also sports a sound jiu-jitsu game, which has allowed him to post seven submission wins in 33 career fights.

His penchant for striking tends to veil his other capabilities, but make no mistake, Lombard can win a fight anywhere it takes him.

21: Chris Weidman

Weidman only has eight professional fights to his name, but the 27-year-old has already developed a well-rounded skill set.

His perfect 8-0 record conveys Weidman's overall talent, but it's his mix of three knockouts, two submissions and three decisions that points to completeness.

Weidman's best assets are his wrestling and grappling, but he has shown off improved striking over his last three contests.

20: Renan "Barao" Pegado

Barao is on a ridiculous 28-fight win streak composed of six knockouts, 13 submissions and nine decisions.

While he is mostly regarded for his jiu-jitsu wizardry, Barao has bested some of the bantamweight's top strikers in recent bouts, scoring wins over Brad Pickett and Scott Jorgensen.

The Brazilian's wrestling has looked solid since his days in the WEC but remains untested by a truly elite wrestler to this point.

19: Jose Aldo

Another Brazilian with a potent mix of striking and jiu-jitsu, Aldo has set himself apart from the field of the featherweight division.

Though mostly known for his thunderous leg kicks and precision punching, Aldo has exhibited sensational takedown defense against terrific wrestlers like Mike Brown and Chad Mendes.

The featherweight kingpin also sports some nice jiu-jitsu credentials. 

18: Anderson Silva

Most of what applies to Aldo is transferable to Silva. 

"The Spider" is a true master on the feet and reminded fans and fighters alike that he is no pushover on the mat when he submitted Chael Sonnen in August, 2010.

His takedown defense is superb, allowing him to keep the fight standing, where he excels over any fighter in the middleweight division. 

17: Nate Marquardt

Marquardt has fallen on hard times. He has not fought in over a year but has not been able to escape the ire of detractors, despite the lengthy absence.

But hate and steroid accusations aside, Marquardt is a very solid and well-rounded fighter.

Marquardt is an above average boxer, good wrestler and very good submission artist. In 31 career wins, Nate "The Great" has racked up 10 knockouts, 13 submissions and eight decisions.

16: Martin Kampmann

The "Hitman" is a kickboxer by trade but is more than capable of finishing his opponents with a slick submission. In fact, in 24 career MMA bouts, the Dane has won as many times by submission as by knockout (seven of each). He has never been submitted but has been knocked out three times.

In addition to his finishing skills, Kampmann has proven to be a competent wrestler in his recent tussles against takedown-machines Jake Shields, Diego Sanchez and Rick Story.

15: Fedor Emelianenko

If you think the Marquardt pick more appropriate for a list made a few years back, hang on to your hat.

No fighter's star has fallen harder than Fedor's over the past year and a half. The Russian legend went from the greatest fighter in the world to heavyweight whipping boy at break-neck speed.

Though recent wins over Jeff Monson and Satoshi Ishii have done little to convince anyone the Fedor of old is back, those victories do show "The Last Emperor" has some fight left in him after all.

Fedor made his name by fighting fearlessly. He grappled with grapplers, clinched with wrestlers and struck with strikers. He beat them all.

Though a husk of his former self, Fedor remains one of the more well-rounded mixed martial artists on the planet. 

And no one, NO ONE, rocks a sweater like Fedor.

14: Ian McCall

McCall sojourned into the mainstream with a draw against Demetrious Johnson earlier this March.

Though a lot of fans have not had the opportunity to see "Uncle Creepy" beyond that match, his stats are a good indicator of how well-rounded a fighter he is.

McCall owns an 11-2 record, with four knockouts, three submissions and four decisions.

13: Frankie Edgar

Edgar entered the sport as a wrestler but quickly developed some of the best hands in the lightweight division. 

Previous battles are enough to know that "The Answer" is a complete fighter, but his recent tussles depict Edgar as a striker more than anything else.

12: Urijah Faber

Urijah is a finisher, plain and simple. In 31 professional bouts, "The California Kid" has 26 wins, with 21 of them coming by knockout (nine) or submission (12).

Faber's base is wrestling, but he has become very submission-oriented on the mat as a mixed martial artist. 

On the feet, Faber will try anything. His arsenal is as full as Roy Nelson's belly after a victory dinner at Burger King.

11: Erik Koch

The aptly named "New Breed" is a champion of the incoming generation of mixed martial artists. Rather than building around a single discipline, Koch has developed a cohesive style fit for MMA.

Sporting a 13-1 record with 10 finishes, Koch has put the featherweight division on notice. 

At 23 years of age, Koch is one of the most exciting and promising up-and-comers in the entire sport.

10: Pat Curran

Curran is the most well-rounded fighter outside the UFC. 

With five knockouts, five submissions and seven decisions in the win column, Curran is the model of a complete fighter.

Beyond what the stats show, Curran employs a range of strikes and submissions. He works equally well for takedowns whether shooting in or from the clinch. 

9: Brian Ebersole

How's this for well-rounded: 49 wins—15 knockouts, 19 submissions and 15 decisions.

Ebersole was a late bloomer, but he didn't let the opportunity to shine slip away when it finally arrived.

Since debuting in the UFC with an upset win over Chris Lytle, Ebersole has reeled off two more victories, positioning himself as a contender in the welterweight division.

Ebersole is comfortable wherever the fight takes him, which is a valuable asset in a division composed of vicious strikers and dominant wrestlers.

8: Rory MacDonald

MacDonald is the embodiment of the "new MMA fighter." 

Since turning pro at age 16, MacDonald has earned 12 wins, including five knockouts and six submissions. The Canadian phenom utilizes each of his limbs to make up a terrific striking game, is comfortable going all-in on submission attempts from the top or bottom and has some of the best takedowns from the clinch in the welterweight division.

Few MMA veterans of 10-plus years in the sport come as close to being as complete of a fighter as MacDonald already is at age 22.

7: Dominick Cruz

Dominick Cruz employs some of the most unique and effective striking in all of MMA. His style defies categorization and can only be described through the visual sense. Click here to see a description of how Cruz fights.

Beyond the wild in-and-out striking game, Cruz is a phenomenal wrestler and a capable submission fighter. He has only one submission to his name but so does jiu-jitsu ace Mauricio Rua. Even B.J. Penn has been slow in racking up submissions, but that number is not the only indicator of a fighter's ground game.

Cruz exercises excellent top control and is capable of performing some nice sweeps on the rare occasions he finds himself on his back.

6: Benson Henderson

Henderson made a name for himself as a wrestler in the WEC. He has always been capable of taking his opponents to the mat but showed in his fight with Frankie Edgar that he is one of the most well-rounded fighters alive.

Henderson out-struck Edgar for the better part of 25 minutes en route to becoming the UFC lightweight champion. 

"Smooth" seems like he will be a tough champion to dethrone, having exhibited slick submissions, ungodly submission defense, a massive build, wrestling dominance and a new-found striking prowess.

5: Anthony Pettis

In 15 career victories, Anthony Pettis has amassed six knockouts, six submissions and two decisions. He is athletically gifted and has shown the ability to improve in leaps and bounds. 

"Showtime" possesses a massive striking arsenal and one of the more dangerous guards at 155 pounds. Coupled with his improving wrestling skills, these attributes serve to make Pettis one of the most complete fighters in the UFC. 

4: B.J. Penn

Though Penn entered the UFC as a jiu-jitsu world champion, he has become known for having some of the best boxing skills in MMA.

The 33-year-old has had difficulty finding success of late but remains one of the most complete fighters to have ever graced the Octagon.

Penn has notched seven knockouts and six submissions over 16 career wins. He has a legendary chin, solid hands, stifling takedown defense, a good clinch and one of the better ground games in the sport. 

The problem that has plagued Penn throughout his career is a lack of cardio and discipline.  

3: Joseph Benavidez

Before dropping down to participate in the UFC's flyweight grand prix, Benavidez was regarded as the second-best bantamweight on the planet, next to UFC champion Dominick Cruz.

Benavidez is predominantly a wrestler and submission fighter but has developed some pretty nasty standup game as of late.

His most recent win came via a devastating knockout over Japanese standout, Yasuhiro Urushitani. This was not the first time Benavidez, the grappler, outstruck an opponent thought to have the edge in striking.

Benavidez is one of the most complete fighters around, and it is only a matter of time before he is regarded as one of MMA's pound-for-pound best.

2: Georges St-Pierre

GSP is one of the best strikers in the welterweight division. He is also the division's best wrestler. Throw in some terrific submission defense and an unlimited source of energy and you've got an extremely versatile competitor. 

It is hard to find a weakness in the French-Canadian's game. Detractors will point to his inability to finish top-level competition as of late, but this trend does little to compromise St-Pierre's status as one of the most well-rounded fighters of all-time.

1: Jon Jones

Like St-Pierre, Jones seems to master any technique he wants to add to his bag of tricks.

"Bones" is an excellent striker, amazing wrestler and efficient jiu-jitsu practitioner.  

There really isn't a lot Jones can't do. It's true we have yet to see him on his back, but at this point it seems more likely than not that he would excel in that position as well. I mean, why wouldn't he?