The 15 Great Graybeards of MMA

Lots of things get better with age. Wine, for example. Actually, I think that's the main example.

It's tough to decide whether MMA fighters get better with age. Chances are, they're not going to stick around long enough to be considered old unless they're really good to begin with. 

That said, you probably do learn a thing or two once you've spent a decade or more in the cage. In any case, here are the 15 great graybeards of MMA today, based on age, but also on number of fights and general grizzledness. Only active and reasonably legitimate fighters considered (sorry, Judo Gene).

15. Vladimir Matyushenko

Age: 41
Record: 26-6 

Did someone say grizzledness? The Russian light heavyweight has tangled with the best over the years, from Pedro Rizzo to Jon Jones.

14. Shane Carwin

Age: 37
Record: 12-2

Carwin is still relatively young in the sport, but well past prime time for an athlete. Nevertheless, he has sworn he'll be back in action this summer, once he's recovered from surgery. 

13. Cung Le

Age: 39
Record: 7-2

And I thought my grandma's neck tendons were protuberant. Turns out I didn't know the meaning of the word.

The decorated martial artist's MMA career went on hold for acting, but he's back and plugging away, though his star potential has faded somewhat with time. At UFC 148, he'll face another one of the sport's wizened heads in Rich Franklin.

12. Rich Franklin

Age: 37
Record: 28-6 (1)

Get excited for The Permashiner's aforementioned battle with Le at UFC 148. The two combatants will sport a combined age of 76; that has to be a UFC record. (Actually, nevermind...that would be Couture/Coleman, with a combined age of 91...duh.)

Come see history get made by two guys who know a thing or two about history.  

11. Cheick Kongo

Age: 36
Record: 17-7-2 

The first guy on the list who literally lives up to the title. Maybe the beard's not entirely gray, but I definitely see some salt in there.

10. Aaron Simpson

Age: 37
Record: 11-3

Not an incredibly long record, but he's been in the pro fight game for 12 years now. After losing to whippersnapper Rony Markes in February, Simpson announced he'll move down to welterweight, where he's set to face Jon Fitch. 

9. Cyrille Diabate

Age: 38
Record: 18-8-1 

One of the UFC's oldest active fighters picked up a decision win just a couple weeks ago to run his UFC record to 3-2. By my count, Diabate fought in 14 other promotions before debuting in the Octagon in 2010. 

8. Mark Hunt

Age: 38
Record: 8-7

The New Zealander celebrated his 38th birthday last month by almost getting a shot at the UFC heavyweight belt, fresh on the heels of his February win over Cheick Kongo. 

7. Anthony Perosh

Age: 39
Record: 13-6

The Australian light heavyweight is enjoying a late-career Renaissance. After losing to fellow graybeard Mirko Cro Cop (who is now retired from MMA), Perosh ripped off three straight wins in the UFC, most recently over Nick Penner in March. 

6. Pedro Rizzo

Age: 37
Record: 19-9

Actually, it's hard to believe Rizzo's only 37, considering he's been fighting since 1996.

It's been nearly two years since Rizzo last entered the cage, but someone dug him up to face Fedor Emelianenko in June. I'm sure he's not taking any money for it, though.  

5. Matt Hughes

Age: 38
Record: 45-9

Hughes remains in self-imposed exile for the moment, but the plan still appears to be for him to fight one more time. Here's hoping he can go out a winner, as he's repeatedly said he wants to do. 

4. Tito Ortiz

Age: 37
Record: 16-10-1

Of the great superstars of the golden age of the light heavyweight division—Chuck Liddell, Randy Couture, Quinton Jackson and Wanderlei Silva—Ortiz is the oldest one who's still plugging away.

The newly self-anointed "People's Champ" will pull on the gloves one more time, against Forrest Griffin.  

3. Kazushi Sakuraba

Age: 42
Record: 26-16-1 (2)

The Internet has been calling for Sakuraba to retire for about five years now. So far, it hasn't happened.

If having his ear partially torn off in the ring isn't going to do it, then I'm not entirely sure what will. 

2. Dan Henderson

Age: 41
Record: 29-8

The UFC's oldest active fighter will probably be 42 by the time he steps into the cage with light heavyweight champ Jon Jones. When he made his MMA debut, Jones had just finished fourth grade. 

1. Dan Severn

Age: 53
Record: 100-18-7

The end of the line is finally in sight for "The Beast." He has said 2012 will be his last as a fighter, and he wants one more dance, preferably with Mark Coleman or Ken Shamrock.

You know what? I'd pay to see that.