Anderson Silva and the 10 Most Accomplished Fighters in UFC History

Since November of 1993, the Ultimate Fighting Championships has had some of the most entertaining and dominant athletes that sport has ever seen. Mixed martial arts is a young sport—it certainly doesn't have the history or sports significance of the big three in football, baseball or basketball—but it is building a strong combat sport history of its own.

Who are the most accomplished fighters in UFC history? Based on fights, wins championships and career accomplishments, the candidate list goes about 15 to 17 fighters deep. The divisions under lightweight are certainly not noted in this list; it is a UFC list and lightweight and up have ruled the day.

Here are the 10 most accomplished fighters in UFC history.

10. Pat Miletich (1998-2002)

Record: (29-7)

UFC Record (8-2)

UFC Titles: (1) - 1st welterweight champion

Successful Title Defenses: 4

Notable Wins: Mikey Burnett, Andre Pederneiras, Shonie Carter 2x, John Alessio

Pat Miletich is one of the original top dogs in the UFC's baddest and deepest division, 170 pounds. He competed before the bright lights really came on the UFC and was the first-ever UFC welterweight champion.

He went on to defend that title four times before losing it to Carlos Newton at UFC 31 in 2001. He is also responsible for one of the original and best mixed martial arts training gyms in Miletich Fighting Systems. MFS has produced no fewer than 11 UFC fighting champions throughout the years such as Matt Hughes, Jens Pulver and Robbie Lawler.

9. BJ Penn (2001-Present)

Record: (16-8)

UFC Record (12-7-2)

UFC Titles: (2) - lightweight & welterweight champion

Successful Title Defenses: 3 - all at lightweight

Notable Wins: Din Thomas, Caol Uno, Matt Serra, Matt Hughes 2x, Jens Pulver, Sean Sherk, Kenny Florian, Diego Sanchez

Hawaiian fighting legend BJ Penn is one of only two men who have held a UFC title at two different weight classes. Penn won the welterweight title over Matt Hughes in 2004 but did not successfully defend it. He then won the lightweight title in 2008 and defended it three times in a row.

Penn is also the only champion to move up and challenge the champion in the higher weight class when he fought Georges St-Pierre at UFC 94 in 2009. Penn was unsuccessful in that attempt, but he remains the only man to take the risk. 

He is still active in the UFC welterweight division and is set to fight Rory MacDonald at in December.    

8. Frank Shamrock (1997-1999)

Record: (23-10)

UFC Record (5-0)

UFC Titles: (1) - light heavyweight champion

Successful Title Defenses: 4

Notable Wins: Kevin Jackson, Jeremy Horn, Tito Ortiz

In 1998 and 1999, Frank Shamrock was the man in the world of mixed martial arts. He fought in the UFC and many knew that he was the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world. He was one of the first true, hybrid fighters in an era shifting away from style vs. style.

He was the first light heavyweight champion and defended his title four times. Following his last title defence, a submission (elbows) victory over Tito Ortiz, Shamrock vacated his title and left the UFC, forever undefeated. 

7. Tito Ortiz (1997-2012)

Record: (16-11)

UFC Record (15-11)

UFC Titles: (1) - light heavyweight champion

Successful Title Defenses: 5

Notable Wins: Guy Mezger, Wanderlei Silva, Evan Tanner, Vladimir Matsyushenko, Ken Shamrock 3x, Vitor Belfort, Forrest Griffin, Ryan Bader

Between 1997 to 2006, Tito (The Huntington Beach Bad Boy) Ortiz was as feared and dominant fighter as there was anywhere in the world. His brutal takedowns and ground and pound from the top position was a recipe for success and led him to the UFC Light Heavyweight title.

Ortiz holds the record for most Light Heavyweight title defences (5) and also has the most fights of anyone in the UFC (27). His personality outside the cage was second to none and always brought life and entertainment to the promotion.,

Ortiz retired from the UFC earlier in 2012 and has already been inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame.

6. Chuck Liddell (1998-2010)

Record: (21-8)

UFC Record (16-7)

UFC Titles: (1) - light heavyweight champion

Successful Title Defenses: 4

Notable Wins: Kevin Randleman, Vitor Belfort, Renato Sobral 2x, Jeremy Horn, Tito Ortiz 2x, Randy Couture 2x, Wanderlei Silva

Between 1999 and 2006, Chuck Liddell was the most dangerous knockout artist in the world. In his UFC career, he holds the record for most wins at LHW (16) and is tied with Anderson Silva for most knockouts (10). Liddell's trademark mohawk and feuds with Tito Ortiz and Randy Couture are some of the best of all time.

His right hand was his best weapon, and that along with his stellar takedown defence is all that he would need to become the light heavyweight champion and defend it four times. He retired in 2010 and is inducted in to the UFC Hall of Fame.

5. Royce Gracie (1993-95, 2006)

Record: (14-2-3)

UFC Record (11-1-1)

UFC Titles: (3) - three time tournament champion

Successful Title Defenses: 2

Notable Wins: Ken Shamrock, Patrick Smith, Kimo Leopoldo, Dan Severn

Royce Gracie and his family built the UFC in the beginning, a different time and era altogether for the sport. Gracie fought under the tournament format, which meant multiple fights in one night in a win and go on scenario. Gracie won three of the first four tournaments in this format and only lost one, when he had to forfeit his next fight due to injury sustained in a victory.

Gracie was a master at implementing the Gracie jiu-jitsu style, that was so far ahead of its time in the cage of combat sports in the early '90s. He was the first UFC champion and holds the UFC records for most fights in one night (4) and submission wins (11).

He retired from the UFC in 2006 and is inducted in the UFC Hall of Fame.

4. Matt Hughes (1999-2011)

Record: (45-9)

UFC Record (18-7)

UFC Titles: (1) - welterweight champion

Successful Title Defenses: 7

Notable Wins: Carlos Newton 2x, Hayato Sakurai, Sean Sherk, Frank Trigg, Georges St-Pierre, Royce Gracie, Matt Serra

From 2001 to 2006 Matt Hughes was the most dominant welterweight champion in the world using his freakish farm-boy strength and technical wrestling acumen. Hughes was a ground-and-pound machine and defended his title an incredible seven times during his reign.

Hughes holds the record for the most wins in the UFC (18) and has been inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame.

3. Georges St-Pierre (2004-Present)

Record: (22-2)

UFC Record (17-2)

UFC Titles: (1) - welterweight champion

Successful Title Defenses: 6 (consecutive and running)

Notable Wins: BJ Penn 2x, Matt Hughes 2x, Frank Trigg, Matt Serra, Josh Koscheck 2x, Jon Fitch, Thiago Alves, Jake Shields

Georges St-Pierre is the current and running UFC welterweight champion, and he has held that title since 2008. St-Pierre held the title briefly a couple times before that, but has really had the dominant reign since then. His athleticism is second to none, and he can switch between all mixed martial arts disciplines with ease in the cage.

The Canadian is tied for second for most wins in the UFC (16) and counting and has beaten some of the most notable names in the sport like BJ Penn and Matt Hughes. GSP has fought in many big fights in the new era of the UFC and is one of the biggest money draws in the promotions history. 

2. Randy Couture (1997-2011)

Record: (19-11)

UFC Record (16-8)

UFC Titles: (2) - heavyweight and light heavyweight champion

Successful Title Defenses: 4

Notable Wins: Kevin Randleman, Jeremy Horn, Tito Ortiz, Chuck Liddell, Vitor Belfort

Randy Couture is one of the only fighters to fight in both the tournament and weight division formats, and his accomplishments are reflected because of it. He won the UFC 13 heavyweight tournament and the heavyweight championship both in 1997, and then he went on to fight overseas essentially forfeiting the title in the process. Couture then won the title again against Kevin Randelman in 2000 and then defended it for the next two years before losing to Josh Barnett.

Couture then began to complete at light heavyweight, and he won that title in 2003 and began a feud with Chuck Liddell that delivered three great fights. He then shocked the world and cemented his place this high on the list in 2007 when he regained the heavyweight title with a dominant win over Tim Sylvia and then defended the belt once.

Couture retired from the UFC in 2011 and is inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame. 

1. Anderson Silva (2006-Present)

Record: (33-4)

UFC Record (16-0)

UFC Titles: (1) - middleweight champion

Successful Title Defenses: 10

Notable Wins: Chris Leben, Rich Franklin 2x, Dan Henderson, Chael Sonnen 2x, Vitor Belfort

What can you say about Anderson Silva that hasn't already been said, he simply is the most accomplished UFC fighter to ever set foot in the Octagon. Silva fights with the grace of a ballet dancer and the ferocity of a dragon all at the same time, and he has never lost in the UFC.

He holds the UFC record for consecutive title defences (10) and the most consecutive wins (16) and, at 37 years old, shows no signs of slowing down. Silva has even gone up in weight and tested himself without defeat, and one can't help but wonder if he could cement his greatness and join Randy Couture and BJ Penn as the only two division champions of all time.

Dwight Wakabayashi is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report UFC and a guest blogger on Sportsnet.ca UFC