The Real Top 10 UFC BMF Ranking Of All Time
This weekend, in the main event of UFC 326, the promotion's BMF title will once again be up for grabs. This time around, it will be former featherweight champion Max Holloway defending the belt against former lightweight king Charles Oliveira.
The BMF title, for those who haven't figured it out, is a novelty title that is intended to celebrate fighters who never turn down a challenge, always leave everything in the cage, and never fail to entertain the fans. Holloway, who has participated in two of four BMF title fights to date, fits the bill perfectly. So too does Oliveira, who will be getting his first shot at BMF gold.
Of course, not every fighter is in the mix for a shot at the BMF belt. It's not about being good (though Holloway and Oliveira are both very good). It's more about violence, spectacle, and entertainment, which is why legendary fighters like Khabib Nurmagomedov and Georges St-Pierre wouldn't have been eligible for the BMF belt if it had existed in their time. For all their accomplishments, they just didn't have the right style. They were just too strategic and too risk-averse.
However, there have been lots of fighters over the years who would have made great candidates for BMF glory, several of whom actually never got their hands on undisputed gold, and probably would have loved the chance to fight for another kind of belt.
Here are 10 UFC fighters, past and present, that we think fit the bill.
Honorable mentions: Eddie Alvarez, Michael Bisping, Nick Diaz, Mike Perry, Jeremy Stephens, Matt Brown, Jorge Masvidal, Khalil Rountree Jr.
10. Tony Ferguson
1 of 10
Tony Ferguson spent many years as one of the top lightweights in the sport, famously racking up a staggering 12-fight win-streak between 2013 and 2019. He never won the division's undisputed title, but that was due in part to timing—and the fact that he had a ridiculous five attempted matchups with Khabib Nurmagomedov fall through.
Despite never reaching the mountaintop, Ferguson became a cult hero among fight fans. That was largely because of his interesting personality outside the cage, but also because of his insane fighting style, which featured spinning elbows, wild uppercuts, bizarre takedowns, and vicious ground-and-pound. At his best, Ferguson could do it all, but at the same time, he didn't do anything quite like anyone else. He was a violent enigma who took on all comers and often left his opponents unrecognizable afterward. In other words, he would have been a prime candidate for the BMF belt if it existed when he was in his prime.
9. Charles Oliveira
2 of 10
As we've covered, Charles Oliveira is a perfect candidate to compete for BMF gold this weekend. That's a bit surprising, given that he used to have a reputation as a quitter—the furthest thing from a BMF.
That was back when his career was just getting started, and he suffered stoppage losses to the likes of Donald Cerrone, Anthony Pettis, Ricardo Lamas, Paul Felder, and Holloway in a fairly short period of time. Fans believed he didn't have what it took to thrive in a sport as dangerous as MMA.
He sure proved them wrong. Today, he is considered one of the best lightweights of all time and, more importantly, holds the record for the most finishes in UFC history, at 24. That includes a staggering 17 submissions—also a UFC record.
Despite his earlier reputation, Oliveira has spent years fighting and, more importantly, finishing some of the best lightweights of a generation. He constantly hunts for the finish—often putting himself in very dangerous positions in the process. He is a constant danger for anyone who steps in the cage with him, and a bona fide BMF.
8. Donald Cerrone
3 of 10
Donald Cerrone—better known by the nickname "Cowboy"—was the embodiment of the BMF philosophy.
Cowboy joined the UFC way back in 2011, following an exciting and successful run in the WEC cage. He quickly developed a reputation as much see TV. Not only did Cowboy famously accept any fight that was offered to him, even on short notice, and at heavier weight classes, but he also almost always delivered in the cage. He seldom took a backward step and had a knack for getting into wars—if he didn't knock his opponents first.
Cowboy's lone bid for undisputed UFC gold ended in disaster, as he suffered a quick stoppage loss to Rafael dos Anjos, but he would have been a shoo-in for a BMF title fight if his career didn't predate the belt.
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7. Nate Diaz
4 of 10
Nate Diaz was involved in the UFC's first-ever BMF title fight and even helped invent the novelty title alongside his opponent, Jorge Masvidal. Unfortunately, he lost the fight by doctor stoppage and left the UFC before he ever got another shot at the belt.
Unlike Masvidal, who developed a reputation for violence late in his career, after years of forgettable fights, Diaz has always been BMF material. He wasn't always consistent, losing many fights in the Octagon, but in that way, he was proof that the BMF belt isn't about wins or losses. It's about how you fight, and Diaz fought in a way that never failed to entertain. Whether he was choking his opponents out—like he did to Conor McGregor—swarming them with his slick boxing, or taunting them with middle-fingers and trash talk, he was always worth watching, and clearly deserved his place in the first-ever BMF matchup.
6. Alex Pereira
5 of 10
It's strange, but the vast majority of fighters that seem to meet the requirements for a BMF title shot compete between the featherweight and welterweight divisions. It's hard to say why exactly that is, but you won't hear the names of many heavier fighters mentioned in the discussion.
Alex Pereira is an exception.
Pereira, a former Glory kickboxing champion, has been tremendously successful in the Octagon, first winning the middleweight belt, and later becoming a two-time light heavyweight champion. While those accolades are tremendously impressive, they're not the main reason he qualifies for a BMF opportunity. The reason he's on this list is that he knocks nearly everyone he fights out cold, and often accepts fights with extremely dangerous opponents on just weeks' notice.
He has shown he fears no opponent—he's even thinking of moving up to heavyweight to pursue gold in a third weight class—and backs up his confidence with staggering violence.
5. Carlos Condit
6 of 10
Like Tony Ferguson, Carlos Condit is a great fighter who never got his hands on undisputed UFC gold—though he came very close a couple of times. He is surely disappointed he never achieved that feat, but he can take comfort in his reputation as one of the most entertaining fighters ever—and a definite BMF candidate.
At his best, Condit was a violent and completely unconventional striker who could hit his opponents with things they didn't see coming, like the head kick he nearly finished George St-Pierre with. That made him very effective in the Octagon, but what made him BMF material is that he was willing to eat a few shots to land a good one of his own. This strategy led to his highlight reel KO of Dan Hardy, but also resulted in some wild wars, most notably his decision loss to then-champ Robbie Lawler in 2021.
Condit has been very quiet since he left the UFC, so his name doesn't come up often, but there is no question that he is one of the best embodiments of what the BMF belt is all about we've ever seen.
4. Robbie Lawler
7 of 10
Much like Carlos Condit, Robbie Lawler was an obvious choice for this list. In fact, there's an argument that "Ruthless" deserves the top spot.
Lawler had many lives in the cage, and at several points, was totally written off as a has-been or never-was by pundits and fans. Despite those ugly phases of his long career, he ultimately bucked expectations to become UFC welterweight champion.
Lawler is one of the most entertaining champions in MMA history, and his title victories over Johny Hendricks, Rory MacDonald, and the aforementioned Carlos Condit stand out as two of the most violent title fights we've ever witnessed. Those kinds of performances were par for the course for Lawler in his heyday. When he wasn't knocking people clean out, he was engaging in wild, back-and-forth slobber-knockers, gambling each time on the fact that his opponent's will would break before his did—and he was usually right.
His career ended with some tough losses, but he ultimately closed things out with a vintage knockout of Niko Price.
If he were still competing today, he certainly would have been called upon to fight for BMF gold by now—possibly more than once, like Max Holloway.
3. Dustin Poirier
8 of 10
When Dustin Poirier retired last year, he did so with a reputation as one of the best lightweights ever. Perhaps more importantly, he rode off into the sunset with a reputation as one of the most entertaining fighters in the division's history.
Despite many stylistic differences, Poirier was a BMF candidate for the same reason as Holloway. He was a world-class fighter and tremendously technical, but never let that stop him from engaging in crazy, all-out brawls—to the thrill of fight fans everywhere. He never stopped attacking, and almost never took a backward step.
Poirier unfortunately failed on two attempts to win BMF gold, first suffering a knockout loss to Justin Gaethje, and later a decision defeat to Holloway in his retirement fight. He also failed to win undisputed UFC gold on two occasions. Despite those disappointments, which surely haunt him till this day, he is a stronger embodiment of the BMF ethos than just about anyone, past or present. At his best, he was powerful, technical, gritty, and downright fearless.
2. Justin Gaethje
9 of 10
Justin Gaethje is one of just two fighters on this list to actually win BMF gold—so far, at least. He became the BMF champion with a head-kick KO of the aforementioned Dustin Poirier in 2023, but then lost the novelty belt in 2024, when he was stopped by Max Holloway.
One way or the other, Gaethje is the personification of everything the BMF belt is about.
He is a ferocious knockout puncher with an iron jaw, and his reliance on both those attributes has resulted in some of the best finishes and fights in MMA history, and helped him collect post-fight bonuses in every one of his UFC fights to date. Every. Single. One. That's how entertaining he is.
On top of that, Gaethje has spent the duration of his UFC career fighting the best opposition available, from Khabib Nurmagomedov to Ferguson, Oliveira, Poirier, and Holloway. He has never backed down from any challenge, as he proved by taking on rising contenders Paddy Pimblett and Rafael Fiziev in his last two fights.
At this point, Gaethje's career is nearly over. In fact, he's expected to retire win, lose, or draw if he gets a crack at undisputed lightweight champ Ilia Topuria next. Whatever happens, he deserves a BMF lifetime achievement award for everything he's done in the Octagon.
1. Max Holloway
10 of 10
Even if the BMF belt had never been created, Max Holloway would retire as one of the best fighters ever, thanks to the tremendous success he had as featherweight champion. However, his two-fight run on the BMF circuit has strengthened what was already an incredible legacy.
Holloway's first bid for BMF gold occurred in 2024, on the main card of the landmark UFC 300 event, when he took on Justin Gaethje. Ahead of the fight, he was widely counted out, as Gaethje seemed to have nearly every advantage, as a bigger fighter, more powerful puncher, and more effective grappler. However, Holloway delivered an absolutely flawless performance.
For almost five whole rounds, he softened Gaethje up with his trademark high-volume striking attack. Then, in the final seconds of round five, when he was way ahead on the scorecards and could have easily coasted to a decision win, he beckoned his opponent to the centre of the cage, and risked everything in an insane, all-or-nothing firefight. The gamble paid off. With one second left on the clock, Holloway—who has never been known for his stopping power—knocked Gaethje out cold. It was the ultimate BMF performance, and easily one of the craziest moments in UFC history, period.
Amazingly, Holloway's career has been full of moments like this. Time and time again, the Hawaiian has dazzled us in the cage. From his title-winning stoppage of Jose Aldo, to his dominant wins over Brian Ortega and Calvin Kattar, to his vicious knockout of "The Korean Zombie" Chan Sung Jung, to his recent BMF title defense against Poirier, he never fails to entertain.
For that simple reason, Holloway is the forever BMF. Not even a devastating loss to Oliveira this weekend will change that. His legacy is etched in stone.
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