UFC 120: Michael Bisping and the Top Ten MMA Fighters from the UK

 With the popularity of mma in Britain rising, and UFC 120 in London just around the corner, its time to take a look at the British fighters that have had the most success in mma.  This list takes into account, not only the fighter’s record, but also the opponents they have fought and the difficulty of the organization they fight in. Only current British mma fighters are eligible for ranking, so retired fighters will not be on the list.  Without further ado, I present to you the best mma fighters from the U.K.

Honorable Mention

Paul Taylor

Paul Kelly

Tom Watson

Rosi Sexton

James McSweeny

Terry Kenny

Jim Wallhead           

Andre Winner

10. John Phillips

 MMA Record: 12-3

Organizations: BAMMA, Cage Rage, KUMMA

Accomplishments: KUMMA Middleweight Champion

Number 10 on the list, Welsh mma fighter John Phillips comes in with an impressive 12-3 record.  His record becomes even more impressive, when you see that 11 of his 12 wins have come by first round stoppages.  The lack of a win over a big name opponent is the only thing holding Phillips back from being ranked higher on the list.

9. Ronnie Mann

MMA Record: 18-2-1

Organizations: Shark Fights, Sengoku

Accomplishments: Shark Fights Featherweight Champion

With an extremely impressive record of 18-2, Ronnie Mann comes in at number 9 on the list.  He became the Shark Fights Featherweight champion with a close decision win over Doug Evans.  He has expressed a desire to sign with the WEC, and hopefully get a title shot against Jose Aldo.

8. Rob Broughton

 MMA Record: 14-5-1

Organizations: UFC, M1, Cage Rage

Accomplishments: Former Cage Rage Heavyweight Champion

Arguably the best British heavyweight mma fighter, Rob Broughton is set to make his UFC debut at UFC 120.  He is currently on a four fight win streak, and will look to make it five with a win over Vinicius Quieroz.  He holds notable wins over James Thompson, Neil Grove, and Butterbean.

7. Brad Pickett

MMA Record: 19-5

Organizations: WEC, Cage Rage

Accomplishments: Former Cage Rage Featherweight Champion

Brad Pickett has made a name for himself as one of the most versatile fighters coming out of the UK.  His arsenal includes impressive boxing skills, as well as great Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.  He won Submission of the Night bonuses over Kyle Dietz, after catching him in a Peruvian Necktie.  He also won Fight of the Night in his last fight with Scott Jorgenson at WEC 50.

6. Terry Etim

 MMA Record: 14-4

Organizations: UFC

Accomplishments: 3x UFC Submission of the Night winner

Terry Etim comes in at number 6 on the list with wins over big name opponents like Sam Stout, Shannon Gugerty, and Brian Cobb.  He last fight was a hard fought loss by submission to Rafael Dos Anjos, after dominating the first round.  Despite this loss, and a recent injury, Terry Etim remains one of the best British mma fighters.

5. Ross Pearson

MMA Record: 11-4

Organizations: UFC

Accomplishments: Ultimate Fighter 9: Lightweight Winner

Pearson’s list of accomplishments includes winning the Ultimate Fighter Season 9, and beating tough opponents in Andre Winner, Dennis Silver and Aaron Riley.  Although he was beaten by Cole Miller at UFN 22, Pearson has shown his desire to constantly improve, by coming to the U.S to train with Frankie Edgar and the Rutgers wrestling team, and Ricardo Almeida. 

4. John Hathaway

MMA Record: 14-0

Organizations: UFC, Cage Rage

Accomplishments: Undefeated

One of the biggest prospects in the sport, John Hathaway holds more potential than any other fighter on this list.  He continued his undefeated streak with huge win over Diego Sanchez.  Hathaway controlled the fight with superior striking and won by unanimous decision.  Hathaway also holds big wins over Paul Taylor, Rick Story and Thomas Egan.  He looks to defend his undefeated record against Mike Pyle at UFC 120.

3. Paul Daley

MMA Record: 25-9

Organizations: UFC, Strikeforce, Cage Rage, Shark Fights

Accomplishments: Former FX3 Welterweight Champion,   Former Cage Rage Welterweight Champion.

Despite getting cut from the UFC for his cheap shot after his loss to Josh Koscheck, Daley remains a top welterweight.  He holds impressive wins over a number of big name opponents, including Duane Ludwig, Martin Kampmann, Jorge Masvidal and Dustin Hazelett.  Daley has recently signed a multi-fight deal with Strikeforce, where he will undoubtedly continue to improve his record.

2. Michael Bisping

MMA Record:  19-3

Organizations: UFC, Cage Rage

Accomplisments: Former FX3 Light Heavyweight Champion, Former Cage Rage Light Heavyweight Champion, Ultimate Fighter 3 winner.

Perhaps the most well known British fighter, Michael “The Count” Bisping comes in at number 2 on the list.  He holds notable wins over Matt Hamil, Eric Shafer, Chris Leben, Denis Kang, and Dan Miller.  In addition to winning the Ultimate Fighter Season 3, Bisping has headlined one UFC event, and is scheduled to headline his second at UFC 120, against Yoshihiro Akiyama, where he will come in as the favorite. 

1. Dan Hardy

MMA Record: 23-7

Organizations: UFC

Accomplishments: First British Fighter to fight for a UFC title

Dan Hardy comes in at number 1 on the list.  Fighting in what is arguably the most competitive division in the UFC, Hardy has found much success, with wins over Mike Swick, Marcus Davis, Akihiro Gono, and Rory Markham.  He was the first fighter from the UK to fight for a title, which he did at UFC 111 against GSP.  Although he lost his title shot, he has had the most success in one of the toughest divisions in the world.  For this reason, Dan Hardy is currently the best British mma fighter in the world.