UFC 129: Randy Couture and 23 Fighters Who Will Always Be Larger Than Life

The UFC is coming to Toronto!

Tonight, Georges St-Pierre puts his Welterweight title on the line against Jake Shields, and Jose Aldo looks to make the first defense of his UFC Featherweight title against Mark "The Machine" Hominick.

In the third fight on the main card, Randy Couture could be fighting his last, as he takes on former Light Heavyweight Champion, Lyoto "The Dragon" Machida.

If this is indeed Randy Couture's last fight, he will be remembered as a legend of the sport. He is a five-time champion, has been around since the dark days of MMA and he represented MMA against boxing when he defeated James Toney.

The UFC is lucky to have had someone like Couture, and he will always be a legend. So here are 23 fighters from all of MMA who will always be larger than life.

Chuck Liddell

Chuck Liddell (21-8) is a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion.

Liddell won the title when he defeated Randy Couture at UFC 52. He then went on to have one of the most dominant title runs at the time, when he defended, and finished, four challengers to his title: Jeremy Horn, Randy Couture, Renato Sobral and Tito Ortiz.

Liddell then lost his title to Rampage Jackson and finished his career by going 1-5 before finally retiring. However, Liddell will not be remembered for sticking around too long; he will be remembered as a dominant light heavyweight champion and one of the main figures who brought MMA to a more mainstream audience.

Liddell is a UFC Hall of Famer and the current Vice President of Business Development within the UFC.

Royce Gracie

Royce Gracie (14-2-3 [1 NC]) is a three-time UFC tournament winner. Gracie won UFC 1, UFC 2 and UFC 4. In addition, he has the most submission victories in the UFC with eleven.

Gracie was a pioneer of the sport well before the time of Chuck Liddell.

He won the early UFC tournaments by using his jiu-jitsu, something that many of the other competitors had never seen before.

Gracie is a UFC Hall of Famer and is currently lobbying for a fight at UFC 134: Rio.

Matt Hughes

Before there was Georges St-Pierre, there was Matt Hughes (45-8).

Hughes is a former, and two-time, UFC Welterweight Champion. To win the title the first time, Hughes knocked out Carlos Newton with a slam in the second round.

Hughes then defended the title five times against such fighters as Carlos Newton, Sean Sherk and Frank Trigg. Hughes then met his match in BJ Penn and was submitted in the first round.

Then, after only one fight without the belt (a unanimous decision over Renato Verissimio), Hughes got a shot at the vacant welterweight belt against Georges St-Pierre. Hughes submitted St-Pierre with one second left in the first round and became a two-time champion.

Hughes went on to defend the title several times before eventually losing it to St-Pierre.

Hughes is now expected to face off against Diego Sanchez some time in the fall.

The Shamrock Brothers

Ken Shamrock (28-15-2) and Frank Shamrock (23-10-2) are both former champions.

Ken was the first King of Pancrase and a UFC Superfight Champion.

Ken was an early UFC pioneer with Royce Gracie, and the two of them put on a 36 minute fight for the UFC Superfight Championship. The fight ended in a draw, as there were no judges.

Frank was an Interim King of Pancrase, the first WEC Light Heavyweight Champion, the first Strikeforce Middleweight Champion and the first UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. Frank defended his UFC title four times and forfeited the title due to his first retirement.

These two brothers have been champions many times, and they will be remembered for years to come.

BJ Penn

BJ Penn (16-7-2) is a former UFC Lightweight Champion and former UFC Welterweight Champion.

Penn is one of only two men (the other being Randy Couture) to win UFC Championship belts in two different weight classes.

Penn fought for the lightweight title twice, and he went 0-1-1. He then fought Matt Hughes for the welterweight title, and he submitted him in the first round.

He was later stripped of the title after he went to K-1, and when he came back, he was unable to win the belt back from Matt Hughes.

He then dropped to lightweight and won the vacant title in a fight against Joe Stevenson.

Penn is now fighting at welterweight and looking to get another shot at the belt.

Kazushi Sakuraba

Kazushi Sakuraba (26-15-1 [2 NC]), also known as "The Gracie Hunter", is a former UFC Heavyweight Tournament winner.

Sakuraba has been around since 1997 and has had a relatively successful career.

He has taken down fighters such as Vernon White, Carlos Newton, Vitor Belfort, Rampage Jackson, Kevin Randleman and Ken Shamrock. Then there's the Gracies that he's beaten: Renzo Gracie, Royce Gracie, Ryan Gracie and Royler Gracie.

Sakuraba may not have many fights left, but he's going to be remembered for a long time.

Dan Severn

Dan Severn (99-16-7) is a former two-time UFC tournament winner and a UFC Superfight Champion.

Severn is just another early pioneer of the UFC, along with Royce Gracie and Ken Shamrock and many others. Severn won the UFC 5 tournament, where he defeated three opponents all in the first round.

Severn started fighting in 1994, and he has been fighting strong since. He is a UFC Hall of Famer, and he had a fight on April 29th and may have gotten his 100th professional win.

That's quite the accomplishment.

Takanori Gomi

Takanori Gomi (32-7 [1 NC]) is the former Pride Lightweight Champion.

Gomi was at one time considered the number one lightweight in the world, and with good reason.

From Gomi's Pride debut, he won 10 straight fights over fighters such as Ralph Gracie, Jens Pulver, Tatsuya Kawajiri and twice against Luiz "one of four men to defeat Anderson Silva" Azeredo.

Gomi was wildly dominant in Pride; unfortunately, he hasn't been able to replicate that success in the UFC, where he holds a 1-2 record.

Don Frye

Don Frye (20-8-1 [1 NC]) is a two time UFC tournament winner.

Frye is yet another early pioneer of UFC, and he was the winner of the UFC 8 tournament and the Ultimate Ultimate 96 tournament.

Frye had a storied UFC career, and he defeated fighters such as Gary Goodridge (two times) and Tank Abbott.

Frye is currently semi-retired, as he has said he is going to fight on an unannounced card in China, but no more details have been given about it.

Frye should soon be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame, as he is one of the most deserving fighters.

Pat Miletich

Pat Miletich (29-7-2) is a former UFC tournament winner and first UFC Welterweight Champion.

Pat Miletich won the UFC 16 Lightweight tournament in 1998, and he won the first UFC welterweight title only two fights later at UFC: Ultimate Brazil.

Miletich then defended the title four times before finally losing it to Carlos Newton at UFC 31.

Miletich is now retired, and he runs Miletich Fighting Systems, which has produced many champions, such as Robbie Lawler, Matt Hughes, Jens Pulver, Tim Sylvia and many more.

Mark Coleman

Mark Coleman (16-10) is another early pioneer of the UFC.

Coleman won the UFC 10 and UFC 11 tournaments, and at UFC 12, he won the UFC Superfight Championship, which was then unified with the Heavyweight Championship, making Mark Coleman the inaugural UFC Heavyweight Champion.

Coleman lost the title in his first defense, but he wasn't done winning championships just yet.

Coleman went over to Pride and won the 2000 Openweight Grand Prix.

Coleman is a UFC Hall of Famer, and with good reason.

Tito Ortiz

Before there was Chuck Liddell, there was Tito Ortiz (15-8-1).

Ortiz was arguably the most dominant light heavyweight champion in UFC history. Ortiz won the title by defeating Wanderlei Silva, and he then defended the title five times before losing the belt to Randy Couture.

He then fought his way back to another title shot. So at UFC 66, Tito fought Chuck Liddell for the light heavyweight belt.

Chuck TKO'd Tito in the third round, and that was what looks to be the beginning of the end for Tito's career.

Nevertheless, Tito was a dominant champion in his prime.

Matt Serra

Now before you completely freak out, just listen.

Matt Serra (11-7) ONLY makes this list for his upset of Georges St-Pierre for the welterweight title at UFC 69.

Serra was coming off a win over Chris Lytle which made him The Ultimate Fighter Season Four winner.

He then parlayed that into a title shot, and nobody expected much, but Serra shocked the world.

He TKO'd Georges St-Pierre in the first round, and with it, won the biggest upset in UFC history.

Serra is on this list and will be larger than life, because when people talk about Georges St-Pierre, they will talk about this upset, and as long as GSP is dominant, people will talk about the time that Matt Serra made him look silly.

Wanderlei Silva

Wanderlei Silva (33-10-1 [1 NC]) was the first Pride Middleweight Champion and the 2003 Pride Middleweight Grand Prix winner.

Wanderlei was a terrifying man over in Pride. Oh, who am I kidding? He's still terrifying. But I digress.

Wanderlei was untouchable in Pride. He started off 15-0-1 [1 NC] and captured the middleweight championship and won the middleweight grand prix along the way.

He went 4-4 after his amazing start and then he ended up coming to the UFC, where he lost to Chuck Liddell in his debut.

Wanderlei has not looked the same in the UFC as he did in Pride, but I still wouldn't want to stand across the Octagon from him.

Fedor Emelianenko

Fedor Emelianenko (31-3 [1 NC]) is the former Pride Heavyweight Champion, 2004 Pride Heavyweight Grand Prix Champion and the current WAMMA Heavyweight Champion (as if that means anything).

You knew he was going to be on here somewhere, didn't ya?

What can I say that hasn't been said before?

He is the most dominant fighter in MMA history, he was undefeated until Fabricio Werdum had his way and he is going to be remembered forever.

Fedor is probably going to fight Dan Henderson at a Strikeforce event in July.

Mirko Cro Cop

Mirko Cro Cop (27-9-2 [1 NC]) is the 2006 Pride Openweight Grand Prix Champion.

Cro Cop is another fighter who was wildly dominant in Pride but has not found the same success since joining the UFC.

The crowning moment of Cro Cop's career was when he won the 2006 Pride Openweight Grand Prix.

He (T)KO'd three opponents (including Wanderlei Silva) to get to the final against Josh Barnett, and not even Barnett could stop him.

Cro Cop made Josh Barnett submit to punches at 7:32 of the first round, thereby making Mirko Cro Cop the 2006 Pride Openweight Grand Prix Champion.

Cro Cop hasn't been the same since the stunning KO loss to Gabriel Gonzaga, and he could very well be done fighting.

Minotauro Nogueira

Minotauro Nogueria (32-6-1 [1 NC]) is the former Pride Heavyweight Champion, former Pride Interim Heavyweight Champion and former UFC Interim Heavyweight Champion.

Nogueira is yet another dominant Pride fighter who hasn't been the same in the UFC. Nogueira was very successful in Pride, and would have held championships for much longer if it had not been for Fedor.

Fedor Emelianenko defeated Nogueira twice while they were in Pride, and both times, there were titles on the line.

Since coming to the UFC, Nogueira has gone 3-2 and was last seen at UFC 110, where he was KO'd by Cain Velasquez.

Shogun Rua

Finally, a Pride fighter who found some success in the UFC.

Mauricio "Shogun" Rua (19-5) is a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion and the 2005 Pride Middleweight Grand Prix Champion.

When Shogun was in Pride, he was the top 205 pounder in the world. To win the Middleweight Grand Prix, he defeated Rampage Jackson, Rogerio Nogueria, Alistair Overeem and Ricardo Arona.

Wow.

When he came over to the UFC, he was still considered the top LHW in the world. Until he was upset by Forrest Griffin, that is.

Then after TKO's over Mark Coleman and Chuck Liddell, Shogun got his shot at UFC gold. After a highly controversial decision loss to Lyoto Machida, he got an immediate rematch, which he promptly won by knockout in the first round.

Shogun then lost the title to Jon Jones via third round TKO and is set up for a rematch with Forrest Griffin at UFC 134.

Bas Rutten

Bas Rutten (28-4-1) is a former UFC Heavyweight Champion and a former King of Pancrase.

Rutten is one of the most feared strikers in MMA history, and he won several fights with his favorite strike: a liver shot.

Rutten could cripple a man with one punch, and he loved to do it.

Rutten finished his career on a 22 fight unbeaten streak (21-0-1) and had to retire due to injury after winning the UFC Heavyweight Championship.

He did have a comeback fight, which he won via leg kicks in the first round.

Rutten is a legend and is big in the MMA community, frequently doing interviews and commentary and is on MMA Live.

Anderson Silva

You didn't think I forgot him, did you?

Anderson Silva (28-4) is the current UFC Middleweight Champion, and by far the most dominant UFC champion ever.

Silva is a ridiculous 13-0 in the UFC, and he has defended his title 8 times.

No UFC fan will ever forget the name Anderson Silva, and when he retires, he will be right up there with every other legend of MMA, and he will have a rightful place in the UFC Hall of Fame.

Silva was last seen front kicking Vitor Belfort in the face on his way to a KO victory, and another title defense.

He is now set up to fight Yushin Okami in the headlining fight of UFC 134: Rio.

Georges St-Pierre

Georges St-Pierre (21-2) is the current and two time UFC Welterweight Champion.

Much in the same way as Anderson Silva, nobody will ever forget the name Georges St-Pierre.

St-Pierre is 15-2 in the UFC, and has currently defended his title 5 times.

I already went through the whole upset with Matt Serra, so I'm not going to go over it again, but ever since that fight, GSP has been unstoppable.

In GSP's last fight, he spent 25 minutes hitting Josh Koscheck in the eye on his way to a unanimous decision victory.

Tonight, GSP puts his welterweight belt on the line against "his most dangerous foe", jiu-jitsu ace, and 5 time world champion, Jake Shields.

Randy Couture

Randy Couture (19-10) is the former two-time UFC Light Heavyweight and three-time Heavyweight Champion.

Couture won the UFC 13 Heavyweight Tournament in his second pro fight, and won the heavyweight title in his fourth.

Couture is a five-time champion through two weight classes. He has been an underdog numerous times in his career, and most of the time, he came out on top.

He is one of the best game planners in MMA, and it shows when he defeats larger and younger opponents. See Tim Sylvia, Gabriel Gonzaga, Kevin Randleman, and the list goes on and on.

Couture is once again an underdog in what is likely to be his farewell fight. Couture takes on Lyoto Machida at UFC 129 tonight.

Let's see if he can pull off one more upset.

Thanks for reading, and best of luck to Randy Couture.

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