Randy Couture, Chuck Liddell and the 20 Fighters Who Made MMA What It Is Today

After achieving much success in MMA, Randy Couture and Chuck Liddell have finally decided to step away from the sport that other fighters helped to reach new levels of popularity. Not only did they help bring more fans to the sport, but Couture and Liddell were also innovators in their approach to competition.

While Couture and Liddell were two of the greatest pioneers of MMA, there were more trailblazers that came even before them and there are sure to be more to follow even after their retirement. After all, the sport is still only just beginning in comparison with other professional sports.

With the retirement of Couture and Liddell still fresh in our minds, here are the 20 fighters who have made MMA what it is today.

Royce Gracie

MMA may not even be considered an organized sport today if it had not been for the Gracie family and Royce Gracie in particular.

Not only were the Gracie's partly responsible for introducing MMA to the world, but Gracie displayed the danger of Brazilian jiu-jitsu in fighting.

By defeating several opponents who were much larger than himself, Gracie also showed the world that technique could overcome strength almost unequivocally.

A legend and an innovator, Gracie was undoubtedly was one of the most indispensable figures in the sport's history.

Dan Severn

An extremely accomplished amateur wrestler at Arizona State, Dan Severn was one of the first fighters to demonstrate the importance of wrestling in MMA.

Now more than 16 years after Severn first stepped into the Octagon at UFC 4, many consider wrestling as the best base for competing in MMA.

Today, some of the best fighters in the world have a background in amateur wrestling and Severn deserves credit for paving the way for those athletes.

Mark Coleman

One amateur wrestler who followed in the footsteps of Dan Severn was Mark Coleman. However, Coleman took Severn's influence on the sport to another level by becoming one of the first fighters to dominate opponents with ground-and-pound.

A former NCAA Wrestling Champion and Olympian, Coleman is so recognized for his use of this strategy that he has become known as "The Godfather of Ground-and-Pound."

At a time when converted wrestlers had little stand-up or submission games to speak of, Coleman was one of the first wrestlers to find a way to finish or dominate his opponents.

Matt Hughes

As MMA continued to evolve, wrestlers eventually became more well-rounded in all of the aspects of fighting. Leading this new pack of versatile former wrestlers was Matt Hughes.

In addition to being influential through his dominant runs as UFC Welterweight Champion, Hughes was probably the first wrestler to develop a complete ground game in that he likely could have been ranked as a black belt in jiu-jitsu had he trained under the ranking system.

While Hughes was one of the first well-rounded MMA fighters, credit for bringing cross training to the sport goes to the next fighter on this list.

Frank Shamrock

As one of the first fighters to start cross-training in different disciplines, Frank Shamrock was a pioneer of the sport. At the time, most fighters were one-dimensional and represented a single martial art rather than martial arts as a whole.

Shamrock recognized this as an opportunity to separate himself from the rest of his competition. In doing so, he became one of the most dominant UFC champions of his time.

Today, it has become necessary for fighters to train in multiple disciplines in order to remain competitive.  

Tito Ortiz

Shortly after Frank Shamrock vacated his UFC title and left the organization, MMA went through some troubled years prior to Zuffa's purchase of the UFC.

The sport began taking fire from politicians and the general public had trouble accepting a sport that was considered barbaric at the time.

During these rough times, Shamrock's successor as champion, Tito Ortiz, became the face of the sport. With his abrasive personality, Ortiz kept the remaining MMA fans interested and helped keep the sport afloat.

Pat Miletich

Along with Frank Shamrock, Pat Miletich was also one of the first fighters to begin cross-training for MMA. With his widespread knowledge of the sport, Miletich was able to found one of the dominant training camps in the sport.

Producing several UFC champions, Miletich Fighting Systems was one of the first dominant teams of fighters in MMA. While the team's success has faded significantly in recent years, it will still be remembered as a club that set that stage for today's successful camps such as Jackson's MMA.

Chuck Liddell

Not only was Chuck Liddell one of the more dominant champions in MMA history, but he was also one of the most exciting. Liddell used his wrestling background in a way that few other amateur wrestlers had, for purely defensive purposes.

A pioneer of the sprawl-n-brawl style, Liddell earned the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship and defended it four consecutive times.

Liddell's exciting and dominant fighting style made him a fan favorite and allowed him to become one of the first fighters to become recognized by the mainstream.

B.J. Penn

An extremely talented fighter who had success in multiple divisions, B.J. Penn brought a new level of excitement to the lightweight division. Prior to Penn becoming champion at 155 pounds, the lightweight division was often looked upon as one that was full of powerless competitors who couldn't finish fights.

Penn's reign as champion revolutionized the way fans looked at the lightweight division and its fighters. Penn's exciting style brought attention to the smaller fighters and the sport and may have provided Zuffa the confidence it needed to give featherweight and bantamweight fighters the chance they deserved in the UFC.

Forrest Griffin and Stephan Bonnar

In the light heavyweight finals of first season of The Ultimate Fighter, Forrest Griffin and Stephan Bonnar met in a war that introduced many new fans to the sport and helped make the reality series the success it has become.

Though Griffin earned the guaranteed contract with his win in this fight, Bonnar also earned a spot in the UFC and Dana White has since said that neither fighter would ever be cut from the organization because of how integral they have been in the UFC's success.

Kazushi Sakuraba

If Forrest Griffin and Stephan Bonnar helped take MMA into the mainstream in the United States, then Kazushi Sakuraba was the figure that helped MMA break that barrier in Japan. Sakuraba transcended MMA in Japan and achieved near-celebrity status.

Although Sakuraba was never able to win a Pride title, he had a great influence on the success of the organization and will long be remembered for his contributions to the popularity of the sport. 

Randy Couture

The sport suffered a significant loss with the recent retirement of Randy Couture. However, you can be sure that Couture will remain active in the promotion of the sport in some capacity.

In addition to his many accomplishments inside the Octagon, Couture has quite possibly become the lead ambassador for the sport. In a sport that has faced as many obstacles as MMA has, perhaps that is Couture's greatest achievement.

Quinton Jackson

One of Randy Couture's other contributions to the sport was his ability to draw attention from the mainstream. Another fighter who has become quite familiar with mainstream media has been Quinton Jackson.

Through his likeable personality and humor, Jackson has become a successful actor and a major drawing power for the sport. Appealing to a young generation of fans, Jackson has helped to grow the sport to where it is today.

Ken Shamrock

Were it not for Ken Shamrock's inclusion in MMA, many fans who transitioned from professional wrestling may have never started following the sport. More importantly, a door may have never been opened for future professional wrestlers to enter into MMA.

While Shamrock was certainly dedicated to the martial arts early on, he made his name through professional wrestling. A long line of professional wrestlers followed in Shamrock's footsteps, including the next fighter on this list.

Brock Lesnar

I'm already bracing myself for the Brock Lesnar hate that is about to come my way for suggesting that Lesnar has had nearly as much of a hand in the growth of the sport as the other fighters on this list. However, it is hard to dispute the facts.

Since Lesnar has made the transition to MMA, the popularity of the sport has clearly risen. Lesnar has helped produce massive amounts of pay-per-view buys and his presence has resulted in larger media outlets covering events.

Wanderlei Silva

A dominant Pride champion, Wanderlei Silva has become known as one of the most brutal and exciting fighters in the history of the sport. Yet Silva is also considered one of the most fan-friendly fighters at the same time.

While fighters like Randy Couture, Brock Lesnar and others are responsible for drawing new fans to the sport, Silva is responsible for keeping them interested by showing new fans how exciting MMA can be.

Fedor Emelianenko

Every sport needs a Babe Ruth to move forward in its progression, a first truly great competitor who sets themself apart from the rest of the pack. Fedor Emelianenko filled this role perfectly for MMA.

Like Ruth did for baseball, Emelianenko gave the sport a measuring stick against which it could measure greatnesss. As it should be, few have come close to matching the accomplishments of Emelianenko and not many ever will.

Anderson Silva

Just as every sport needs a Babe Ruth, every sport also needs a Michael Jordan. Anderson Silva has become the Jordan of MMA. Like Jordan, Silva has been able to remain flashy while still dominating his opponents.

Silva has shown other mixed martial artists that they will need to step up their skill level in order to continue to remain competitive in MMA.

Eventually, a next-generation fighter like Jon Jones may surpass Silva as the Jordan of MMA, but Silva will always be remembered as a fighter who bridged that gap.

Georges St-Pierre

As one looks at the history of MMA, the first noticeable trait of the sport is the progression towards well-rounded mixed martial artists. Arguably, Georges St-Pierre was the first fighter to become a truly complete fighter.

As the sport continues to move forward, St-Pierre will be the model of perfection for fighters looking to improve their game in all areas.