MMA: Top 5 Fighters from the UFC's First 18 Years

On Friday, November 13, 1993, the Ultimate Fighting Championship held its first event from Denver, Colorado. The event was billed as a no-rules contest between fighters of various martial arts backgrounds. 

The UFC has since evolved into the biggest MMA company in the world. 

There have been many great fighters who have graced the Octagon. 

Here's a look at the five greatest.

Honorable Mentions

Randy Couture: 

The winner of five UFC championships (three heavyweight, two light heavyweight), Couture proved that age doesn't mean a thing. Couture became the oldest UFC champion and a hero to many UFC fans. Although he may not have had the best record in the world, Couture was a special fighter that will never be replaced.

B.J. Penn:

Penn was the only man besides Randy Couture to win UFC titles in two different weight classes. Penn shined at lightweight, though. He holds the record for most title defenses in the division (three) and the most wins in the division (10).

Tito Ortiz:

Tito Ortiz is perhaps the UFC's first star and bad boy during the company's early days with Zuffa. Ortiz holds the record for most title defenses in the light heavyweight division and has victories over Forrest Griffin, Ken Shamrock, Vitor Belfort and Wanderlei Silva.

Chuck Liddell

MMA Record: 21-8; 16-7 in UFC

UFC Accomplishments: One-time UFC light heavyweight champion; most wins in the UFC lightweight division (16); UFC Hall of Famer

Why He Makes the List:

Chuck "The Iceman" Liddell is one of the greatest knockout artists in MMA history. Sixteen of Liddell's 21 wins have come by knockout. 

Along with his knockouts, Liddell's signature mohawk and blue shorts made him one of the most recognizable fighters in MMA history.   

Liddell has defeated other UFC legends along the way, including Tito Ortiz, Vitor Belfort and Randy Couture. 

Liddell was arguably the face of the UFC during the company's early rise with Zuffa.

Royce Gracie

MMA Record: 14-2-3; 11-1-1 in UFC

Accomplishments: Won UFC 1, 2 and 4 tournaments; most submission victories in UFC History; UFC Hall of Famer

Why He Makes the List: 

Without Royce Gracie, the UFC would not be where it is today. 

Back when the UFC was seen as a blood sport tournament, Gracie was the dominating force. What made him so unique was the fact that he was a lot smaller than his opponents, yet he beat them with Gracie Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. 

If Gracie did not win or dominate the way that he did, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu may not have been as big as it is in the sport. More importantly, the UFC and MMA as a whole would not be where they are. 

Matt Hughes

MMA Record: 45-9; 18-7 in UFC

Accomplishments: Two-time UFC welterweight champion; most wins in the UFC (18); most successful welterweight title defenses; UFC Hall of Famer

Why He Makes the List:

Matt Hughes is without a doubt one of the greatest fighters in MMA history. 

The country boy from Hillsboro, Illinois, was welterweight champion for many years in the UFC. 

Hughes not only took on all comers, but he beat them all. 

Hughes was one of the UFC's most dominant champions and has defeated every person who has held the UFC welterweight championship, except his trainer, Pat Miletich. 

Although fighters like Tito Ortiz, Chuck Liddell and Randy Couture may have received more spotlight than Hughes, he was one of the best in the game. 

Georges St-Pierre

MMA Record: 22-2; 16-2 in UFC

Accomplishments: Two-time UFC welterweight champion (current); second-most wins in the UFC; most consecutive welterweight title defenses

Why He Makes the List: 

Georges "Rush" St-Pierre has been a force in the UFC ever since he joined the company in 2004. 

In just his third UFC fight, St-Pierre was fighting Matt Hughes for the welterweight title. Although St-Pierre would lose, he worked his way back to a title fight and defeated Hughes to earn his first UFC title.

Along with Hughes, St-Pierre has defeated some of MMA's best, including B.J. Penn, Sean Sherk and Jon Fitch. 

St-Pierre has been one of the most dominant fighters in MMA history because of his ability to exploit his opponents weaknesses. Although many fans gripe about St-Pierre not finishing fights, he is the face of the UFC today.

Anderson Silva

MMA Record: 31-4; 14-0 in UFC

Accomplishments: Current UFC middleweight champion; most consecutive and successful title defenses (nine); most consecutive wins in the UFC; longest title reign in the UFC; unified Pride welterweight and UFC middleweight titles

Why He Makes the List:

The NBA had Michael Jordan. The MLB had Babe Ruth. Boxing had Muhammad Ali. The UFC has Anderson Silva. 

Since Silva entered the UFC he has been it's most dominant and exciting fighter. 

No one has been able to stop Silva. Few have even been able to make Silva look human. 

Silva has made other top strikers look like kids who are scared to fight, wrestlers look foolish by submitting them, and the middleweight division look mediocre.

There have been many champions in the UFC's short history, but none have come close to accomplishing what Anderson Silva has.