When selecting the top-five mixed martial arts fighters of 2000s, it is difficult to pick such a small number from so many superb athletes over the years. MMA has grown to become one of the leading sports entertainment spectacles in the world and if you are interested in following and betting on the sport, you must take advantage of the Bet365 bonus code NJ found at JOHNNYBET. The website is home to the biggest selection of bonuses and promotions you will find anywhere online and there are some fantastic promo codes to use when betting on MMA contests.
In terms of choosing the top-five mixed martial arts fighters of 2000s, there are some legendary names involved including Matt Hughes, Georges St-Pierre, Chuck Liddell, Anderson Silva, Randy Couture, Jon Jones, Fedor Emelianenko, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Daniel Cormier, Demetrious Johnson and Conor McGregor.
Hughes retired back in 2013 but it is impossible to ignore the success he enjoyed throughout his career. He is a two-time UFC welterweight champion, UFC Hall of Fame inductee, and NJCAA Hall of Fame inductee. In addition, Hughes defeated all the available opposition in the welterweight division plus defended his title seven times. He is without doubt one of the greatest pound-for-pound mixed martial artists we have ever seen.
One of the few men to have inflicted defeat on Hughes is St-Pierre. The Canadian finally retired in 2017 having made a brief return to action. St-Pierre won titles in the welterweight and middleweight divisions, making him a two-division champion in the UFC. He was named the Canadian athlete of the year three times and holds the second longest combined title streak in UFC history.
“The Spider” is one of the men still currently active in this list. The former UFC middleweight champion holds the record for the longest title reign in UFC history at 2,457 days, pushing St-Pierre into second place. The successful run of victories started in 2006 and ended in 2013, with a total of 16 wins. In the eyes of many people, including UFC President Dana White, UFC commentator Joe Rogan, Silva is the best mixed martial artist of all time.
Another MMA fighter who is still active yet considered to be one of the greatest in his field of the 2000s is Jones. Having started his career in 2008, Jones began later than many of the other names in this article yet has already done enough to be considered a mixed martial art great. Jones became the youngest champion in UFC history when he defeated Maurício Rua at UFC 128 and holds several records in the light heavyweight division.
Finally, we come to Emelianenko, the Russian heavyweight mixed martial artist. He has enjoyed a tremendous career spanning Pride Fighting Championship, where he held the heavyweight title on numerous occasions. Emelianenko went on an unbeaten run of 28 fights and has defeated several former UFC champions.