Top 15 best black UFC fighters of all time (updated list)

The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is the leading martial arts organisation. Dana White, its owner and creator, inducts athletes from all over the world. So how many African fighters are in the UFC? The organisation currently has over 650 active martial artists on its roster and hosts over 40 events a year. This article has the top 15 of the very best black UFC fighters of all time.

Black UFC fighters have no doubt left their indelible mark in the company which is known for having the best mixed martial arts fighters worldwide. So which of these black UFC fighters is the best of all? The list below has some of the best black UFC champion fighters of all time.

Top 15 black UFC fighters in 2022

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For years, the world of combat has witnessed several marvellous martial artists represent their respective cultures and heritage in the realm of fisticuffs. Are there UFC fighters who have black belts? The below list has the top 15 black fighters in descending order.

1. Jon Jones

Jon Jones is mentioned numerous as the best martial artist. He joined UFC in 2008 and has only one loss. He holds the record for most title wins in UFC. Jon was born in New York but lived and fought mainly out of New Mexico, making him an all-American martial artist.

2. Rashid Evans

Evans never shied away from a fight and fought ferociously in his time in the Light Heavyweight division. After going through the worst skid of his career, Evans announced his retirement in 2018. However, Evans decided to come out of retirement in 2022 and got a unanimous decision victory over Gabriel Checco at Eagle FC 44.

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3. Kamaru Usman

Usman is undoubtedly one of the strongest Welterweight martial artists there has ever been in the UFC. He has always depended on his wrestling abilities to secure wins back to back for many years and multiple title defences. He dons the Nigerian flag colours on his face at every ceremonial weigh-in.

4. Yoel Romero

Romero is a Cuban freestyle wrestler, born in Pinar del Río, Cuba, in 1977. He was known in the UFC for his explosive style that could finish the fight anytime, with 8 post-games bonuses in 13 rounds. Romero is known for proudly representing his African and Cuban heritage wherever he goes and is regarded as one of the most optimistic personalities in the MMA sphere.

5. Aljamain Sterling

Sterling is currently riding a 6 win streak and is one of the most underrated martial artists in MMA today. In addition, he is considered one of the best BJJ black belts in the 135-pound division. He holds many impressive victories over the top 15 Bantamweight fighters such as Cory Sandhagen & Pedro Munhoz.

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6. Francis Ngannou

While Francis now resides in Las Vegas, Nevada, he comes from the humble streets of Cameroon. He holds the world record for the hardest punches ever thrown, beating the previous record held by kickboxing legend Tyrone Spong. He is the only man on the list of the best African-born UFC fighters that reached the UFC final in the heavyweight category.

7. Israel Adesanya

Israel has an exciting heritage as he is Nigerian by descent, born in Lagos in 1989. Adesanya quickly rose to fame thanks to his unique combat style. He has an exciting fighting style, and he is a colourful character who likes to trash talk his opponents before a fight, even when he is not scheduled to engage them!

8. Demetrious Johnson

He is one of the most well-rounded mixed martial artists today, with a solid wrestling base and the ability to land fast strikes. With 18 fights in the UFC, he only suffered 2 losses. As a result, various UFC commentators and media outlets have referred to him as the greatest mixed martial artist in the world.

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9. Benson Henderson

Although Henderson only had a short UFC career, he managed to accomplish a lot in his 4 years with the company. One of the main things that made Henderson stand out early on was that he was one of the first martial artists in UFC history to use calf kicks effectively. The former champion is still competing today for Bellator.

10. Derrick Lewis

Lewis is one of the scariest fighters due to his tremendous knockout power. However, the two-time title challenger is a fan favourite not just because of his knockouts but also for his funny post-fight interviews. Lewis will always be remembered for his post-interview at UFC 229 vs Volkov.

11. Anderson Silva

Silva was born in São Paulo, Brazil, but resides in California, USA. His smooth movement and perfect foot timing made him an almost unstoppable force within the promotion. The future Hall of Famer left the UFC in 2020 and is now having a successful boxing career.

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12. Daniel Cormier

Cormier was an all-American wrestler known for his mauling style, where he would continuously take people down and dominate. He had a strong background in professional wrestling, winning the gold at various US National Championships. His wrestling abilities translated exceptionally well to mixed martial arts.

13. Tyron Woodley

Woodley is one of the hardest hitters in UFC welterweight history and had a lot of success during his time in the UFC. Within his time in the UFC, Tyron had a mixture of winning streaks and rocky periods. Although Woodley finally moved on to a professional boxing career, his history in the UFC is still remembered.

14. Quinton Jackson

Jackson was a part of the UFC when the Light Heavyweight division was the most profound. Quinton last fought in December 2019. With his entertaining personality and infectious smile, Quinton was able to take his performance skills to film and has had many appearances in movies like Jackass (2001) and The A-Team (2010).

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15. Alistair Overeem

Overeem was born in Hounslow, London, England but is of Dutch nationality. He is one of the most accomplished fighters in combat sports history. He has had many notable wins in his 10 years in the UFC, with wins over legends such as Fabrício Werdum, Junior Dos Santos and Mark Hunt.

The above article lists the best black UFC fighters of all time. Over time, most people have expressed their interest in the sport more than ever. Therefore, more new fighters are likely to feature on the list in the coming years.

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Source: Briefly News