The Blog

 Introduction Kazushi "The Gracie Hunter" Sakuraba is the most influential Japanese fighter in MMA history and the foundational face of Pride Fighting Championships' early-2000s era. The Akita native built his legend by defeating four members of the legendary Brazilian Gracie family — Royler, Royce (in a 90-minute battle), Renzo, and Ryan — across an 11-month stretch in 1999-2000. His catch-wrestling-driven style, theatrical pro-wrestling-influenced presentation, and willingness to face signific

 Introduction TJ "The Viper" Dillashaw is one of the most accomplished UFC bantamweight champions in promotion history and a two-time titleholder. The Sonora, California native — an NCAA Division I All-American wrestler at Cal State Fullerton — emerged from The Ultimate Fighter Season 14 in 2011 and went on to dethrone Renan Barao at UFC 173 in May 2014 to win his first UFC bantamweight title. His switch-stance kickboxing pattern and elite distance management produced one of the most technically

 Introduction Rodtang "The Iron Man" Jitmuangnon is one of the most celebrated Muay Thai and kickboxing fighters of the modern era and the foundational face of ONE Championship's Muay Thai division. The Pattalung native held the ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Championship for over 1,900 days (2019-2024) — the longest reign in the title's history with nine successful defenses — and produced one of the most-replayed knockouts of 2025 with his left-hook finish of Japanese kickboxing icon Takeru Sega

 Introduction Zhang "Magnum" Weili is the most accomplished Chinese fighter in UFC history and the first Chinese UFC champion in promotion history. The Hebei native won the UFC Women's Strawweight Championship twice — first in August 2019 with a 42-second TKO of Jessica Andrade, and again in November 2022 with a submission win over Carla Esparza. Her UFC 248 war with Joanna Jędrzejczyk is widely considered the greatest women's MMA fight ever and was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame's Fight Win

 Introduction Rose "Thug" Namajunas is one of the most accomplished strawweight fighters in UFC women's MMA history and a two-time UFC Women's Strawweight Champion. The Milwaukee-born Lithuanian-American striker rose to championship contention through The Ultimate Fighter Season 20 in 2014, dethroned Joanna Jędrzejczyk at UFC 217 in 2017 to become the second-ever UFC strawweight champion, and reclaimed the title at UFC 261 in 2021 with a head-kick KO of Zhang Weili. She continues to compete at f

 Introduction Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone is one of the most beloved fighters in UFC history and a 2023 UFC Hall of Fame Modern Wing inductee. The Denver-born veteran competed 38 times in the UFC and 10 times in the WEC across his career — second-most combined Zuffa fights at the time of his 2022 retirement — amassing 16 career UFC finishes and 18 post-fight bonuses (second only to Charles Oliveira in promotion history). His "anyone, anywhere, any time" philosophy made him the prototype for the acti

 Introduction Chael "The American Gangster" Sonnen is one of the most charismatic and accomplished non-champion fighters in UFC history. The Oregon-born former Olympic alternate wrestler challenged for UFC titles three times in two weight classes — including the iconic UFC 117 near-miss against Anderson Silva — and is widely cited as the most influential trash-talker in MMA history. His post-fighting career as the lead ESPN MMA studio analyst, the Good Guy/Bad Guy podcast co-host, and TUF 33 coa

 Introduction Alistair "The Demolition Man" Overeem is one of the most decorated two-sport champions in combat sports history. The Dutch heavyweight is the only fighter ever to hold a major MMA championship and the K-1 World Grand Prix simultaneously — winning the Strikeforce Heavyweight title (2007-2011), the Dream Heavyweight title (2010-2011), and the 2010 K-1 World Grand Prix in the same calendar year. Across a 22-year career he competed in PRIDE, Strikeforce, Dream, the UFC, and Glory Kickb

 Introduction Michael "The Count" Bisping is the first British UFC champion in promotion history and one of the foundational figures of UK MMA. The Lancashire native won The Ultimate Fighter Season 3 in 2006, fought professionally in the UFC for over a decade, won the UFC Middleweight Championship by knockout of Luke Rockhold at UFC 199 in June 2016, and was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame's Modern Wing in 2019. He has been the UFC's lead British color commentator since 2018 and is set to coa

 Introduction Petr "No Mercy" Yan is the reigning UFC Bantamweight Champion and one of the most technically refined boxers in MMA history. The Russian striker reclaimed the UFC Bantamweight title at UFC 323 on December 6, 2025 by dethroning Merab Dvalishvili via unanimous decision — joining Dominick Cruz and TJ Dillashaw as only the third fighter ever to win the UFC Bantamweight title twice. His surgical-precision boxing arsenal has made him a top-five pound-for-pound contender heading into 2026

 Introduction Michael "Iron" Chandler is one of the most explosive lightweight fighters of the modern MMA era and a three-time Bellator Lightweight Champion. The Missouri native, NCAA Division I All-American wrestler, and Nashville gym owner has competed at championship level for over a decade — winning Bellator's lightweight title three separate times before joining the UFC in January 2021 and challenging for the UFC Lightweight title twice. He is scheduled to fight on the historic UFC Freedom

 Introduction Tony "El Cucuy" Ferguson is one of the most beloved and unorthodox fighters in UFC lightweight history. The TUF 13 winner from Muskegon, Michigan compiled the longest UFC lightweight win streak in promotion history at twelve consecutive victories between 2013 and 2019, won the UFC Interim Lightweight Championship in October 2017, and is widely cited by Daniel Cormier and other commentators as the most unpredictable freestyle fighter in modern MMA. His five-time-cancelled fight with