UFC President Dana White recently unveiled his selection for the top five greatest UFC competitors in history, but he has left out some significant names.
During an engaging conversation on boxing legend Mike Tyson’s podcast, the two talked about a variety of subjects. This also included talks about GOAT.
While many prominent names like Anderson Silva, Georges St-Pierre, and Demetrious Johnson have earned their place in the Octagon’s hall of fame, White’s picks took an unexpected turn as he omitted these established icons.
White offered his unique perspective, opting to include former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey in his top five. Rousey’s influence extended beyond her victories, as she became a symbol of the sport during her legendary championship reign.
Another pivotal figure White highlighted was Amanda Nunes, renowned for her victory over Ronda Rousey upon the latter’s UFC comeback. Nunes recently bid adieu to the promotion after her impressive win over Irene Aldana at UFC 289, further solidifying her position in White’s chosen five.
White also mentioned Matt Hughes, Royce Gracie, Chuck Liddell, and Kamaru Usman as male UFC competitors.
During their illustrious runs, Usman and Hughes both won the UFC welterweight championship. Additionally, Chuck Liddell won the UFC light-heavyweight championship and had a famous feud with Tito Ortiz.
Similarly, Royce Gracie’s exceptional performance earned him championship titles in the inaugural UFC tournaments—UFC 1, UFC 2, and UFC 4.
In conversation with Mike Tyson, White revealed his thought process behind these selections. He said: “You gotta have Ronda Rousey, know what I mean? You gotta have Amanda Nunes, greatest female fighter of all time. There’s just so many, it’s hard to pick five.”
White then went on to add: “Kamaru Usman has got to be in there, Chuck Liddell in his time, Royce [Gracie] in his era and in his time, it’s hard to just pick five. If you look at the different generations, they took the sport to another level.”
“Matt Hughes would have to make the list. There’s so many people, it’s tough to pick.”
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