MMA is the most complex combat sport that requires all-around striking and grappling skills and high-level athleticism. In fact, athleticism, in particular, represents a decisive factor that often separates top fighters from the rest.
All successful current and past UFC fighters are athletic. Depending on the style, some rely on their exceptional striking speed and endurance to overwhelm opponents like Demetrious Johnson, while others like Brock Lesnar might use sheer strength, explosiveness, and agility to land powerful blows and takedowns. And there are genetically gifted who have it all.
So, in this article, we will take a look at the 10 most athletic UFC fighters in history and how athleticism has impacted and defined their careers.
10. Zabit Magomedsharipov
Magomedsharipov is, by many, the biggest “what-if” in UFC history. He made a name for himself competing in the featherweight division where his unique style that blends unorthodox striking, dynamic grappling, and overall athleticism quickly made him a fan-favorite fighter. His transitions between flashy striking and grappling were flawless, making you feel like you are watching an action movie.
He had an amazing ability to perform in a flow, adapt and change his style in a split second, spot the openings, and execute with perfection. Even when he was using flashy techniques, these shots were landing and causing damage. He was so unpredictable and skillful that some of the wild jumping kicks off the cage and spinning techniques he was using didn’t even have a name.
From his opponent’s standpoint, he was one of those frustrating fighters who are simply good everywhere and hard to read. His agility, quick reflexes, awareness, and calmness inside the octagon enabled him always to stay three steps ahead of his opponents, whether the fight was on the feet or on the ground.
However, just as he reached the top, his career got cut short as he started battling with health issues related to his immune system. Though many fans hoped he would recover and come back, Magomedsharipov unfortunately retired from pro competition.
9. Alexander Volkanovski
Volkanovski is arguably the greatest UFC featherweight of all time, known for his standup skills, top grappling defense, and incredible toughness and durability. Up until the rematch against Makhachev, which he took on short notice, no one really was able to break him inside the cage.
Volkanovski was a professional rugby player in Australia before transitioning to MMA. He used to weigh over 210 pounds at one point, which is hard to imagine considering that he was competing in a 145-pound division.
In his words, he started doing MMA to get in shape because he was overweight before he realized the strength and endurance he developed in rugby could actually serve him well in cage fighting.
He is, by far, the strongest and most athletic featherweight of all time, and the difference in sheer physical strength and explosiveness has always been obvious in his fights.
8. Demetrious Johnson
Also known as the “Mighty Mouse”, Johnson is the former UFC flyweight champion, often considered the greatest MMA fighter of all time. He became the first flyweight champion in 2012 and managed to defend his title eleven times before losing it to Henry Cejudo in 2018. During his reign, he had that aura of invisibility around him only the true greats have. He looked untouchable.
Standing at 5 feet 3 inches, Johnson developed his style around speed and agility. On the feet, he would use quick footwork and angles to protect his space and out-position the opponent to land punches and kicks with incredible speed and accuracy.
But his athleticism really comes into play when it comes to wrestling and grappling as he managed to land takedowns on the best wrestlers like Olympic wrestling gold medalist Henry Cejudo and submit BJJ World Champions like Wilson Reis without actually training in BJJ before starting MMA.
Back in high school, he used to wrestle at Washington High School where he placed 3rd and 2nd in the state in his junior and senior years. During this time, he also competed in track and cross country at the State Championships, which further strengthens the argument that he is among the most athletic UFC fighters ever.
Overall, Mighty Mouse is one of those athletes who could have picked any sport and succeeded in it.
7. BJ Penn
BJ Penn is a legendary UFC fighter, and the former champion in two different weight classes. The secret behind his success lies in two factors: talent and athleticism.
Penn began training in jiu-jitsu when he was 17 years old, and he became a legitimate black belt after only 3 years and 4 months of training under Ralph Gracie and later Andre Pederneiras. This on its own tells you all about his athleticism, as most BJJ students need between 10 and 15 years to reach the same level.
Penn also became the first non-Brazilian to win the World Jiu-Jitsu Championship at the black belt level.
When he transitioned to cage fighting, Penn needed even less time to develop strong standup skills and become a nightmare matchup for anyone.
Inside the cage, he shined on the feet with explosive and precise striking and was even more dangerous on the mat, where no fighter was close to matching his skills.
He stormed his way to winning the lightweight championship in 2003 and then the welterweight championship a year later, in 2004.
6. Jon Jones
Jones is widely regarded as the best MMA fighter of all time. One of the secrets behind his dominance lies in his athleticism and genetics. The former light heavyweight and heavyweight champion is often described as the most talented fighter who has the perfect athleticism for fighting.
He is tall, has long physical attributes, and is a master at getting the most out of every inch of the advantage he has over the opponent, which allows him to control the octagon like no other fighter.
Looking at his style, he is a definition of an all-around athlete.
Although he prefers to pick his opponents apart using long-range strikes, Jones has really good defensive wrestling. Visually, he might not look like physically the strongest fighter. However, he is very agile, flexible, and strong enough to prevent his opponents from overpowering him inside the clinch.
Like against Cormier and Gustafson, he would stop the initial wrestling attack, and then use his athleticism to out position the opponent before disturbing their balance using different types of trips and throws. And the same happens when the fight hits the ground. He has a really good top control and the ability to always create space to land vicious elbows and punches from the top.
5. Yoel Romero
Though he never won the championship despite the three title shots, Romero will go down in the history books as one of the scariest and most athletic UFC fighters ever. He transitioned to MMA from wrestling, where he was an Olympic silver medalist at the 2000 Olympics.
But apart from his incredible grappling skills, what enabled him to quickly adapt to cage fighting was his athleticism. His physique was so impressive that many fans didn’t believe one could have such a muscular body and low body fat without performance enhancing drugs. Romero indeed failed the anti-doping test once, but it later proved it was a tainted supplement, so he was innocent.
Inside the cage, Romero was the definition of athleticism. He was explosive, fast, and powerful, and although he didn’t have great cardio, he was good at managing his energy levels throughout the fight.
He would usually stand right in front of his opponent flat-footed, patiently waiting for the perfect opponent to explode and blast you either with a wild hook or flying knee. As a result, Romero’s fights often result in spectacular finishes, frequently featured in UFC highlight reels.
This is a strategy he used to knock many of his opponents out, such as Chris Weidman, Tim Kennedy, and Luke Rockhold.
4. Cain Velasquez
Velasquez is the former UFC heavyweight champion, widely regarded as the best heavyweight of all time. In his prime, he was known for his relentless pace, powerful striking, and exceptional wrestling skills, which enabled him to dominate competition for many years.
The scariest thing about Velasquez wasn’t that he was a knockout puncher; it was his insane cardiovascular endurance, as he could compete at a high pace for full 5-minute rounds without stopping.
Right from the opening bell, he would establish strong forward pressure, set a high pace, drag his opponents deep into the deep waters, and tire them out quickly. No one could keep up with Velasquez back in his prime.
The best example was his second match against Junior Dos Santos, in which he mauled Santos for five rounds. He beat Santos so hard that the Brazilian wasn’t the same fighter after that match.
Apart from the deep gas tank, Velasquez was also very fast for a man his size, agile, especially on the ground, and powerful.
Unfortunately, years of hard sparring and training took a toll on his body, and he never really achieved his full potential due to injuries.
3. Francis Ngannou
When you take all the factors into consideration, the former UFC heavyweight champion, Francis Ngannou, might be the most athletic UFC fighter ever. Coming from Cameroon, Ngannou started training MMA at 27 years of age.
Although he is not the only fighter starting too late, Ngannou joined the sport without any serious martial arts background. In his own words, he had some basic boxing training in France, and that was it.
But what Ngannou had was incredible genetics, athleticism, and the will to learn and succeed. He grew up working in the sand mines since he was a child, which helped him develop unique muscle strength that the MMA world hadn’t seen before. When he arrived at the UFC, he was looking like a professional bodybuilder.
However, this is a functional strength we are talking about here, as Ngannou managed to evolve and grow into a skilled fighter in a short period of time. In the beginning, he managed to make up for the lack of all-around skills with sheer power and aggression.
His ability to end fights with a single punch has solidified his reputation as one of the most feared heavyweights in UFC history. But he would also develop a strong takedown defense along the way to complement his striking base.
After becoming a champion, he would leave the UFC as a champion to pursue a career in pro boxing. In 2023, he faced Tyson Fury, arguably the best boxer of this generation, and he was able to go toe-to-toe with him and even score a knockdown. This on its own confirms that Francis Ngannou is one of the most athletic UFC fighters ever.
2. Brock Lesnar
Brock Lesnar is the former UFC heavyweight champion and arguably the most intimidating fighter in UFC history. When he transitioned to MMA from WWE, many people wondered how he would handle the top UFC competition.
However, Lesnar was able to make up for the lack of training time and experience with superior athleticism and a fearless mindset. His imposing physical presence, coupled with unparalleled athletic abilities, made him a force to be reckoned with inside the octagon. Standing at 6 feet 3 inches and weighing around 265 pounds, Lesnar’s sheer size alone commanded attention.
But despite being built like a tank, Lesnar was very agile, fast, and mobile for a man his size. He built his success on explosive wrestling attacks and the strong top control he used to demolish many of his opponents. He was also very durable, as seen against Shane Carwin, where he absorbed a lot of damage before turning the tables around and finishing Carwin on the ground.
This unique blend of size, strength, and agility made him one of the most athletic UFC fighters ever and iconic as well.
1. George St. Pierre
George St. Pierre (GSP) had it all. He is widely regarded as the best welterweight fighter and managed to win the middleweight title in the closing stages of his career. On top of that, many fans agree that he is the most athletic UFC fighter of all time.
Although GSP had an all-around skillset, what also set him apart was his well-rounded athleticism, genetics, and work ethic. GSP was fast, explosive, agile, and very flexible, and his athleticism and dedication to training enabled him to learn quickly, adapt, and experiment with his style.
He would train in gymnastics to improve his MMA game, do all kinds of calisthenics workouts, and combine his intense training regimen with advanced nutrition to always stay a step ahead of the competition. Overall, he elevated the concept of a well-rounded athlete to another level.
For example, GSP came into MMA as a striker with a strong background in karate. However, he built his success inside the UFC octagon utilizing high-level wrestling, top control, and submission games. He beat and outwrestled some of the best NCAA Division 1 wrestlers, like Matt Hughes and Josh Kosheck, without actually training in wrestling before MMA.
Overall, GSP is a total MMA package, as he had it all. His fighting IQ was off the charts, which, combined with all-around skills and superior athleticism, made him unbeatable.