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via Getty

via Getty

November 2023 will mark the 30th year in UFC history. Formed in 1993, UFC is the biggest professional mixed martial arts promotion in the world. Though the organization has helped MMA become a global sport, it is still a very young sport.

The success of the UFC certainly goes to Dana White, the outstanding management and crew that has built a looked-down sport into an unstoppable machine. However, the fighters are the most essential part of this organization.

With the NBA celebrating its 75th anniversary this year, one of the major journalists presented an idea for the UFC to celebrate its 30th anniversary of UFC next year by having the top 30 greatest fighters during the last 3 decades on one stage.

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Though lately, MMA journalist Ariel Helwani has had a sore relationship with the UFC President Dana White, he often pitches great ideas for the growth and development of the fighters and the organization. The 11 times MMA journalist of the year winner has always advocated for the fighters.

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Even though his thought process behind the initiative is great, the execution is where the problem lies.

Who are the top 30 UFC fighters of the last 3 decades, and is it feasible for Dana White to get them on the same stage?

Compiling a list of top fighters in the UFC would be a haptic task for anybody. In the last three decades, fighters have become a lot well-rounded. Thus, the UFC is no longer a sport, where a welterweight Brazilian Jiujitsu ace beats the heavyweight fighters. With modern technology, fighters have shown tremendous growth. Considering this, the legends of the sport may have a tough time featuring on the list.

During the build-up to UFC 200, the UFC made a list of the best 200 fighters; The top 10 on that list were:

  1. Jon Jones
  2. Anderson Silva
  3. Georges St-Pierre
  4. Matt Hughes
  5. Chuck Liddell
  6. Randy Couture
  7. BJ Penn
  8. Jose Aldo
  9. Demetrious Johnson
  10. Royce Gracie

Even though these fighters had done exceptional work with the competition available at the time, could they hang against the top 10 fighters of today?

Also, a big factor to take into consideration is the relationship of these legends with the UFC. Not all of them share a good relationship with the UFC President, Dana White.

Some fans also reacted with the same sentiments to Helwani’s post. One user wrote, “Dana Isn’t in good terms with most of them, sadly”

Another user said, “half of them hate Dana, so I doubt that’s possible.” This user got a reply about what Dana White would do to tackle the situation. “It’s still possible, Dana is simply going to act like they don’t exist and bring out 30 other fighters.”

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In conclusion, coming up with a list of the greatest fighters of the last three decades is very subjective. Even if a list is compiled, getting the fighters on the same stage together would be a tough ask. However, it’s all up to the boss, Dana White.

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Would you entertain this idea? What is your top 30 greatest fighter list look like? Let us know in the comments section below.