African american ufc fighters He is also a supporter Through articles highlighting UFC pioneers like former fighter Din Thomas, the UFC tried. Ronda Rousey broke boundaries for female fighters UFC is proud to celebrate Black History Month by acknowledging the achievements of African American and Black UFC athletes throughout our history. Jorge “Gamebred” Masvidal is one of the most popular fighters on the UFC roster with an impressive ledger that spans an MMA career that began all the way UFC. They Include the Current Middleweight and Welterweight Champions. The Best The UFC has seen 70 American champions, with legends like Jon Jones, Demetrious Johnson, and Daniel Cormier making their mark over the years. Volkov is well known for being one of the most imposing and tallest UFC fighters, standing at 6’7” and UFC Unleashed: Black History Month will debut on Sunday, February 5 at 9 p. com: Jose Johnson Has Seen It All ; MMA Junkie: UFC bantamweights Da'Mon Blackshear, Cody Gibson to collide in Las One of the big flashpoints of last weekend's UFC Fight Night event in Las Vegas has drawn an apology from the fighter involved. Alessio Sakara is another hugely passionate Italian UFC fighter who loves his heritage and the literature and history of the Roman Empire – Rose Gertrude Namajunas [7] (born June 29, 1992) is an American professional mixed martial artist. He will challenge welterweight champion Leon Edwards in a title rematch. Also read: 5 African fighters who have the potential to Alexander Volkov, or “Drago”, made his UFC debut in 2016 and is a former Bellator and M1 heavyweight champion. Then came Israel Adesanya. Considering Americans helped blow This sport worldwide with so much talent it was ha Kamaru Usman is a Nigerian-American UFC fighter considered one of the greatest UFC welterweights of all time, only second to GSP. Nate Diaz is a Rashad Anton Evans is an American mixed martial artist. What a journey for this colossus (1. #1 Source For African Combat Sports focusing on African Fighters. Israel Adesanya is another black MMA fighter who proudly and loudly talks about his African lineage. The United States has produced some of the most iconic fighters in UFC history, including Chuck Liddell, Randy Couture, and the greatest of all time – Jon Jones. Held in Denver, Colorado, the historic Today, Terrance McKinney—an Africa-American fighter who competes in the UFC, took to Twitter to post a picture of himself standing alongside fellow fighters Kevin Holland and Sean O'Malley. It is the largest MMA organization that allows This former UFC ring beauty is so special because she was the first African-American UFC ring girl ever. During Do you think black fighters get a disproportionate amount of criticism when compared to their white counterparts? I don't know how much Woodley's lack of popularity was based on him Yet several of the company’s top black fighters, such as former welterweight champion Tyron Woodley, have complained about the lack of an effective strategy to build stars among African-American UFC Fight Pass has launched its Fighter of the Day campaign, featuring exclusive content related to various African American and Black athletes across its platform. Get the latest UFC breaking news, fight night results, MMA records and stats An African Fighter in UFC with intense wrestling, tremendous power, and hands that aren’t afraid to let loose. 2024. ua/"; _paq. Dricus Du Plessis Yarbrough started his sports career at Morgan State University, where he became an offensive tackle for the college football team before joining the college wrestling team. This list may not reflect recent changes. UFC is proud to celebrate Black History Month by acknowledging the achievements of African American and Black UFC athletes throughout our history. Angela Hill is ready to be a trail blazer. O’Malley is the current UFC bantamweight champion and the No. Current Top 3: Jon Jones, Demetrious Johnson, Anderson Silva Heavyweight American Fighters. Manaus, Brazil. 2019 was a big year for 30-year old Israel UFC FIGHT PASS, the world’s leading streaming service for combat sports, will also highlight the accomplishments of top African American and Black UFC athletes as part of its “Fighter of the The source for fighter bios, records, past fights, video highlights, and more. Hill has also started moving into a role of becoming a prominent voice in MMA as a co With a black belt in Taekwondo and a record of 15 wins, four losses, and one no-contest, the 30-year-old Rodríguez continues to build an impressive career as one of the best Mexican UFC fighters. Jose Aldo. Usman captured the welterweight championship in a decision over Tyron Get the top 15 best BLACK UFC FIGHTERS of all time. Held in Denver, Colorado, the historic event also featured the first African American Another early UFC fighter, Kevin Rosier was a kickboxer who competed at UFC 1 and made it to the semifinals, and also UFC 4 where he lost in round 1. UFC 285: These South African MMA fighters are on the cards. We are Focusing Former UFC Women's Bantamweight Champion and former Raw Women's Champion Ronda Rousey Emiko Raika - ( Pancrase , Shooto , DEEP ) Jessica Rakoczy - ( Bellator , TPF , UFC ) In this video we count down my top 10 American UFC fighters of all time. The three African-born Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) fighters are not only world To date, the one blemish on Usman’s record came in his second pro fight, and he’s one of the winningest African-American UFC fighters since signing with UFC. Maycee Barber (11-2). Angela 'Overkill' Hill holds the record for the most fights in UFC women's strawweight history, with 16. Out of 30 fights, he’s won One cannot discuss early African American UFC fighters without mentioning Mike Tyson’s brief foray into the world of MMA. Her slim hourglass outline makes her appear taller than she is, He is the third African-born fighter to be crowned a UFC champion after Nigerians Kamaru Usman and Israel Adesanya, who won the welterweight and middleweight titles, respectively, in 2019. During the media As the UFC and MMA become more mainstream, these men are among the first group of African-American stars, fighters who can serve as role models to others. I’m going to take a belt to Africa. African fighters make waves. Weird History. This was the scene in @francis_ngannou ’s hometown of Batié, Cameroon at the The 32-year-old American claims that he’s a better fighter than Du Plessis but that the South African’s grit will make it a “tough fight”. After experiencing backlash for his comments on parenting Black children, UFC fighter Michael Chandler, who is white, is addressing why he and his wife, Brie, decided to adopt two African-American Track the historic rise of the UFC's three African champions: Kamaru Usman, Canada's Greatest UFC Fighters. Sodiq Yusuff is a Nigerian-American MMA fighter who began his professional career in 2016 and has been performing UFC is proud to celebrate Black History Month by acknowledging the achievements of African American and Black UFC athletes throughout our history. In conclusion, the black UFC fighters mentioned in this article haven't only achieved incredible success in the Octagon but have also made a lasting impact on the sport of mixed martial arts. UFC 312: Du Plessis vs. All these fighters are some of the best examples of skill The dawn of the African era has arrived in the world's most prestigious MMA league, with titleholders Israel Adesanya, Kamaru Usman and Francis Ngannou at the center of attention in the UFC. We are Focusing Kamaru Usman was born in Nigeria in May 1987, and he has become one of the most intense African fighters in MMA history. I’m the #1 Source For African Combat Sports focusing on African Fighters. His MMA career lasted 7 years between 1993 and 2000, and he Ex-UFC champion Francis Ngannou has described plans for a mixed martial arts (MMA) league in Africa as the "masterpiece" of his new deal with the Professional Fighters League (PFL). During The Best Black UFC Fighters In MMA History 20. com: UFC Vegas 101 Find the latest UFC event schedule, watch information, fight cards, start times, and broadcast details. UFC women's flyweight. "3 Black fighters in the world of combat sports are widely regarded as some of the world's top fighters and are eager to make their mark in UFC. For Best non Brazillian South American Fighters in UFC, the 100 most-recently updated member lists will be included. [9] [10] As a mixed martial artist, he currently competes Maurice Lavonne Smith [1] (born December 13, 1961) is a retired American kickboxer and mixed martial artist. UFC The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American Mixed Martial Arts promotion company that is responsible for conducting MMA fights. 12, 2020) at UFC Vegas 10 on ESPN+. Next fight: TBA. The list is ranked based on MMA records, popularity, and championships won. Nationality: Bahamian-American Height: 6 feet 2 inches Nickname: “Bahamian” Division: Heavyweight From his physique and mannerism to his look, Kimbo MMA Junkie: UFC 311 pre-event facts: Umar Nurmagomedov can join exclusive club of undefeated champions ; Bad Left Hook: ‘I want revenge’: Bivol says rematch with Beterbiev is Derrick "The Black Beast" Lewis 28-12-0, 1 NC. During MMAFighting. The media members were asked to vote for who they feel are the top fighters in the UFC by weight-class and pound-for-pound. 7 on ESPN's 25-under-25 list in 2021. Jon “Bones” Jones enters this list as he is often considered one of the best pound-for-pound black MMA fighters of all time. 08, 2025 win. This rise of African fighters in the UFC has Fallon Fox came out as transgender on March 5, 2013, during an interview with Outsports writer Cyd Zeigler and Sports Illustrated, following her two initial professional fights in the women's division. 6 ranked Pound for Pound fighter in the UFC. var _paq = window. So this excludes Black UFC Fighters around the globe such as Anderson Silva, Kamaru Usman, Dricus du Plessis (born 14 January 1994), also known by his initials DDP, is a South African professional mixed martial artist. One interesting statistic to MMA Junkie: UFC 311: How to watch pair of title fights, Los Angeles lineup, odds, more (updated) MMA Junkie : Struggling Colby Covington won't ditch UFC title hopes, aims 'to do the Following a heated build-up to their fight at UFC 305, Israel Adesanya and Dricus du Plessis agree that Africa was the real winner of the night after the pair settled their differences. 20. In this article, we will tell you about the 10 best African UFC fighters in the history of the sport. He was given the 5. they will fight in the parking The next big match for Team Africa is UFC 245 on December 14 where Usman will defend his welterweight title against American MMA fighter Colby Covington at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Pick 'Em & Fantasy Games - All the biggest upcoming MMA I'd add that grappling (BJJ, wrestling) tends to be a huge pipeline to UFC and grappling arts have fewer black American men. input. 3,118 votes. Sports | Athletes. 15, 2024. Going 1-1 in 2019, Good looks to continue his run MMA is a sport like golf, tennis and hockey where historically African Americans have been the minority at the pro level of these sports MMA Mania: Midnight Mania: No More $1 Million Checks!; UFC. But when it comes to the world’s number one fight promotion, African UFC fighters represent a surprisingly small number. Birthday: July 19, 1987. [5] [6] Controversy swelled over One of the best African American combat athletes ever Reply Brendan "Big Bapa" Schuab, former ufc heavyweight fighter came from the NFL and managed to experience brain trauma The 34-year-old now has 16 wins and three losses in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), making him the man to beat in the category. Get the list here! Cormier was an all-American wrestler known for his UFC is proud to celebrate Black History Month by acknowledging the achievements of African American and Black UFC athletes throughout our history. In kickboxing, he held the WKC (World Kickboxing Council) world light The last of our UFC fighters from Miami should come as no surprise for UFC fans. Souza’s journey from the favelas of Brazil to the pinnacle of MMA serves as an The main event at Saturday’s UFC 245 featured a matchup between Kamaru Usman, nicknamed “The Nigerian Nightmare,” and Colby Covington, a Trump loyalist Rankings were generated by a voting panel made up of media members. Strickland 2 Feb. Bruno "Brunão" Lopes (13-1-0) SP, BR is the #1st Pro Mens Light Heavyweight in Brazil. He won the mixed-martial arts (MMA) bout against American Tyron Woodley. He is particularly known for his low kicks. He recently got back in the win column at UFC 235 with a third-round TKO finish of Chance Rencountre. They include the current middleweight and welterweight champions 2019 was a big year for 30-year old Israel Adesanya. Madge actually went 2-0 in the UFC before moving to PFL for a bigger contract. DALLAS, TX – SEPTEMBER 08: Abdul Razak Alhassan celebrates after defeating Niko Price during the 1993 A Historic Night of Firsts. Faber made a name for himself in WEC by handing Dominick Cruz his only loss Fighter Kd Str Td Sub Event Method Round Time next. UFC Celebrates Black History Month: UFC Hall-of-Famer Maurice Smith defeats Mark Coleman at UFC 14 to become the first African American UFC Champion. 17-18 ; MMA The first ever UFC event, UFC 1, featured 4 African American fighters with Zane Frazier, Art Jimmerson, Patrick Smith and Trent Jenkins all competing that night. First African American to Win The Ultimate Fighter Nov 5. Evans started his professional MMA career in 2003, and was the Heavyweight winner of The Over 1K sports fans have voted on the 40+ athletes on Best UFC Fighters Who Walked Away From The Octagon. The American was the first UFC fighter champion of the flyweight division and won the title 11 more times. Before MMA, Kamaru Usman was an elite wrestler, becoming an NCAA Division II All-American and NCAA The first-ever African-American UFC champion was Maurice Smith, who defeated both Kevin Jackson and Mark “The Hammer” Coleman to earn the belt at UFC 14 in 1997 (Fight of the In addition, numerous top-ranked African American and Black UFC athletes will headline three of the four events produced at UFC APEX in Las Vegas during the month, Sean O’Malley and Jon Jones are the only American fighters currently holding a UFC belt. From his physique and Black UFC champions, including those from the African American community, hold various championship titles. _paq = window. This list of the best Black UFC fighters in history include major names like Rampage Jackson, Rashad Evans, Recently, however, there’s been a pure dominance of incredible African American fighters in UFC. Age: 24 (turns 25 on May 18, 2023) Ranked No. 2005 Kevin Jackson defeated Todd Butler by first-round knockout to become the first African American to win a In the Ultimate Fighting Championship organization’s 25 years of existence, there have been nine African-American world champions. During Angela Hill was the first African-American woman to fight in the UFC. The Best Kamaru Usman believes he was born to fight and on Saturday, the 31-year-old proved it by becoming the first African Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) champion. Who was the first Black UFC champion? UFC 14 in 1997 Magomed "MG" Gadzhiyasulov (9-0-0) BH is the #46th Top Light Heavyweight MMA fighter. Every fighter needs to compete at the UFC's elite level since they will have their best First, there was Kamaru Usman. Kamaru Usman is a black American UFC wrestler who was born in Nigeria and lived there until his family emigrated to the US when he was 8. A trailblazer for Mexican-American fighters in the world of MMA, Cain Velasquez rose to prominence as one of the most Height: 6’1” | Reach: 72” | Stance: Orthodox | Weight Class: Middleweight. Adesanya took a break from the sport after losing the title to Sean Strickland last September, while the South African fighter became the middleweight king after beating the Had he successfully gone through Jan Blachowicz at UFC 259, a history-making four titles would have been held by African-born fighters. Daniel “DC” Cormier, Tyron “The Chosen One” Woodley and Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Of the UFC’s almost 600 fighters from around the world, 11 are African. du Plessis is set to take on champion, Sean Strickland to try and Hailed by many as one of the best fights of the 1997 calendar year, this win signified a historic step forward for the African-American community in the sport of MMA as well as in combat sports as Rashad Evans (born September 25, 1979) is an American retired mixed martial artist who competed in the Light Heavyweight division. Weight This is a comprehensive list of many of the best black UFC fighters in the promotion’s history, and while subjective, many of the fighters can be classified as the best Jon Jones. Pennington vs Bueno Silva Co-Main Preview | UFC 297. Height: 5 feet 9 inches; Nickname: Hecho En México; Division: Lightweight; When Efrain Escudero newly burst into the UFC scene, he was one of the most promising . 93 m, 113 kg) who Meanwhile, rising bantamweight star Saaiman is slated to face Christian Rodriguez. Watchworthy. push Pages in category "African-American mixed martial artists" The following 108 pages are in this category, out of 108 total. 2023. He currently competes in the Middleweight division of the In addition, currently there are several black UFC fighters representing African-American culture, including Derrick Lewis, Michael Chandler, and Kamaru Usman. Get the latest UFC breaking news, fight night results, MMA records and stats, highlights, photos Jessica “Bate Estaca” Andrade is one of the most feared women in the UFC. "That Dricus "Stillknocks" Du Plessis is a South African fighter in the UFC middleweight division. Seven out of twelve UFC titles are held by black fighters, destroying the stigma that MMA is a caucasian-USA-dominated The current UFC men’s heavyweight and light heavyweight champions, Daniel Cormier and Jon Jones, respectively, are both black American men, not to mention fighters Tyron Woodley and Demetrious Johnson, who Africa is a continent of 1. Cameroonian heavyweight Francis However, a pivotal development emerged as South African fighter Dricus Du Plessis secured a bout against the American UFC Middleweight Champion Sean Strickland at UFC 297 in January 2024. November 12 – UFC 1: The Beginning was the inaugural event for the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Three champs with more contenders on the way! We look at five UFC athletes to call Africa home #UFC261 5750 sr 7, coconut creek, fl, 33073 - usa phone: 1-954-425-0705 - email us © 2025 american top teamemail us © 2025 american top team Another UFC fighter representing Puerto Rico is Lyman Good. The UFC is set to hold its first event of the year, where Brazilian Glover Teixeira and American Jamahal Hill are going to compete in the main card. The black guys that ARE good grapplerslike on their high school UFC Celebrates Black History Month: UFC Hall-of-Famer Maurice Smith defeats Mark Coleman at UFC 14 to become the first African American UFC Champion. . com: Leon Edwards vs. , Sept. The American Here are the 20 best black UFC fighters who the fans have been privileged to watch compete. [2] [3]Barry began The Ultimate Fighting Championship popularly known as UFC is an American Mixed Martial Arts promotion company. The days of Barber Best Mexican UFC Fighters 18. Maurice Smith was there during the time of Randy Couture, and so were the likes of Adesanya, Rashad, Jon In 1997 Maurice Smith became the first Black UFC Champion at UFC 14 when he beat Mark Coleman via decision. (previous page) Devin He is easily one of the best MMA fighters from South Africa and is a former UFC fighter. With a background in kickboxing, Adesanya's striking skills and unorthodox style have made him a fan Middle Easy: 55-Year-Old MMA Fighter Gets Attacked By Enraged Fan After Insulting The Crowd Following His Loss ; Bad Left Hook: Boxing streaming and TV schedule for Jan. UFC FIGHT PASS, the world’s leading streaming service for combat sports, will Adesanya took a break from the sport after losing the title to Sean Strickland last September, while the South African fighter became the middleweight king after beating the American via Racialised language has been used for hundreds of years to essentialise minority groups, and when put into the context of the mainstream media, cultivation theory tells us that racialised American UFC Champions. 3 billion people, in 54 countries, with a long history of warriors. “Is he the best? Probably not,” Strickland said. He currently competes in the Heavyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he is the current UFC Three current UFC champions hail from Africa. In It actually came as a surprise when I found out I was the first African American woman to be signed to the UFC. Out of nearly two dozen UFC fights, not many of them have been competitive. push(['trackPageView']); _paq. com: Ultimate 90s Alter Egos are Back on EA SPORTS UFC 5 Bad Left Hook: ‘I want to fight him again’: Haney hopes to get revenge on Garcia MMAFighting. the consensus rankings will update in real-time. Jan. We are also a combat sports media and management company based in the United Kingdom and Africa. Add to her being the first African American female UFC fighter, Angela Hill continues to make an impact on the sport of MMA all around. Current Top 3: Georges St-Pierre, Khabib vote on everything. Recent Fights: TKO. The UFC is yet to confirm the preliminary card, but Eurosport has subsequently reported that the bout is on and Rodriguez confirmed as Pat Barry (born July 7, 1979) is an American former professional mixed martial artist and kickboxer who competed as a heavyweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. m. She currently competes in the women's Flyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), and is a former two-time UFC Israel Mobolaji Temitayo Odunayo Oluwafemi Owolabi Adesanya [1] (born 22 July 1989) is a Nigerian-New Zealand professional mixed martial artist, former kickboxer and boxer. And, most recently, it has been Francis Ngannou. _paq || []; _paq. DEC. See more Jon Jones (27-1 MMA) Nationality: American. During February, UFC will highlight the personal UFC is proud to celebrate Black History Month by acknowledging the achievements of African American and Black UFC athletes throughout our history. Dana hinted that if UFC boasts diversity, but American fighters have achieved success with 70 belt wins across various weight classes. Hill, 26, is the first African-American woman to fight for the UFC, and she welcomes the chance to be a role model. Efrain Escudero. Jack Della Maddalena targeted for UFC London main event in March ; MMA Mania: Musumeci Reveals Health Issues, Olympic Boxer Wins Jiu-jitsu Debut He continued winning and became the first African UFC fighter to win a title after beating Tyron Woodley in 2019. Francis Zavier Ngannou [12] [13] (born 5 September 1986) [14] is a Cameroonian and French [15] professional mixed martial artist and professional boxer who currently competes in the Heavyweight division of the Professional Fighters Also ranks #4 on The Best Black Fighters In UFC History; 8. Now the UFC is filled with fighters from different backgrounds and the promotion currently has 4 Black Stars are born in the UFC octagon with the best fights creating legacies for the top fighters in the company. For Greatest American MMA Fighters of All Time, the 100 most-recently updated member lists will be Since Black History Month is originally an American holiday we only ranked fighters that are only Black American/African American. Since it was first established in November 1993, fighters in the UFC have Over 1K sports fans have voted on the 40+ athletes on Best Black Fighters In UFC History. Welterweight and middleweight champions Kamaru Usman and Israel Adesanya represent their home country of Nigeri MACAU SAR - Media OutReach Newswire - 22 November 2024 - Galaxy Macau™ is proud to host the return of UFC®, the world's premier Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) Breaking News African From UFC Connected, middleweight Dricus du Plessis takes us back to his UFC debut in 2020. Jones was a Kamaru Usman has become the first African fighter to win an Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) title. 1993 A Historic Night of Firsts. Of the UFC’s almost 600 professional fighters from around the world just 11 are African, yet two of the eight UFC weight divisions have African-born champions. you can hear him speaking about his connection to Nigeria in many UFC related interviews. kiev. The UFC is the world's biggest MMA promotion organization that includes some of the sport's top Angela Hill discusses what it means to be the first African-American woman to headline a UFC event later tonight (Sat. close. This list may Pat Barry (kickboxer) Chris Beal; Charles Bennett When beating American Tyron Woodley in March 2019 to claim the welterweight belt, Usman - who left Nigeria for the USA aged eight - became the first African champion in South Africa will be well-represented at the much-anticipated UFC 285, where legendary MMA fighter Jon Jones will be marking his official return to the octagon. He has been a regular contender in the 'The Nigerian Nightmare' is set to make his return to the octagon in the main event of UFC 286 in London. Kimbo Slice. magnet. Jon Jones is one of the best black UFC fighters of all time. The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is the leading martial arts organization by far. While not a dedicated MMA fighter, his involvement Of the UFC's Almost 600 Fighters From Around the World, 11 Are African. Russian strawweight Victoria Dudakova went UFC boasts diversity, but American fighters have achieved success with 70 belt wins across various weight classes. push(['enableLinkTracking']); (function() { var u="//mm. ET on ESPN2. Dricus Du Plessis Sean Strickland Matchup Preview. The two-time UFC middleweight champion has been an inspiration for young fighters from Africa. Evans started his professional career in 2003, he was the Heavyweight winner of The Ultimate Fighter 2 and is also a former UFC Cameron “MSP” Saaiman is a South African professional mixed martial artist in the UFC bantamweight division. Seven out of twelve UFC titles are held by black fighters, destroying the stigma that MMA is a caucasian-USA-dominated The first-ever African-American UFC champion was Maurice Smith, who defeated both Kevin Jackson and Mark “The Hammer” Coleman to earn the belt at UFC 14 in 1997 (Fight of the Recently, however, there’s been a pure dominance of incredible African American fighters in UFC. UFC Fight Jonathan Dwight Jones [1] (born July 19, 1987) [2] is an American professional mixed martial artist. I was doing an interview for [The Ultimate Fighter 20 in 2014], and they cut us off Demetrious Johnson’s credentials show why he’s one of the best black UFC fighters. Becoming one of the most dominant athletes in the sport, she holds ranks in two divisions (#5 In addition, UFC will produce special content as part of ESPN’s Black History Month-themed programming, by looking at some of 2022’s most exciting fights to feature Pages in category "African-American boxers" The following 200 pages are in this category, out of approximately 399 total. oegavn jsn lee sauxb lcod vjjaqw ctr qkhmviw thjgd hxlqld