Strikeforce, Bellator, Pride: there have been many promotions over the history of MMA. However, none has stood out like the UFC. The marquee name in MMA, the UFC puts on the biggest bouts and tends to attract the most skilled and talented fighters.
For one reason or another, however, some great pugilists have never made their way to the octagon. Looking back at the history of MMA, here are five of the best fighters never to join the UFC.
Shinya Aoki
Shinya Aoki earned a reputation as one of the most creative ground-based fighters in the history of the MMA. Capable of locking in holds from seemingly any angle or position, he has scored 32 submission wins over the course of a more than two-decade career.
Aoki started his career in the Deep promotion, where he was immediately matched against difficult opponents. He won his first three fights by armbar submission, but was knocked out by savvy UFC veteran Jutaro Nakao in his fourth fight. This period proved to be a microcosm of his career: Aoki would submit the majority of his opponents, but he would sometimes struggle against effective punchers.
Aoki went on to win titles in the Dream and One promotions, beating fellow top lightweights like Eddie Alvarez, Kazushi Sakuraba, and Caol Uno along the way. Now 41 years old, he most recently scored a submission win against John Lineker in January.
Fedor Emelianenko
Best heavyweight ever, most intimidating fighter ever, greatest MMA resume ever—“The Last Emperor” has a legitimate claim to all these accolades. Where there is no argument is his status as the best fighter never to compete in the UFC.
Emelianenko’s first 10 years in the sport is the stuff of legend. He essentially went unbeaten over his first 32 fights, with a cut stoppage and a no-contest being the only blemishes on his record. In 2003, he beat former UFC champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira to win the Pride heavyweight championship, then held on to the title for a remarkable seven years.
“The Last Emperor” beat a total of seven former UFC champions over the course of his career. In addition, he felled other top fighters like Mark Hunt, Mirko Cro Cop, and Chael Sonnen. While known for his prodigious knockout power, he also had a deft ground game, recording 15 wins by submission.
Patricio Freire
This Brazilian featherweight ran off 14 consecutive victories to start his career. During this run, he joined Bellator, where he has gone on to become the greatest fighter in the promotion’s history.
“Pitbull” claimed the Bellator featherweight title for the first time in 2014, when he beat Pat Curran by unanimous decision, a win that avenged a split-decision loss to “Patty Mike” the year before. His undefeated run from 2016 to 2021—during which time he became a two-division titleholder by knocking out lightweight champion Michael Chandler—was one of the most impressive in the sport.
Freire’s run at the top looked to be over when he was submitted by undefeated AJ McKee in 2021. He responded by executing a perfect fight plan to win a unanimous decision in a 2022 rematch, a victory that showcased his intelligence and discipline. “Pitbull” remains Bellator’s featherweight champion today and most recently beat Jeremy Kennedy by TKO in March.
Sergei Kharitonov
This Russian heavyweight has seemingly fought everywhere except the UFC. Across his more than 20-year career, he has competed in Pride, Dream, Strikeforce, M-1, Bellator, and other promotions, compiling a 31-8 record along the way.
“The Paratrooper” opened his career with nine straight victories, none of which went to the scorecards. This trend has continued through his career, with 29 of his 31 victories coming by knockout or submission. His resume includes wins over the likes of Alistair Overeem, Fabricio Werdum, and Murilo Rua.
Despite his success, Kharitonov has never managed to win a title; however, he’s made deep runs in Pride and Strikeforce tournaments. Now 43, he is 4-1 in his last five fights and most recently competed in 2001, when he knocked out Tyrone Spong.
Igor Vovchanchyn
Igor Vovchanchyn began his fighting career as a kickboxer. After recording more than 60 wins, he transitioned to MMA, where he become one of the most dominant competitors of the ‘90s.
Significantly undersized at only 5 foot 8 inches, the Ukrainian competed at a time when the sport was a crucible. Bare-knuckle matches, multiple fights a night, blatant cheating: Vovchanchyn experienced all of this. He also fought against men who stood more than half a foot taller and outweighed him by over 100 pounds. Nevertheless, he typically not only got the better of his opponents but also badly outmatched them.
Vovchanchyn went 33-1 over the ‘90s, and he has the second-most wins in Pride history. Interestingly, UFC bought Pride six months after Vovchanchyn’s 2005 retirement due to injuries. Had he stuck around a little longer, he would have joined Dana White’s promotion.
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