10 Best Muay Thai Fighters In UFC History
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- One of the more popular and exciting combat styles utilized in MMA is Muay Thai. Interesting enough, most fighters that have crossed over into MMA started training in Muay Thai back in their elementary school days. Despite the little money earned, the style remains as popular as ever as gamblers in Thailand essentially use these fighters to gain a profit and then distribute money among the highest bidders. Fighters like Cris Cyborg and Anderson Silva are among the very best ever in this style of fighting, proving that you can become a successful commodity in the MMA world through Muay Thai.
Highlights
- Edson Barboza is a dynamic and aggressive striker, known for his spinning wheel kicks and powerful leg kicks.
- Paul Felder, despite coming from a Karate background, quickly established himself as a dominant Muay Thai practitioner with powerful leg kicks and vicious elbows.
- Carlos Condit, a powerful leg kicker, is known for his extreme antics outside the octagon and his aggressive Muay Thai attack inside the octagon.
The UFC features several popular martial arts incorporated into one competition. One of the most popular and well-known martial arts that is consistently used in the UFC is Muay Thai.
Muay Thai is a form of kickboxing that comes from Thailand. It is commonly known as the art of eight limbs and utilizes various striking techniques to defeat opponents.
Over the years, many great fighters have used Muay Thai to garner success in MMA, especially the UFC. Here are 10 of the best Muay Thai fighters in UFC history.
UPDATE: 2023/12/14 15:52 EST BY BRANDON EWING
One of the more popular and exciting combat styles utilized in MMA is Muay Thai. Interesting enough, most fighters that have crossed over into MMA started training in Muay Thai back in their elementary school days. Despite the little money earned, the style remains as popular as ever as gamblers in Thailand essentially use these fighters to gain a profit and then distribute money among the highest bidders. Fighters like Cris Cyborg and Anderson Silva are among the very best ever in this style of fighting, proving that you can become a successful commodity in the MMA world through Muay Thai.
10 Edson Barboza Is A Fighter Who Trains For War Rather Than A Simple Fight
A Brazilian Lightweight With A Ferocious Muay Thai Background
- Edson Barboza was born prematurely and was severely undersized, given only a 50% chance of survival at birth.
- Known for delivering a spectacular knockout blow to Terry Etim at UFC 142 with a Spinning Right Wheel Kick.
- He commenced his Muay Thai training at the age of 16.
Edson Barboza is one of the most dynamic and exciting strikers to ever grace the UFC octagon. He holds a black prajied in Muay Thai and is considered the best kicker in UFC history. Barboza took the UFC by storm when he knocked out Terry Etim by landing a spinning wheel kick.
He is one of the few fighters to finish his opponents with leg kicks and utilizes switch kicks in his aggressive Muay Thai attack. Barboza has compiled a 24-11 professional record and finished 14 opponents by knockout as of 2024.
9 Paul Felder Pursued MMA Over A Career In Hollywood
A "Cursed" Fighter Who Became A Prominent Fighter Inside The Octagon
- The infamous "Paul Felder Curse" seems coincidental but eerie. If a fighter manages to beat Felder, they end up losing their next fight.
- He started his career as an MMA fighter at the age of 12.
- He graduated with a degree in acting, but chose to become an MMA fighter over a potential career in Hollywood.
Despite coming from a Karate background, Paul Felder quickly established himself as a dominant Muay Thai practitioner. He is known for possessing powerful leg kicks and vicious elbows when attacking his opponents.
Felder has defeated 10 opponents by knockout and has compiled a 17-6 professional record.
8 Carlos Condit Is Known For His Extreme Antics Outside The Octagon
A Force To Be Reckoned With Inside The Octagon
- Outside the octagon, Condit is an avid musician and loves playing the guitar.
- He has a passion for extreme sports such as rock climbing and snowboarding.
- Known for going five rounds in a memorable fight with Robbie Lawler.
In his prime, Carlos Condit was one of the most vicious strikers in MMA. The former UFC interim welterweight champion has shared the cage with the best welterweights in the world, including Georges St-Pierre, Nick Diaz, and Johny Hendricks.
Condit is a powerful leg kicker that baits his opponents into wild exchanges to land a perfect counter hook. He has compiled a 32-14 professional record in MMA. His Muay Thai prowess was on full display during his showdowns with Dan Hardy, Dong Yung Kim, Martin Kampmann, and Thiago Alves.
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A Fighter With An Unwavering Commitment To His Craft
- Praised for his respect and honor as his core values inside the octagon.
- He carries a strong fan base in Brazil, and is also a well-known coach who inspires and mentors the next generation of UFC fighters.
- Alves also has a background in Kickboxing.
Newer MMA fans might not be familiar with the name Thiago Alves. Between 2005 and 2010, the Brazilian welterweight was one of the best Muay Thai strikers on the promotional roster and challenged St-Pierre for a title at UFC 100.
Alves was a powerful and vicious Muay Thai practitioner who used a variety of leg kicks and threw a thunderous cross. He holds UFC victories over welterweight notables such as Josh Koscheck, Matt Hughes, Karo Parisyan, Chris Lytle, and Max Griffin. Alves now coaches several fighters who compete in the UFC today.
6 Donald Cerrone Is A Well-Respected UFC Hall Of Famer
This "Cowboy" Is One Of The Best Strikers In The MMA World
- He loves to entertain fight fans and inspire other fighters due to his dedication and love for MMA.
- Cerrone also competed in World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) before the company merged with UFC.
- Maintains a close friendship with former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, Jon Jones.
- He was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in July 2023.
Donald Cerrone is undoubtedly one of the most loved fighters in MMA history. However, he is also one of the most dangerous and skilled Muay Thai practitioners to ever step into a cage. Cerrone has an extensive background in competing in Muay Thai as well as boxing.
He is a powerful leg kicker who gradually attacks the legs before switching his kicking target to the body and head of his opponents. He has victories over Eddie Alvarez, Alexander Hernandez, Matt Brown, Jim Miller, and Charles Oliveira.
5 Mauricio Shogun Rua Is A Legendary Striker Who Wants To Be Remembered As A Role Model
A Deadly Fighter Who's A Master At Various Fighting Styles
- Rua started his own camp called "Universidada Da Luta" in January 2008.
- He married his Physiotherapist in September 2007.
- Rua trained at Chute Boxe Academy until 2008.
- Rua retired following his loss to Ihor Potiera at UFC 283.
Watching Mauricio Shogun Rua batter his opponents with kicks and powerful hooks is a thing of beauty. The former UFC light heavyweight champion is a master striker and holds a black prajied in Muay Thai. Rua is a former member of the well-known Chute Boxe Academy team that primarily trained Vale Tudo fighters in the art of Muay Thai.
After winning the 2005 Pride Grand Prix middleweight tournament, Rua joined the UFC roster. He holds notable victories over Chuck Liddell, Lyoto Machida, Forrest Griffin, Brandon Vera, and Corey Anderson.
4 Joanna Jedrzejczyk Is Ready To Make A Massive Comeback In 2024
One Of The Most Accomplished Fighters In The World Of MMA
- She loves being a role model for young athletes and children based in Poland and other countries.
- An advocate for women's rights and empowerment, inspiring other women to dream and live fearlessly.
- A competitor in strawweight and flyweight divisions.
Many MMA fans forget just how dominant Joanna Jedrzjczyk was during her title reign between 2015 and 2017. The Polish native began training in Muay Thai at the age of 16 and continuously honed her skills before eventually transitioning into MMA.
The former strawweight queen is a volume striker who flurries her opponents with overwhelming combinations before eventually getting a finish. She throws a high volume of leg kicks and jabs before aggressively attacking her opponents with various combinations. As 2023 drew a close, Jedrzejczyk remains hopeful that a return to the octagon in 2024 is on the horizon.
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The Reigning Queen Of UFC's Flyweight Division
- She once competed in a Peruvian Dancing Reality Show.
- She was nicknamed "The Bullet" due to her explosive power and speed inside the octagon.
- Starred alongside actress Halle Berry in the Netflix drama film, "Bruised".
No one could have imagined just how dominant of a flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko would become when she first joined the UFC. The Kyrgyzstan native is a phenomenal Muay Thai striker with a lengthy background in boxing and kickboxing competition.
One of Shevchenko's biggest advantages over her opponents is her speed. She can land thunderous kicks and punches at unimaginable speeds that usually catch her opponents off guard. She was on an nine-fight winning streak before losing her title to Alexa Grasso in 2023.
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Highly Regarded As A Brazilian MMA Legend
- Arguably pound-for-pound one of the best MMA fighters in the world, as viewed by fighting fans.
- Represented his home country of Brazil at the 2016 Olympic Games.
- While Aldo is known for his striking abilities, he is also an accomplished wrestler.
- He holds the most wins in UFC/WEC featherweight history with 18 wins in total.
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Aldo is one of the best Muay Thai practitioners in UFC history. He is known for his polarizing leg kicks, powerful jabs, and thunderous body strikes. The Brazilian is currently the #3 ranked bantamweight in the UFC and has compiled 17 wins by knockout in MMA.
1 Anderson Silva Is Undoubtedly The Greatest MMA Fighter Of All-Time
The GOAT In The Art Of Muay Thai
- Known for memorable fights against Chael Sonnen and Chris Weidman.
- He carries a black belt in Muay Thai.
- Anderson Silva loves to use a flashy and unpredictable fighting style inside the octagon.
- Silva joined the 2023 UFC Hall of Fame Class.
No list of great Muay Thai fighters in the UFC would be complete without the middleweight GOAT Anderson Silva. Since he arrived in the UFC, has been the most dynamic and creative striker in mixed martial arts.
The former middleweight champion makes striking look effortless as he easily dispatches his opponents with front kicks, jabs, crosses, and head kicks. Silva has victories over Dan Henderson, Rich Franklin, Demian Maia, Vitor Belfort, Chael Sonnen, and Derek Brunson.
