MMA
Best Brazilian MMA Fighters: Ranking the Top 10 by Record and Impact
This article analyses the best Brazilian MMA fighters of all time, taking into account their record, impact on the sport, and using the SportsBoom MetaScale to refine the rankings.
Anderson Silva kicks Derek Brunson//Getty Images
Brazil has been a cornerstone of MMA history, producing some of the most dominant fighters in the sport. From the early days of Royce Gracie showcasing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in the UFC to modern champions like Anderson Silva, Jose Aldo and Amanda Nunes, Brazilian fighters have consistently demonstrated excellence.
And while icons such as Anderson Silva and Lyoto Machida are no longer competing in the sport, current greats such as Charles Oliveira and Alex Pereira continue to fly the flag for Brazilian MMA.
This article ranks the top Brazilian fighters, emphasising their achievements in knockouts, submissions, and decisions while also factoring in their legacy and overall impact on MMA.
Methodology
The fighters are ranked based on three key factors:
By Knockout (30%): Fighters with the most knockout wins, particularly in high-profile UFC fights, are ranked higher. Knockouts are a significant indicator of a fighter’s striking power and dominance.
By Submission (30%): Fighters with the highest number of submission victories, especially in UFC title bouts or notable matches, are awarded a high ranking in this category. Brazilian jiu-jitsu is a key strength for many Brazilian fighters.
By Decision (20%): Fighters who win consistently by decision, especially against top-tier competition, demonstrate a high level of endurance, strategy, and adaptability.
Legacy and Impact (20%): A fighter’s legacy in the sport, including their contribution to Brazilian MMA, UFC influence, and historical significance, is factored in.
The SportsBoom MetaScale combines these factors to generate an overall ranking for each fighter.
Critical Consensus: Ranking the Best Brazilian Fighters
Jose Aldo celebrates his victory//Getty Images
The Critical Consensus Table combines data from Tapology and GiveMeSport summarising each fighter’s current record, method of victories, as well as legacy and impact on the sport of MMA.
Critical Consensus
| Rank | Fighter | Tapology Ranking | GiveMeSport Ranking | Record | By Knockout | By Submission | By Decision | Legacy and Impact |
| 1 | Anderson Silva | 1 | 1 | 34-11-0, 1 NC | 2 | 11 | 2 | 10 |
| 2 | Jose Aldo | 2 | 3 | 32-9-0 | 17 | 1 | 13 | 9 |
| 3 | Royce Gracie | 3 | 5 | 15-2-3 | 2 | 11 | 2 | 10 |
| 4 | Vitor Belfort | 4 | 6 | 26-14-0 | 18 | 3 | 5 | 8 |
| 5 | Amanda Nunes | N/A | 4 | 23-5-0 | 13 | 4 | 6 | 9 |
| 6 | Lyoto Machida | 5 | 7 | 26-12-0 | 11 | 2 | 13 | 7 |
| 7 | Fabricio Werdum | 6 | 8 | 24-10-1 | 6 | 12 | 6 | 8 |
| 8 | Glover Teixeira | 7 | 9 | 33-9-0 | 18 | 10 | 5 | 8 |
| 9 | Charles Oliveira | 8 | 10 | 34-10-1 | 10 | 21 | 3 | 9 |
| 10 | Alex Pereira | N/A | 2 | 10-2-0 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 7 |
SportsBoom MetaScale: Ranking the Brazilian Fighters
The SportsBoom MetaScale provides a ranking of the best Brazilian fighters in MMA, taking into account wins by knockout, submission, decision and legacy and impact.
Knockouts and submissions hold a 30% weight in the scoring, while decisions and legacy and impact hold a 20% weight in the scoring.
SportsBoom MetaScale
| Rank | Fighter | By Knockout (30%) | By Submission (30%) | By Decision (20%) | Legacy & Impact (20%) | MetaScale Score |
| 1 | Anderson Silva | 28 | 30 | 18 | 20 | 96 |
| 2 | Jose Aldo | 27 | 10 | 26 | 20 | 83 |
| 3 | Royce Gracie | 15 | 30 | 15 | 20 | 80 |
| 4 | Vitor Belfort | 30 | 9 | 10 | 17 | 66 |
| 5 | Amanda Nunes | 28 | 12 | 16 | 20 | 76 |
| 6 | Lyoto Machida | 22 | 6 | 26 | 16 | 70 |
| 7 | Fabricio Werdum | 18 | 36 | 18 | 16 | 88 |
| 8 | Glover Teixeira | 18 | 30 | 16 | 16 | 80 |
| 9 | Charles Oliveira | 15 | 63 | 9 | 20 | 107 |
| 10 | Alex Pereira | 24 | 0 | 4 | 15 | 43 |
1. Anderson Silva
Anderson Silva kicks Derek Brunson//Getty Images
Anderson Silva is considered one of the best fighters of all time because of his legendary run in the UFC middleweight division, winning 16 consecutive fights, including reigning as the champion for over 2000 days.
2. Jose Aldo
Jose Aldo reigned as the champion of the UFC featherweight division for almost a decade. Some of his best performances came against MMA legends like Frankie Edgar and Chad Mendes.
3. Royce Gracie
Matt Hughes and Royce Gracie//Getty Images
Royce Gracie will always be remembered among the MMA community because of his dominance in the very early years of the UFC tournaments where he won UFC 1, 2 and 4, with his excellent Brazilian Jiu-jitsu skills.
4. Vitor Belfort
Vitor Belfort was one of the scariest fighters on the UFC roster during the late 2000's and early 2010's where he would finish his opponents in brutal fashion across the middleweight and light-heavyweight division.
5. Amanda Nunes
Amanda Nunes and Cris Cyborg//Getty Images
Amanda Nunes is undoubtedly the greatest female fighter of all time because of her longevity and dominance in the sport; achieving a 12-fight win streak to go with her multiple title defences in both the female bantamweight and featherweight division.
6. Lyoto Machida
Lyoto Machida and Thiago Silva//Getty Images
Lyoto Machida was one of the first successful karate-based style fighters on the UFC roster. His highly technical striking and fluid movement saw him win the UFC light-heavyweight belt over Rashad Evans.
7. Fabricio Werdum
Fabricio Werdum is one of the best grapplers in heavyweight MMA history, scoring 12 submission wins out of his 24 pro MMA victories, including his most notable win over the consensus best heavyweight of all time Fedor Emelianenko.
8. Glover Teixeira
Glover Teixeira became one of the oldest UFC champions in history when he beat Jan Blachowicz to become the UFC light-heavyweight champion at 42 years of age. The Brazilian holds the record for most submission wins in UFC light-heavyweight history with seven, highlighting his excellent BJJ skills.
9. Charles Oliveira
Charles Oliveira secures a rear choke submission against Justin Gaethje//Getty Images
Charles Oliveira is arguably the best submission artist in UFC history, holding the record for the most submission wins with 16, and still at 35, he has plenty of time to expand on that number.
10. Alex Pereira
Alex Pereira//Getty Images
Alex Pereira is a man on a mission. Having captured the UFC middleweight title, he is now stamping his authority on the light-heavyweight division by winning the 205-pounds title in style, and then successfully defending it three times, marking his fourth knockout win in a row.
SportsBoom Suggests
Anderson Silva, with his legendary career in the UFC and contributions to MMA’s popularity, stands as the top-ranked Brazilian fighter. “The Spider” practically owned the UFC's middleweight division between 2006 and 2012 where he reigned as the champion for 2457 days. During that time, Silva recorded ten consecutive title defences - the most in UFC middleweight history.
His excellent striking and creativity in his stand-up really shined through as he set the UFC record for the most finishes in the company's history in UFC title fights (nine).
Jose Aldo follows closely, particularly due to his consistent reign as a featherweight champion and his technical knockout ability. The former 145-pounds champion blended his sharp Muay Thai skills with impeccable takedown defence, allowing him to keep fights on the feet and continue to punish people with his leg kicks, knees and punches.
Royce Gracie's impact on the early UFC days and his foundational role in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gives him a place in the top three. Royce Gracie introduced BJJ to the world, dominating the early UFC tournaments despite facing larger and more powerful opponents, during a time when the bouts were all Openweight.
Fighters like Vitor Belfort, Amanda Nunes, and Charles Oliveira bring a blend of knockout power, submission skills, and championship success, contributing to their rankings.
Vitor Belfort made his mark with explosive knockouts and a career spanning multiple weight classes. Belfort’s versatility and ability to remain a contender for decades makes him one of the best Brazilian MMA fighters ever.
Amanda Nunes dominated both the female bantamweight and female featherweight divisions. Her wins over Ronda Rousey, Cris Cyborg, and Valentina Shevchenko showcase her well-rounded skills. “The Lioness” holds the record for the longest combined UFC title reign ever, spanning 4136 days.
Lastly, Charles Oliveira, the former UFC lightweight champion, rose to the title in spectacular fashion, defeating Michael Chandler by knockout in a fight where Oliveira himself was almost finished. "Do Bronx" holds the record for the most submissions in UFC history (16), flying the flag for his BJJ role models - the Gracie's.
Brazil has produced some of the greatest MMA fighters of all time, and the best Brazilian fighters span multiple generations. From Anderson Silva’s striking prowess to Royce Gracie’s grappling mastery, these fighters have not only shaped the UFC but also redefined what it means to be a dominant force in MMA.
Jake Staniland is a sports writer who excels in covering a wide range of sports: football, combat sports and the NFL - All three subjects are his lifelong passions.
Jake is a boyhood Sheffield United fan, which is often a curse that he thanks his family for. His favourite Blades player ever is Billy Sharp