The 10 Best Middleweight Fighters in UFC History

The UFC middleweight division has seen some of the most dominant champions and elite fighters in MMA history.

At 185-pounds, this weight class features fighters that are big and strong, but still athletic enough to have great foot and hand speed, as well as agility. These attributes are the reasons why we have seen plenty of devastating performances and finishes in the middleweight division.

Origins of the UFC Middleweight Division 

The UFC's middleweight division was originally not even a thing back in the 90s when MMA was still trying to break out as a popular sport. Back then it was referred to as the light-heavyweight division. 

It was only in 1997 when the middleweight weight class would be introduced in replace of the old lightweight division, for fighters weighing no more than 199-pounds. 

Eventually, in 2001, the UFC middleweight division, as we know it today, would crown its first-ever champion when David Menne defeated Gil Castillo at UFC 33.

Ranking the Best Middleweight Fighters in UFC History

In this segment, we will rank the 10 best middleweight fighters in UFC history and we have provided a breakdown for each fighter.

1. Anderson Silva 

Anderson Silva is the undisputed greatest middleweight of all time. “Spider” held the title for nearly seven years, showcasing the most creative striking and elusive movement in MMA history. 

Some of his most notable wins and title defences came against Rich Franklin, Dan Henderson, Vitor Belfort and Chael Sonnen.

His dominant reign and highlight-reel finishes make him one of the best to ever do it in mixed martial arts.

2. Israel Adesanya 

Israel Adesanya vs Paulo Costa//Getty Images

Israel Adesanya ruled the middleweight division for years, defending his title five times. The Nigerian had incredible striking precision, movement, and this helped him dominate top contenders, making him one of the greatest middleweight's ever.

“The Last Stylebender” has racked up some great performances and wins over elite fighters such as Yoel Romero, Jared Cannonier, Robert Whittaker, Paulo Costa, and of course, getting revenge over Alex Pereira.

3. Dricus Du Plessis 

Dricus Du Plessis and Israel Adesanya//Getty Images

The latest entry onto this list is the current UFC middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis. “Stillknocks”, coming off the back of a resounding win over Sean Strickland, now has two dominant title defences to his name, and it certainly appears as though this is the era of the South African.

Du Plessis has beaten two guys on this list: Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker. He certainly has a lot of years left of his prime in order to threaten Adesanya's spot at number two.

4. Robert Whittaker 

A former champion and one of the most complete fighters in middleweight history, Australia's Robert Whittaker has been in some absolute wars with Yoel Romero, twice, among others.

His technical brilliance against elite competition, and his ability to mix up his boxing with his kicks and his grappling, makes him deserving of a spot in the top five. His only real blemish on his record is his two defeats against Israel Adesanya, but there is no shame in that whatsoever.

5. Alex Pereira 

Despite a short spell in the UFC's middleweight division, Alex Pereira made an enormous impact by running through every top contender before stopping Israel Adesanya for the belt, at UFC 281. 

While “Poatan” would lose the immediate rematch to Adesanya a year later, his elite striking and power cannot be forgotten,  and it's worth noting that it took the Brazilian a little over a year to go from making his UFC debut to winning the 185-pounds title.

6. Chris Weidman 

Chris Weidman will always be remembered for ending Anderson Silva’s legendary reign, and then successfully defending the belt three times. 

In his prime, the American seemed unstoppable; it took him until fight 14 to suffer his first career defeat, when he lost the title to Luke Rockhold. Despite struggles after this point, his championship and unbeaten run in the early 2010s earns him a place among the best of all time in this weight class.

7. Michael Bisping 

The ultimate underdog story, Michael Bisping captured the UFC middleweight title late in his career, and then defended it in front of his hometown crowd of Manchester at UFC 204. 

Bisping will always be known as the guy who helped put the UK on the map as far as mixed martial arts and the UFC goes. He was the first British fighter in UFC history to win gold. Additionally, his win over Anderson Silva and shocking KO of Luke Rockhold makes him a UFC legend. 

8. Rich Franklin

Prior to the introduction of the great Anderson Silva into the UFC, Rich Franklin was the best middleweight in the promotion. Even after losing the title, “Ace” went on to defeat legendary names such as Wanderlei Silva and Chuck Liddell.

The American was also entertaining to watch because he always looked for a stoppage victory. A staggering 25 of his 29 wins came inside the distance.

9. Dan Henderson 

Although Dan Henderson never won the UFC middleweight title, he is one of the most iconic fighters to ever compete inside the octagon at this weight class. He did, however, win the UFC middleweight tournament at UFC 17 back in 1998, thus highlighting his extraordinary longevity.

Of course, we cannot forget his success in other promotions such as Pride and Strikeforce, proving his championship pedigree.

10. Georges St-Pierre 

Though he only fought once at middleweight, it's tough to leave Georges St-Pierre off this list because his victory over Michael Bisping, to claim the middleweight belt, cemented his legacy as a two-division champion. 

GSP is arguably the greatest MMA fighter of all time, and his success across multiple weight classes cements this even more.