The UFC’s 22
Hall of Fame
Moments

The Ultimate Fighter

Royce Gracie

Nov. 12, 1993 (UFC 1)

13-2-2

Welterweight
Middleweight
Light Heavyweight

• Won tournaments at UFC 1, 2, and 4
• Only three-time tournament winner

The winner of the UFC 1 and 2 tournaments, as well as the man who proved Brazilian jiujitsu to be, at the time, the most effective martial art in a real fight. Gracie also won the UFC 4 tournament and is a legend among legends. A true pioneer of mixed martial arts and inspiration to many current-day fighters.

The World's Most Dangerous Man

Ken Shamrock

Nov. 12, 1993 (UFC 1)

26-11-2

Light Heavyweight
Heavyweight

• Won the UFC superfight championship
• Longest fight in UFC history vs. Royce Gracie

Shamrock was doing mixed martial arts before that term was ever coined, beginning in Japan's Pancrase promotion. "The World's Most Dangerous Man" was the first UFC superfight champion in 1995 and first Pancrase Openweight champion in 1994. Shamrock's legend extended when he fought Tito Ortiz at UFC 61 in 2006, which at the time was the highest-drawing pay-per-view event in promotion history.

The Beast

Dan Severn

Dec. 16, 1994 (UFC 4)

102-17-7

Heavyweight

• The only triple-crown champion in UFC History
• Won UFC 5, Ultimate Ultimate 95 and the Superfight Championship

"The Beast," a former Olympic wrestling alternate, was the UFC 5 champion, the Ultimate Ultimate tournament 1995 champ and is a former UFC superfight titleholder. Along with Royce Gracie and Ken Shamrock, Severn was among the biggest stars of the early UFCs. The Michigan native was still competing in MMA up until 2012 and holds more than 100 pro wins.

The Predator

Don Frye

Feb. 16, 1996 (UFC 8)

20-9-1-1

Light Heavyweight
Heavyweight

• UFC 8 winner
• Ultimate Ultimate 96 winner

"The Predator" won tournaments at UFC 8 and Ultimate Ultimate 1996. He competed in one of the most iconic fights of all time, against Yoshihiro Takayama at Pride 21 in 2002. Along with Dan Severn, he's one of only two fighters to win UFC and Ultimate Ultimate tournaments.

The Hammer

Mark Coleman

Jul. 12, 1996 (UFC 10)

16-10-0

Light Heavyweight
Heavyweight

• Tournament winner at UFC 10 & 11
• First-ever UFC heavyweight champion

Coleman became the first-ever UFC heavyweight champion when he defeated Dan Severn by submission in 1997. "The Godfather of Ground and Pound" won the UFC 10 and UFC 11 tournaments, as well as the Pride 2000 Openweight Grand Prix tournament. The former Olympic wrestler is still regarded as one of the top heavyweight MMA fighters ever.

Mo

Maurice Smith

Jul. 27, 1997 (UFC 14)

14-14-0

Light Heavyweight
Heavyweight

• UFC heavyweight champion
• 53-13-5 record in professional kickboxing

The man credited with showing how effective a kickboxing base could be in mixed martial arts. Smith beat Mark Coleman to become the second-ever UFC heavyweight champion at UFC 14 in 1997, a bout that was named Fight of the Year. The Seattle native was a decorated kickboxer with more than 50 wins and a K-1 tournament title under his belt.

The Natural

Randy Couture

May 20, 1997 (UFC 13)

19-11-0

Light heavyweight
Heavyweight

• Won UFC 13 tournament
• Three-time heavyweight champion
• Two-time light heavyweight champion

"The Natural" has too many accomplishments to list. One of the best and most popular UFC fighters ever, Couture was the UFC 13 heavyweight tournament champion, a former three-time UFC heavyweight champ and two-time UFC light heavyweight titleholder. He was the first man to ever win UFC titles in different weight classes. "Captain America" still has the most UFC title fights ever (15).

The Gracie Hunter

Kazushi Sakuraba

Dec. 21, 1997 (UFC Japan)

26-17-1-2

Welterweight
Middleweight
Light Heavyweight
Heavyweight

• UFC Japan winner
• Won the longest fight in Pride history, defeating Royce Gracie after 90 minutes

One of Sakuraba's goals was to show that professional wrestling, specifically the submission grappling style of catch wrestling, could be effective in mixed martial arts. Sakuraba, dubbed "The Gracie Killer," was the first man to defeat Royce Gracie in MMA. He won the UFC Japan tournament in 1997, but had most of his success in Pride, where he was constantly undersized but defeated the likes of Vitor Belfort, Quinton Jackson and Kevin Randleman.

The Croatian Sensation

Pat Miletich

Mar. 13, 1998 (UFC 16)

27-5-2

Middleweight
Welterweight

• UFC 16 winner
• First-ever welterweight champion

Despite an incredible in-cage career, Miletich is known just as much for developing some of the best fighters ever at his Miletich Fighting Systems gym in Bettendorf, Iowa. Miletich was the first-ever UFC welterweight champion and won the UFC 16 welterweight tournament in 1998. He also coached the likes of future UFC champions Matt Hughes, Tim Sylvia, Jens Pulver and Robbie Lawler.

El Guapo

Bas Rutten

Jan. 8, 1999 (UFC 18)

28-4-1

Light heavyweight
Heavyweight

• UFC heavyweight champion
• Three-time King of Pancrasse Openweight Championship

A former UFC heavyweight champion, Bas Rutten made the biggest name for himself in Japanese MMA. The master of the liver shot knockout, Rutten was a three-time King of Pancrase Openweight champion and helped pioneer the sport in that part of the world. "El Guapo," a Netherlands native, went unbeaten in his final 20 fights.

The Prodigy

B.J. Penn

May 4, 2001 (UFC 31)

16-13-2

Lightweight
Welterweight

• Lightweight champion
• Welterweight champion

Nicknamed "The Prodigy" because he is believed to be one of the fastest ever to earn a Brazilian jiujitsu black belt, Penn racked up UFC accomplishments in his prime. The Hawaii native was the second man ever to hold UFC titles in different weight classes (after Randy Couture), winning gold at lightweight and welterweight. He is one of the most naturally gifted to ever compete in MMA.

The Iceman

Chuck Liddell

May 15, 1998 (UFC 17)

21-9-0

Light heavyweight

• Light heavyweight champion
• Two-time Fight of the Night winner

Perhaps the first UFC star to ever cross over majorly into the Hollywood mainstream, Liddell remains one of the top drawing fighters of all time. "The Iceman" is a former UFC light heavyweight champion, and he holds the record for most knockouts (14) in light heavyweight history and the most wins (16) in the division's history, too. Liddell's run was one of the biggest reasons the UFC grew enormously in popularity.

Matt Hughes

Sep. 24, 1999 (UFC 22)

46-9-0

Welterweight

• Two-time welterweight champion
• Seven successful title defenses

One of the greatest welterweight fighters ever. Hughes was a two-time UFC welterweight division champ with a then-record seven title defenses among the two reigns. Hughes still has the most finishes in UFC welterweight division history (11). The Illinois native owns career wins over the likes of Georges St-Pierre, BJ Penn and Royce Gracie.

Forrest Griffin

Apr. 9, 2005 ("The Ultimate Fighter" Season 1 Finale)

19-7-0

Light heavyweight

• Winner of "The Ultimate Fighter" Season 1
• Light heavyweight champion

Without Griffin, the UFC might not be in the spot it is today. His incredible fight with Stephan Bonnar on "The Ultimate Fighter " in the Season 1 finale in 2005 has been credited with earning the reality show another season on Spike TV, elevating the UFC's profile and popularity. Griffin is a former UFC light heavyweight champion and, always exciting, earned Fight of the Year honors twice.

Ace

Rich Franklin

Apr. 25 2003 (UFC 42)

29-7-0

Middleweight
Light Heavyweight

• Middleweight champion
• UFC Knockout of the Night against Chuck Liddell

The former high-school math teacher was an early example for those not familiar with the UFC that anyone could be a fighter. Franklin is a former UFC middleweight champion and still holds the record for most significant strikes in a middleweight title fight (127 against David Loiseau in 2006). "Ace" owns wins over the likes of Chuck Liddell, Wanderlei Silva and Ken Shamrock.

The Huntington Beach Bad Boy

Tito Ortiz

May 30, 1997 (UFC 13)

20-12-1

Light heavyweight

• Light heavyweight champion
• Four UFC Fight of the Nights

Along with Chuck Liddell and Randy Couture, Tito Ortiz's prime years took the UFC to new heights of popularity. One of the sport's top draws, "The Huntington Beach Bad Boy" is a former UFC light heavyweight champion with five successful title defenses, which was a record before Jon Jones' reign. Ortiz owns wins over the likes of Ken Shamrock, Wanderlei Silva, Vitor Belfort and Liddell.

The Terror

Matt Serra

May 4, 2001 (UFC 31)

17-7-0

Welterweight

• Won "The Ultimate Fighter" Season 4
• Welterweight champion

The man who pulled off the greatest upset in UFC history when he knocked out Georges St-Pierre to win the UFC welterweight title at UFC 69 in 2007. Serra earned the shot by winning "The Ultimate Fighter 4" tournament. The Long Island native was the first UFC fighter ever to win TUF and a UFC title thereafter. Serra is now one of the top coaches in MMA, guiding the likes of former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman.

Suga

Rashad Evans

Nov. 5, 2005 ("The Ultimate Fighter" Season 2 Finale)

24-8-1

Light heavyweight
Heavyweight

• Won The Ultimate Fighter season 2
• Light heavyweight champion

"Suga" is a former UFC light heavyweight champion, won "The Ultimate Fighter 2" heavyweight tournament and had one of the most iconic knockouts in UFC history when he stopped Chuck Liddell at UFC 88 in 2008. Evans' feuds with Jon Jones and Quinton "Rampage" Jackson were legendary main-event fights that were top pay-per-view draws at the time.

Minotouro

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira

Nov. 21, 2009 (UFC 106)

22-8-0

Heavyweight

• Pride heavyweight champion
• UFC interim heavyweight champion

A Brazilian legend and one of the greatest heavyweight MMA fighters of all time. Nogueira is a former Pride heavyweight champion and former UFC interim heavyweight champion. "Big Nog" is tied with Kazushi Sakuraba for the most submission wins in Pride history (11). One of the best heavyweight Brazilian jiujitsu black belts to ever grace the sport of mixed martial arts, Nogueira had legendary fights with Fedor Emelianenko and Mirko Cro Cop in Japan.

The California Kid

Urijah Faber

Mar. 19, 2011 (UFC 128)

34-10-0

Bantamweight
Featherweight

• WEC featherweight championship
• Two-time UFC submission of the night winner

Had Faber never became so popular, it's unclear where the lighter weight classes in mixed martial arts would be today. "The California Kid" was one of the first real box-office draws under 170 pounds. Faber was a big reason why the UFC purchased WEC, where he was the long-running featherweight champion. Faber has the most wins (nine) and submissions (six) in UFC bantamweight history.

Rowdy

Ronda Rousey

Feb. 23, 2013 (UFC 157)

12-2-0

Bantamweight

• UFC bantamweight championship
• Strikeforce women's bantamweight championship

The first UFC women's bantamweight champion was a true revolutionary. "Rowdy" was the one who convinced UFC president Dana White to bring women into the UFC and she quickly became one of the biggest mainstream stars in the history of the promotion. On top of that, Rousey had one of the most dominant runs ever, winning five of her first six UFC fights by first-round finish -- four of which ended in 66 seconds or fewer.

The Count

Michael Bisping

Jun. 24, 2006 ("The Ultimate Fighter" Season 3 Finale)

22-3-0

Middleweight
Light heavyweight

• "The Ultimate Fighter" Season 3 winner
• UFC middleweight champion

"The Count" once held the distinction of being perhaps the best fighter in UFC history to never hold a title. That was put to bed at UFC 199 in 2016 when he knocked out Luke Rockhold to claim the UFC middleweight title. Bisping, a pioneer of MMA in the United Kingdom, was the first-ever British UFC champion. He is tied with St-Pierre with the second-most wins in UFC history (20), a nod to his consistency and longevity.