Best British Fighters In UFC History
The UFC will return to London for an eleventh time this year, but throughout the history of the company, there has been a number of elite fighters that have fought from the United Kingdom. The main event this year will see the ever-improving Leon Edwards from Birmingham take on Tyron Woodley. Leon Edwards from Birmingham takes on Tyron Woodley.
Edwards will need to continue to improve in the octagon to be considered among the very best to have competed in the UFC from Britain. Here are some of the stars that he will be looking to emulate by leaving his mark on the biggest MMA company in the world.
Michael Bisping
The door for British fighters in the UFC was opened by Michael Bisping. He made his name in the UFC by winning the 2006 Ultimate Fighter, and since then he went on to fight in the UFC on 27 occasions prior to his retirement in 2018. He was renowned as a top ten contender throughout his career, and won 20 of his UFC bouts.
He played the villain throughout his career by winding up his opponents with his tongue-in-cheek comments. His legacy remains intact despite losing his last two fights, and he will always be the fighter that British athletes will be looking to emulate. The biggest victories of his career came on home soil, as he beat Anderson Silva in London and Dan Henderson in Manchester. His achievements were rewarded as he was inducted into the modern-era wing of the UFC Hall of Fame in 2019.
Dan Hardy
Leon Edwards isn’t the first fighter to come from the Midlands, as Dan Hardy paved the route for him. He enjoyed success in the UFC and went on a run of 4-0 between 2008 and 2009 to become the first British fighter to earn a title opportunity in the UFC. Unfortunately, he was beaten in that bout by the classy Georges St-Pierre. However, his performance on that night ensured that he was given a standing ovation as he lasted the distance despite being knocked down on numerous occasions.
Hardy’s career was ultimately cut short as he was diagnosed with a heart condition in 2013. That stopped him in his tracks and brought an end to his career as he was about to enter his prime. However, he remains a popular figure in the UFC and is a commentator for some of the biggest bouts.
Brad Pickett
Brad Pickett was an anomaly when it comes to British fighters as he was skilled at wrestling. Many of the British fighters aren’t as classy when it comes to that skill as it isn’t as popular in the UK as it is in other countries. Pickett was that skilled that he constantly outclassed Americans throughout his career. The biggest victory of his career came against ex-flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson.
He was a hugely popular figure in the world of UFC, and Dana White consistently called him one of his favorite fighters to watch. During his career, he won four Fight of the Night accolades and won one Knockout of the Night award. He announced his retirement from MMA in 2017, before making a brief comeback in 2018.
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