5 best undefeated fighters in the UFC

Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 267 [image credit: @UFC_CA]

Almost every division in the UFC is effectively a shark tank. For a fighter to spend a significant amount of time in the promotion and stay undefeated is an admirable feat. Only a handful of fighters continue to protect their perfect records every time they step inside the octagon.

Khabib Nurmagomedov’s undefeated record of 29-0 created an aura of invincibility surrounding the dominant Russian. Despite the fact that ‘The Eagle’ retired at 32, his standing in the ‘GOAT’ debate is undisputed considering fighters like Georges St-Pierre and Anderson Silva suffered losses in their careers.

29 men tried.
29 men failed.

Khabib Nurmagomedov retires undefeated and unmatched 🐐#UFC254 https://t.co/ezLdRb3K20

Fighters like Ian Garry and Casey O’Neill recently joined the UFC as undefeated prospects. They will more than likely lose the ‘0’ in their professional records as they look to ascend the rankings in their respective weight classes. Hence, it’s very rare to see a fighter in the top 10 or top 15 of any weight class who is undefeated.

That said, we thought we’d look at the five best undefeated fighters in the UFC.

#5. Bryce Mitchell (14-0 overall, 5-0 in the UFC)

Bryce Mitchell was a contestant on The Ultimate Fighter 27, a season that featured undefeated featherweights and lightweights. He competed in the finale of the season where he took on Tyler Diamond. A win over Diamond saw ‘Thug Nasty’ earn a contract with the UFC.

Bryce Mitchell loves two things: Arkansas and camo 😤

The man they call @ThugnastyMMA is back at #UFC249 🔜 ES.PN/UFC249TW https://t.co/qvOwTywmIi

He made his full UFC debut against Bobby Moffett at UFC Fight Night: Thompson vs. Pettis and secured a unanimous decision victory on the night.

It was his next fight, however, that got people taking note of Mitchell’s talent.

Mitchell took on Matt Sayles at UFC Fight Night: Overeem vs. Rozenstruik and produced an incredibly rare submission to win the bout. The twister-submission is a move developed by legendary Brazilian jiu-jitsu innovator Eddie Bravo and has only been seen twice inside the UFC octagon.

Chan Sung Jung pulled it off against Leonard Garcia in 2011 for the first time, and Mitchell has been the only fighter to do it since.

Who did it better? 🤔

@ThugNastyMMA with just the SECOND twister in UFC history at #UFCDC! 🌪️ https://t.co/y5SJBjYTTf

Mitchell’s next two fights saw him secure unanimous decision victories over Charles Rosa and Andre Fili. His incredible run in the UFC’s featherweight division saw him break into the top 15 in 2020. Currently ranked No.11, the Arkansas native is set to take on MMA veteran Edson Barboza in his next bout.

A win over a high-level competitor in Edson Barboza will more than likely see Mitchell break into the top 10 as an undefeated fighter. The duo are set to lock horns in March 2022.

#BREAKING: Edson Barboza will welcome Bryce Mitchell back to the octagon in a striker vs. grappler affair.

@Farah_Hannoun and @MikeBohnMMA report verbal agreements are in place for the bout.

Full story: bit.ly/2ZlRaVY https://t.co/nsjeaoLv5C