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Well supported by fans all over the world mixed martial arts (MMA) is probably the fastest-growing sport at the moment. Not just in the sense of popularity but also from the financial point of view. The rise is noted in the earnings of the MMA event organizations and MMA fighters’ pay data as well. The reality is that getting one match multimillion paycheck means weeks, months, and years of hard work. And, only 2% get this opportunity during their professional career.
The history of MMA starts during the ancient Olympic games, around 600 BCE. In the modern era, the Gracie family and their promotion of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in the USA can be considered the official beginning. The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) was founded in 1993 and today owns the title of the largest MMA promotion company. Becoming one of the best MMA fighters ever demands a lot of training, particularly wrestling, boxing, and Jiu-Jitsu. And, all work invested might never pay off. This is why many people find these fighters a source of guidance and true examples of dedication.
The life of MMA fighters as a writing inspiration
Most fighters’ lives revolve around exercising, practicing, and fighting in the MMA octagon arenas. They often have regular jobs to support their dream. Sports injuries are frequent and an unavoidable part of their journey. This is probably the main reason why it’s so easy for any young person to pick and use as an example famous male and female fighters. Randy Couture and Marion Reneau are just two of many names that have been commented on in numerous articles and even college assignments.
Students like to research and write about successful football and basketball players or MMA fighters and learn about their commitment, leadership, and perseverance. It’s not uncommon for a student to stress “it was easy to write my essays using a famous sportsperson’s achievements as an exemplar”. Indeed, while studying MMA-winning stories it’s almost impossible not to mention in detail their challenges, obstacles, and struggles in an attempt to stay relevant and popular. Unsurprisingly, many famous writers felt inspired to write about these fighters or to help them tell their tales of pain and gain.
Six extraordinary MMA fighters
For many, MMA is a powerful, explosive, and mainly physical sport. In reality, intelligence, creativity, and the ability to strategize are fighters’ most valuable characteristics. This is one reason why adding contact sports to high school activities should be seriously considered. It could be an opportunity for children to learn self-defense, discipline, and start regular exercising.
Although fighters can have a quite long and fruitful career in MMA some of them like to explore other possibilities. More than a few used their fame to cross over to business and acting. Among them, Conor McGregor is probably the most successful business owner and the first UFC fighter with titles in two weight divisions.
Anderson Silva
Famous for his unique fighting style and nickname “The Spider”, Silva ruled over the middleweight division for almost seven years. It’s the longest period of MMA record holding. He also holds the 16 consecutive wins record.
Georges St-Pierre
A successful Canadian fighter is also known by his nickname GSP. During the peak of his career, he defeated the biggest UFC names and managed to defend the welterweight title nine times. He’s also often considered the most versatile MMA fighter.
Randy Couture
Although not the most successful title-winning fighter, Couture managed to use his fame and accomplishments to inspire and motivate people. He returned from retirement and won a fight at the age of 46. According to MMA fans, “The Natural” deserves to be remembered as one of the greatest heavyweight fighters of all time.
Amanda Nunes
Amanda is often referred to as the greatest female MMA fighter of all time. She remained undefeated for six years and proved without a shadow of a doubt her full UFC dominance. Nunes is a double champion in two divisions simultaneously, holding the bantamweight and featherweight titles.
Valentina Shevchenko
A former prominent Muay Thai fighter is now a professional flyweight MMA champion. Since joining the UFC she lost two times only fighting against Amanda Nunes. Shevchenko is known as fearless, sometimes terrifying, and probably the greatest female striker in the history of UFC.
Ronda Rousey
“Rowdy” is a retired MMA fighter, presently an actress, author, and WWE promoter. Rousey is the first US woman to win an Olympic medal in judo in 2008. Among other things, she’s the only woman with both UFC and WWE winning titles, and the best female athlete in the 2015 ESPN fan poll.
Conclusion
The list of these six outstanding MMA names was made based on their titles, winnings, and overall life achievements. They might not be everyone’s best MMA fighters of all time but they are most certainly worth mentioning and remembering. Like all of us, these people are not perfect but their accomplishments prove that determination can overcome all odds.