BEST UFC FIGHTERS OF 2021 – Male

The 2021 year of the UFC saw some amazing fighters rise to the occasion and show their real potential. And the following is the list of the fighters who took their stocks to another level this year and showed the world why they belong to the top.

5 – Islam Makhachev

Islam Makhachev is a Russian professional mixed martial artist. He is also a former Sambo competitor who currently competes in the lightweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Hailing from the Republic of Dagestan in Russia, Makhachev was the combat sambo world champion at 74 kilograms in 2016. As of November 2, 2021, he is no.4 in the lightweight rankings.

Makhachev faced Drew Dober at UFC 259. He won the fight by an arm-triangle choke submission in the third round.

Makhachev faced Thiago Moisés at ESPN 26 He won the fight by a rear-naked choke submission in the fourth round.

Islam was targeted to fight former UFC Lightweight Champion Rafael dos Anjos at UFC 267. But dos Anjos was forced to be pulled from the event due to injury, and he was replaced by Dan Hooker. He won the fight by a kimura submission in the first round.

4 – Brandon Moreno

Brandon Moreno is a Mexican professional mixed martial artist. He currently competes in the flyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Moreno is the reigning UFC Flyweight Champion, and in the process became the first Mexican-born fighter to win a championship. A professional since 2011, he also competed at the Legacy Fighting Alliance, where he was the LFA Flyweight champion. As of November 2, 2021, he is NO. 10 in the men’s pound-for-pound rankings. Moreno rematched Figueiredo for the Flyweight Championship on June 12, 2021, co-headlining UFC 263. Moreno dominated the striking and grappling exchanges and submitted Figueiredo with a rear-naked choke in the third round.

3 – Ciryl Gane

Ciryl Gane is a French mixed martial arts fighter. He competed in the heavyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship where he is the current Interim UFC Heavyweight Champion. A professional fighter since 2014, he has also formerly competed for TKO Major League MMA where he was the Heavyweight Champion. As of November 2, 2021, he is no. 15 in the men’s pound-for-pound rankings.

Gane faced Jairzinho Rozenstruik at Fight Night 186. He won the fight via unanimous decision. Gane faced Alexander Volkov at Fight Night 190. He won the fight via unanimous decision. Gane then faced Derrick Lewis on August 7, 2021, at UFC 265 for the Interim UFC Heavyweight Championship. He won the one-sided fight via technical knockout in round three.

2 – Charles Oliveira

Charles Oliveira is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist. He currently competes in the Lightweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, where he is the current UFC Lightweight Champion. He holds multiple UFC records, notably, the most submission wins in the organization’s history at 15, and most finishes at 18. As of December 13, 2021, he is NO. 5 in the UFC men’s pound-for-pound rankings.

Oliveira faced former three-time Bellator Lightweight Champion Michael Chandler for the vacant UFC Lightweight Championship, following former champion Khabib Nurmagomedov’s retirement. He was dropped by Chandler in the first round, Oliveira won the fight via technical knockout early in the second round to claim the UFC Lightweight Championship. With the knockout win, he broke yet another record, recording the most finishes in UFC history. This win also earned Oliveira the Performance of the Night bonus award.

Oliveira made his first title defense against Dustin Poirier on December 11, 2021, at UFC 269. He won the bout by submitting Poirier by standing rear-naked choke in the first minute of the third round

1 – Kamaru Usman

Kamaru Usman is a Nigerian-American professional mixed martial artist and a former freestyle wrestler. He currently competes in the welterweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, where he is the reigning Welterweight Champion. Usman was also The Ultimate Fighter 21 tournament winner. As of September 27, 2021, he is no. 1 in the UFC men’s pound-for-pound rankings.

Kamaru Usman made his third title defense against Gibert Burns. For his fifth title bout, Usman rematched against Jorge Masvidal for the Welterweight Championship on April 24, 2021, at UFC 261 in Florida. He successfully defended his title after knocking out Masvidal in the second round, becoming the first one to do so in the UFC. Usman rematched Colby Covington for the Welterweight Championship on November 6, at UFC 268. Usman won the fight via unanimous decision.