Best of the unbeaten: Which undefeated fighter is ...
Key takeaways
- None was more significant than former middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev failing to get his hand raised for the first time in 16 appearances in a split decision to Sean Strickland at UFC 328 last month.
- For the second straight year, Topuria stands at the top of ESPN's ranking of the best undefeated fighters in MMA today.
- What's incredible is that, against the best opponents in the world, Topuria is delivering similar results to when he started in MMA a decade ago.
Why this matters: a sports story that could shift standings, legacies, or fan conversations.
None was more significant than former middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev failing to get his hand raised for the first time in 16 appearances in a split decision to Sean Strickland at UFC 328 last month. Longtime Bellator MMA champ Johnny Eblen and featherweight Lerone Murphy also took their first career defeats.
Ilia Topuria has managed to stay perfect through not one but two UFC championships -- and looks to extend that streak in a lightweight title unification bout against Justin Gaethje at UFC Freedom 250 on June 14 in Washington, D.C. For the second straight year, Topuria stands at the top of ESPN's ranking of the best undefeated fighters in MMA today. Here's the full list, based on résumé and potential.
What's incredible is that, against the best opponents in the world, Topuria is delivering similar results to when he started in MMA a decade ago. He always has been a prolific finisher, with an 88% career finishing rate, but that rate has actually climbed to 100% in title fights. Topuria has knocked out Alexander Volkanovski, Max Holloway and Charles Oliveira in UFC championship fights and submitted Brian Bouland in Cage Warriors. Topuria might be setting an impossible bar to match. He has been perfect at the highest difficulty possible.