Who is the Best MMA Fighter of All Time?

One of the most common debates in combat sports is “who is the greatest of all time”. When talking about the greatest MMA fighters of all time, several names come to mind such as Anderson Silva, Jon Jones, and Khabib Nurmagomedov.

While Anderson Silva and Jon Jones had long winning streaks as champions of their weight class, there is a huge asterisk on their remarkable achievements. That being that they both have tested positive for performance enhancing drugs in their career.

Not only was Khabib Nurmagomedov unbeaten in his professional MMA career, going 29-0, he didn't test positive for performance enhancing drugs unlike the aforementioned Silva and Jones. However, where Nurmagomedov falls short in the greatest fighter of all time debate is the fact that he retired far too early with other upcoming fighters on his horizon such as Charles Oliveira.

However, one fighter consistently stands above anyone else in the debate and that is Georges St-Pierre.

How GSP Became a UFC Champion & a Great of the Sport

Georges St-Pierre punches Nick Diaz//Getty Images

Georges St-Pierre began learning a form of karate at a very young age, at the age of 7 he was training in Kyokushin karate. And over a decade later, he was learning other fighting disciplines.

With over ten years of martial arts training under his belt, he made his professional MMA debut in 2002, and he very quickly built a reputation because of both his technical and athletic ability. He had a perfect blend of striking, grappling, and defence, allowing him to rise through the ranks of the UFC’s welterweight division.

After just seven professional fights, GSP’s first major test came in 2004 when he faced Matt Hughes, who was at the time a veteran champion, and a UFC Hall of Famer, for the welterweight title.

Despite losing via armbar submission in the first round, this defeat allowed St-Pierre to use it as a learning curve and become even better. The Canadian fighter rebounded from the loss with a string of impressive victories, showing that he could constantly evolve his skills.

In 2006, GSP earned a rematch against Hughes for the welterweight title. This time, St-Pierre dominated the fight and finished Hughes via TKO in the second round. This victory cemented GSP’s place as the undisputed king of the welterweight division.

What made Georges St-Pierre truly special was his ability to adapt and improve with each fight and even in between rounds in closely contested fights.

Unlike many fighters who become a master of just one area in MMA, GSP was a rarity in the fact that he mastered all aspects of MMA. His karate background gave him exceptional striking and quick movement, his wrestling allowed him to control opponents, and his submission defence ensured he could avoid danger on the ground or reverse transitions.

Another thing which set GSP apart from his competitors is that he had one of the highest fight IQs in the sport. He would religiously study his opponents and he'd craft game plans that exploited their weaknesses.

St-Pierre’s dedication to his physical fitness was unmatched because his cardio, strength, and endurance were legendary. This allowed him to push the pace for five rounds without slowing down.

The Canadian's mentality was also seemingly better than the rest. After suffering his second career loss, to Matt Serra in 2007, a shocking upset that many fighters might have struggled to recover from. Nevertheless GSP regrouped and returned to the octagon even better than before.

GSP Was One of the First MMA Fighters to Adopt a Modern Approach to Training

Georges St-Pierre kicks Johny Hendricks//Getty Images

Georges St-Pierre was one of the first fighters to truly embrace cross-training and scientific preparation, working with sports psychologists, nutritionists, and specialised coaches to optimise every aspect of his performance. His success laid the blueprint for the modern MMA fighter, inspiring future generations to adopt this same type of approach to training.

Nowadays, almost every fighter has specialised people in training camps such as nutritionists and strength & conditioning coaches.