Ten of England's Top MMA Fighters
Mixed Martial Arts has taken over the sports industry as it is one of the most challenging sports entertainment. With the vast array of physical sports, MMA is definitely one of the toughest.
Among the brawny fighters in the industry can be found in England, and we kid you not when we tell you that these Britons are tough as a rock when they fight in the octagon.
That being said, whether you're new to the MMA industry or just a fan obsessing about the fighters, let's have a look at some of the best British MMA fighters there are.
10. Rob Broughton
Record: 16-7-1
Also Known As: The Bear
Hailing from: St. Helens, England
Broughton first made his name when he defeated PRIDE FC veteran James Thompson via knockout and became the British Cage Rage Heavyweight Champion in 2006.
Four years later, Broughton is declared to be the ZT Fight Night Heavyweight Tournament Winner by defeating Neil Wain via Submission (guillotine choke), James Thompson via KO (punch), Oli Thompson via Unanimous Decision.
9. Paul Daley
Record: 23-1
Also Known As: Semtex
Hailing from: Nottingham, England
Daley is known to be a fighter with great aggression and power, ending every 58% of his wins via knockouts. Because of this, he is dubbed as the Semtex of Mixed Martial Arts. Daley was famed as one of the most entertaining strikers in the fight game and MMA world. Paul Daley was removed from the UFC after punching Josh Koscheck after the final bell.
8. Curt Warburton
Record: 14-6-2
Also Known As: The War
Hailing from: Bishop Auckland, England
Formerly trained at Wolfslair MMA Academy in Liverpool, England, boasts one of the most notable wins against Maciej Jewtuszko, a polish MMA Fighter. He then gave Jewtuszko his first professional loss via unanimous decision in 2011. Warburton made his UFC debut against UFC veteran, Spencer Fisher on 16 October 2010 at UFC 120 in which he beat Fisher at his own game.
7. Molly Maria McCann
Record: 11-4-3
Also Known As: Meatball
Hailing from: Liverpool, England
Debuted in 2018, McCann made her name with the iconic fights she had done inside the octagon, and one of the most notable wins was when we won the Fight of the Night in UFC after defeating Ji Yeon Kim at UFC Fight Night: Brunson vs. Darren Till.
6. Ross Pearson
Record: 20-17-1
Also Known As: The Real Deal
Hailing from: Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, England
Pearson is known for his solid punches and his most-liked grappling technique, the armbar. The Sunderland fighter started his UFC career in 2009 at The Ultimate Fighter Season 9. Notable fights from Ross Pearson include Diego Sanchez, Cub Swanson, and Dennis Siver.
5. Dan Hardy
Record: 25-10-1
Also Known As: The Outlaw
Hailing from: Nottingham, England
He started his career as a boxer and a Muay Thai fighter. Eventually, in his 20s, he transitioned as a Mixed Martial Artist, gaining his nickname The Outlaw from the screen name he used upon looking for training partners. Dan fought in Cage Warriors up until 2008 and then joined the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Dan now works as a commentator for the UFC. Along with being a polarising figure, he is known for his unique and articulate insights.
4. Brad Pickett
Record: 25-14
Also Known As: One Punch
Hailing from: London, England
Pickett is famous for his iconic entrances as he enters the match with the song Wallop by Chs & Dave, while he wears a string vest, jeans, and his trilby hat. He fought in the UFC's lightweight division, along with the Flyweight and Bantamweight division.
3. Darren Till
Record: 18-4-1
Also Known As: The Gorilla
Hailing from: Liverpool, England
Till was born and raised in Liverpool, England, where he was known for his numerous fights. He began Muay Thai training at the age of 12, and after dropping out of school at the age of 14 to focus on the sport, he turned professional a year later and began MMA training with Team Kaobon at the age of 17. After an altercation with his mother for which he was kicked out of the house, Till would dwell in various locations such as his gym and relatives' homes during his teenage years. After confronting a big group of males at a party in August 2012, Till was stabbed twice in the back. Doctors stated he was lucky to be alive because the knife missed his main artery by only a millimetere. In the aftermath of the incident, Till's coach Colin Heron encouraged him to relocate to Brazil and train with a former Team Kaobon coach in order to avoid issues in his hometown.
Debuted in 2013, Till has been making a name inside the octagon for his high win rate, with 55% of the wins being won via knockout. Darren is known for his size hence the nickname, and is one of the biggest stars in the UFC Middleweight division. Darren Till had his first welterweight title shot for UFC Gold at UFC 228 where he faced and lost to Tyron Woodley, one of the most elite and experienced American wrestlers in the UFC.
2. Leon Edwards
Record: 19-2
Also Known As: Rocky
Hailing from: Erdington, Birmingham, England
Leon was born in Kingston, Jamaica and grew up in Birmingham, England. When he was 16, he began training in mixed martial arts. Rocky was his nickname given to him by his classmates. Fabian, his brother, is also a Bellator MMA fighter. Debuted in 2010, Edwards made his name shortly after defeating Carl Booth via armbar submission in just two rounds. Edwards then joined Fight UK MMA and signed a contract. He made his pro debut against Damian Zlotnicki in the first round, winning by technical knockout. He fought two more times for the organization, winning over Pawel Zwiefka and losing by DQ to Delroy McDowell due to an illegal knee.
Edwards was signed to the UFC in 2014 and fought Claudio Silva on the UFC Fight Night: Shogun vs. Saint Preux card.
1. Michael Bisping
Record: 30-9
Also Known As: The Count
Hailing from: Manchester, England
Michael Bisping is undoubtedly an MMA Champion and a British MMA pioneer as he holds a 77% win rate during his active fighting years with an impressive record of 30-9. Though already retired, he still holds the title of being the first British fighter to win a UFC Championship and was even declared as one in the UFC Hall of Fame in 2019.
With an injured Chris Weidman forcing him to pull out of the fight, Bisping stepped up on only 17 days' notice to face champion Luke Rockhold for a second time on 4 June 2016 at UFC 199. He won via knockout in the first round to become the UFC Middleweight Champion and the first British UFC champion.
Some of Bisping's most notable fights were against Dan Henderson, Georges st Pierre, Chris Leben and Chael Sonnen. Bisping was notorious for his all action style type of fighting, with strong wrestling skills, and starred in the third season of The Ultimate Fighter. He now works as a UFC commentator.