Demetrious Johnson
Daniel Cormier
Stat by stat
Bars are scaled to the leader in this list.
The verdict
Dead even across the measured categories. Our all-time ranking places Demetrious Johnson at #5 and Daniel Cormier at #10.
The case for Demetrious Johnson
'Mighty Mouse' is arguably the most technically complete fighter of all time, a flyweight who mastered every phase without a defining weakness. As the inaugural UFC flyweight champion he set the record for most consecutive title defenses with 11, a run of dominance from 2013 to 2018 in which he blended world-class striking, wrestling and submissions into a seamless whole. His suplex directly into an armbar against Ray Borg at UFC 216 in 2017 is one of the most spectacular finishes in history. Because he competed in the sport's lightest and least-promoted division, his brilliance was often underappreciated relative to bigger names. Traded to ONE Championship in 2018, he won that promotion's flyweight grand prix and title and delivered a flying-knee knockout of Adriano Moraes in 2022. He retired around 25-4-1, revered by peers as a fighter's fighter and a technician without equal.
The case for Daniel Cormier
A two-time Olympic wrestler and 2008 U.S. team captain, 'DC' translated elite grappling into a two-division championship career, holding both the light heavyweight and heavyweight belts. He captured the vacant light heavyweight title against Anthony Johnson at UFC 187 in 2015, defended it against Johnson again and Alexander Gustafsson, then moved up and knocked out the great Stipe Miocic to take the heavyweight crown at UFC 226 in 2018. His stellar record of 22-3 carries an asterisk that defines his career: every one of his losses came against Jon Jones, and one of those was overturned to a no-contest after Jones failed a drug test. Endlessly durable, technical and cerebral, Cormier would likely be remembered as an all-time great champion in any era that did not also contain his one impossible rival.