The 10 Best MMA fighters from the 2000s

10. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira dominated in Pride before eventually getting his chance to compete against some of the best heavyweights in the world in the UFC.

What’s remarkable about Nogueira’s career is that it was very close to not happening at all. As a child, Nogueira was in a four-day coma after an accident in his native Brazil nearly took his life. He went on to become a Jiu-Jitsu standout and one of the most feared men in MMA at one point.

Nogueira started his MMA career at the turn of the century, dominating fighters such as Jeremy Horn and Hiromitsu Kanehara before arriving in Pride. It wouldn’t take long for him to earn back wins in Pride as well, as he went on a seven-fight win streak in the promotion over legends such as Bob Sapp, Dan Henderson, and Mark Coleman.

Nogueira would win the inaugural Pride heavyweight championship over Heath Herring at Pride 17, before losing it to the legendary Fedor Emelianenko at Pride 25. Emelianenko would prove to be the thorn in his side during his career, losing in two titles fights and a third fight going to a no-contest after an accidental headbutt.

During his time in Pride, Nogueira tied Kazushi Sakuraba for the most submission wins in promotional history with 11.

Once Nogueira moved to the UFC, he continued his winning ways with dominant performances over Tim Sylvia, Josh Barnett, and Randy Couture. His win over Sylvia also gave him the interim title before losing it against Frank Mir.

On top of Nogueira’s forward-pushing style, he was also known for his extreme ability to take punishment and showcase his toughness. This was showcased in his win over Mirko Cro Cop in Pride.

Nogueira will be remembered forever as one of the main pioneers of MMA, especially in the early to mid-2000s.