1. Fedor Emelianenko
The greatest heavyweight of all-time was an irresistible force in his prime. Emelianenko had knockout power in his hands, could submit opponents from virtually any position on the ground and wielded perhaps the most ferocious ground-and-pound in the history of the sport. Terminator-like stoicism made “The Last Emperor” even more terrifying.
Emelianenko claimed the Pride Fighting Championships heavyweight title with a unanimous decision over fellow great Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira in March 2003 and never relinquished it. The victory, his first of two against Nogueira, was part of a historic run of success for “The Last Emperor.” From April 6, 2001 until Nov. 7, 2009, he put together an almost unimaginable 27-0 record.
Though Emelianenko still has never competed inside the Ultimate Fighting Championship, he holds wins over four former UFC champions -- Mark Coleman (twice), Kevin Randleman, Andrei Arlovski and Tim Sylvia -- and three Olympic medalists: Satoshi Ishii, Matt Lindland and Naoya Ogawa. He has also beaten four-time K-1 World Grand Prix winner Semmy Schilt and 2006 Pride open weight grand prix winner Mirko Filipovic.