9. Stipe Miocic
Miocic went from prospect to contender to champion in a hurry. The Strong Style Fight Team export started his career 6-0, signed with the Ultimate Fighting Championship and enjoyed a fast rise to the top of the heavyweight division. Outside of losses to Stefan Struve and Junior dos Santos, Miocic has been flawless inside the Octagon. He got his hands on UFC gold in May, when he knocked out Fabricio Werdum before more than 45,000 raucous Brazilians in Curitiba, Brazil, and successfully defended it by dispatching Alistair Overeem inside one round at UFC 210 on Sept. 10. Other high-profile victories against Andrei Arlovski, Mark Hunt and Roy Nelson have strengthened Miocic’s case as a historic heavyweight, and at age 34, he figures to have the time and opportunity to cement his place among the all-time greats. His next assignment comes at UFC 211 on May 13, when he can avenge one of his two career losses in a rematch with dos Santos at the American Airlines Center in Dallas.
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