The Top 15 Best Physiques in MMA

MMA is a sport that requires a lot of physical conditioning and training. As a result, many of the athletes who compete in MMA have amazing physiques. Here are 15 of the best bodies in MMA:

Alistair Overeem

Height / Weight: 6’5″, 260 lbs. (Heavyweight)
Major Organizations: Strikeforce, DREAM, Pride, K-1
Bio / Comments: The imposing Dutch “Demolition Man” is the current Strikeforce Heavyweight champion and a winner in his last seven fights. Overeem last fought at a monstrous 260 lbs and continues to get scarier with each fight. Media and fans are now clamoring for a fight with the Russian legend Fedor Emelianenko.

Andrei Arlovski

Height / Weight: 6’4″, 240 lbs. (Heavyweight)
Major Organizations: Strikeforce, Affliction, EliteXC, UFC
Bio / Comments: The former UFC Heavyweight champion and Sambo practitioner was last seen getting dropped by Brett Rogers at Strikeforce: Lawler vs. Shields, but is still universally regarded as a Top 15ish Heavyweight. Despite the often changing hairstyles, The “Pit Bull” always heads into his fights ripped.

Anthony Johnson

Height / Weight: 6’2″, 170 lbs. (Welterweight)
Major Organizations: UFC
Bio / Comments: “Rumble” Johnson is known to most MMA fans for two things – having devastating hands and being a huge Welterweight. The UFC’s Joe Rogan often comments during Johnson’s fights about the massive size difference when compared to his opponent and how much weight he normally cuts to fight at 170lbs.

Cheick Kongo

Height / Weight: 6’4″, 237 lbs. (Heavyweight)
Major Organizations: UFC, RINGS
Bio / Comments: French striker Cheick Kongo literally looks like he was chiseled from stone and what I’d look like if I could say no to beer, chicken wings, and Fritos (ha, yeah right). With an ever-improving ground game and nice strikes, Kongo is likely slotted somewhere in the upper-middle tier of UFC Heavyweights.

Georges St-Pierre

Height / Weight: 5’11”, 170 lbs. (Welterweight)
Major Organizations: UFC
Bio / Comments: The new face of Under Armour, UFC Welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre is an absolute athletic freak. UFC brass had it dead on when they dubbed him as the “next generation” of mixed martial artists while he was making his first title run. He’s always shredded and has mind-boggling cardio.

James Irvin

Height / Weight: 6’2″, 205 lbs. (Light Heavyweight, although made Middleweight recently)
Major Organizations: UFC, WEC
Bio / Comments: UFC brawler James Irvin makes my wife weak at the knees. Eh, what can you do… the “Sandman” is always jacked and has put more than a few opponents to sleep with his heavy hands. An emaciated Irvin made 185 lbs. recently.

Josh Koscheck

Height / Weight: 5’10”, 170 lbs. (Welterweight)
Major Organizations: UFC
Bio / Comments: Love him or hate him, Kos is a dangerous Welterweight who can beat you standing or on the mat. A former National Champion wrestler at Edinboro, Koscheck rose to infamy during his stint on The Ultimate Fighter 1 and has continued to improve with each fight. Extra points for the blond afro!

Kimbo Slice

Height / Weight: 6’2″, 220-235 lbs. (Heavyweight)
Major Organizations: UFC, EliteXC, sketchy South Florida boatyards
Bio / Comments: A YouTube sensation thanks to his backyard knockouts in Miami, porn bodyguard Kimbo Slice won some fights (in and out of MMA) before he even threw a single punch. Shaved head, grizzly beard, and a heavily muscled frame helped Kimbo intimidate his opponents and ultimately get his bread.

Nate Marquardt

Height / Weight: 6’0″, 185 lbs. (Middleweight)
Major Organizations: UFC, Pancrase
Bio / Comments: The former King of Pancrase (hey, everyone else always mentions it), Nate Marquardt is another guy that just seems about 20 lbs larger than his actual fighting weight of 185 lbs. A huge Middleweight, Marquardt was last seen being overwhelmed by the cardio machine Chael Sonnen at UFC 109.

Phil Baroni

Height / Weight: 5’9″, 170 lbs. (Welterweight)
Major Organizations: UFC, Strikeforce, EliteXC, Pride
Bio / Comments: Amateur bodybuilder turned MMA fighter, Phil Baroni is known for his colorful entrances and middlin’ success in the cage. A lifetime 13-12 fighter, the “New York Bad Ass” has been fighting professionally for almost 10 years and has had some problems gassing during his fights. Too much muscle?

Ricardo Arona

Height / Weight: 5’11”, 205 lbs. (Light Heavyweight)
Major Organizations: Pride, RINGS
Bio / Comments: The BJJ black belt has fought just once in the last three years, but has notable wins over Wanderlei Silva, Alistair Overeem, Dan Henderson, Murilo Rua, and Jeremy Horn. Incredibly strong, the free agent is recovering from a knee injury and has been in negotiations with the UFC for a 2010 debut.

Rich Franklin

Height / Weight: 6’1″, 185-205 lbs. (Middleweight and Light Heavyweight)
Major Organizations: UFC
Bio / Comments: Franklin is a former UFC Middleweight champion and one of the largest 185ers in MMA. Before running into Anderson Silva, Franklin reigned supreme in the UFC in large part because of his strength. He’ll soon fight Chuck Liddell at UFC 115.

Ryan Bader

Height / Weight: 6’2″, 205 lbs. (Light Heavyweight)
Major Organizations: UFC
Bio / Comments: Undefeated (11-0) and progressing towards contender status in the UFC’s stacked Light Heavyweight division, Bader recently bolted Arizona Combat Sports for Scottsdale’s Lion’s Den facility. Bader can directly attribute his strength and cardio to his background as a two-time All-American wrestler at ASU.

Thiago Alves

Height / Weight: 5’9″, 170 lbs. (Welterweight)
Major Organizations: UFC
Bio / Comments: Nicknamed the “Pitbull”, and literally built like one, Thiago Alves is a compact powerhouse. Standing only 5’9″, Alves packs a jacked 170 lbs. on his frame. He rattled off seven straight wins, including wins over Josh Koscheck and Matt Hughes, before losing in his quest for the title against GSP at UFC 100.

Gina Carano

Height / Weight: 5’8″, 135-145 lbs. (Bantamweight and Featherweight)
Major Organizations: Strikeforce, EliteXC
Bio / Comments: Although she’s not jacked like her male counterparts on this list, a well-trained Carano looks fantastic! Her weigh-ins can be jaw-dropping. As she completes filming of a Steven Soderbergh thriller, will she become the next “It Girl” in Hollywood and leave MMA for good?

Leave the first comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.