Canadian MMA fighters are some of the bests in the world, and their results prove it. There have been many MMA fighters from Canada that ruled the sport for years, whether it’s in the UFC, Bellator, or other organizations.
The best-ever Canadian fighters have represented their country in the UFC, arguably the best MMA promotion on the planet. Some of them are now legends of the sport, while others are quickly making their way there. Ever since the beginning of organized MMA fights, sportsmen from Canada have been among the most elite fighters in the industry.
There have been many elite Canadian MMA fighters of the past two decades, but there’s only room for five of them to qualify for the best ever. In this article, you will get familiar with the top 5 greatest Canadian MMA fighters of all time, along with their records and accomplishments.
Georges St-Pierre
The list of the best Canadian MMA fighters of all time starts with the best ever! Georges St- Pierre is a retired fighter and a legend not only at the UFC but in the world of MMA. Born on May 19th, 1981, Georges St-Pierre started his prosperous MMA career in 2002 until his first retirement in 2013. During the span from 2002 to 2013, Georges St-Pierre became a 2-time UFC Welterweight Champion and is considered as the most fantastic pound-for-pound striker in MMA history. Many compare the greatness of Georges St-Pierre to the likes of Anderson ‘The Spider” Silva. Unfortunately, a fight between Georges and Anderson never took place, to the disappointment of many fans.
St-Pierre’s style is a mix of Brazillian Jiu-Jitsu and wrestling, and considering his size, he remains one of the best specialists in these two techniques to date.
Patrick Cote
Patrick Cote is another retired MMA legend fighting out of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Born on February 29, 1980, Patrick Cote is among the best mix-martial art fighters in history. Cote is one of the most successful Canadian fighters in the UFC, most notably in the Middleweight Division. During his prime years, Cote had a shot for the title against one of the UFC’s greatest, Anderson ‘The Spider’ Silva. Sadly, after the loss in the main event, Patrick Cote was not the same from thereon. Despite losing the fight of his career, there’s no denying that Patrick Cote ranks highly on every list of the best Canadian MMA fighter.
Rory MacDonald
Rory MacDonald deserves a spot among the top five MMA fighters from Canada due to his quick rise in the industry. Rory MacDonald is the future of MMA. Starting his MMA career in 2005, Rory quickly became one of the most promising fighters, fighting out of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Rory is a former Bellator MMA member and once held the Bellator Welterweight World Championship title. He is also a UFC-top contender with a record of 9-4 during his time in the most known organization.
In his extensive MMA career, Rory MacDonald holds a record of 22 wins, seven knockouts, eight submissions, and seven wins by the referee’s decision.
TJ Grant
TJ Grant is a retired Canadian MMA fighter who used to compete for the UFC organization in the Lightweight Division. TJ Grant started his immense MMA career back in 2017 and had a competitive record of 13-2 before he too decided to sign with the UFC. Grant made his debut in UFC 97 and managed to shock everyone with his win over Japanese fighter Ryo Chonan. In May 2014, TJ Grant and Nate Diaz were removed from the upcoming UFC event because of their rankings, being deemed inactive by the UFC commission. Despite the slight setback in this professional career, TJ Grant remains one of the most prolific Canadian MMA fighters to this date.
Grant retired with an MMA record of 26 fights, 21 wins, four wins by knockout, 13 by submission, and four by decision. In his professional career, Grant lost only five battles.
Joe Doerksen
Joe Doerksen is a retired Canadian mixed martial arts fighter who ranks high among the best Canadian MMA fighters of all time. Joe started his immense professional career in 1999 and lasted until he retired in 2014. He has competed in several MMA organizations such as UFC, WE, IFL, and King Of The Cage. Joe Doerksen made his UFC debut in 2004 in the UFC 49 event on August 21, 2014. He lost the fight against Joe Riggs in the second round due to submission. His next major fight in the UFC was against fellow Canadian Patrick Cote in UFC 52 on April 16, 2005. Joe won the battle via choke submission. He retired on August 21, 2015, and is widely considered among the best Canadian MMA fighters.
