Russia has been a powerhouse for producing combat sports athletes for decades. Regions like Dagestan have produced some of the most ruthless wrestlers MMA has ever seen. Just the simple fact that a fighter is Russian has proven to be an intimidating fact. In this story, we'll take a look at 11 of the best MMA fighters to come out of Russia, ever. For the purpose of this list, we'll rank based on several factors including records, highlights, popularity, and historical significance, among other factors.

11 11. Umar Nurmagomedov - Record: 17-0

It might be slightly early to declare Umar Nurmagomedov as one of the best Russian fighters of all time, but he certainly has the base and record to be well on his way. Nurmagomedov is one of many fighters on this list related to former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov and trained under the late Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov. Umar is related to Khabib as a cousin and is the nephew of Abdulmanap, who died in 2020. He currently has an impressive 17-0 undefeated record including five wins under the UFC banner. Umar holds three finishes in the UFC as well, two submissions and an impressive first-round knockout of Raoni Barcelos. Some might criticize his inclusion on this list due to the lack of tough opponents he's faced but that could change on the 3rd of August when he fights Cory Sandhagen at UFC Abu Dhabi. If he can get through Sandhagen he'll be next in line for a title shot and could cement his legacy even further.

10 10. Alexander Shlemenko - Record: 66-15

Alexander Shlemenko might not be a name that casual MMA fans recognize, but he's got an impressive resume. At age 40 he's amassed 66 wins and just 15 losses and fought as recently as June. He is the former Bellator middleweight champion and has a background in Greco-Roman wrestling. He's fought under the M-1 Global, EFN, and several Russian promotions banners throughout his career which has lasted more than 20 years. He also runs his own promotion, Shlemenko FC, which he also occasionally fights on. His most recent appearance was at Shlemenko FC 10 where he brutally defeated UFC veteran Curtis Millender via first-round TKO. His ground-and-pound finish went viral as fans were shocked he was still fighting with such a high-level performance.

9 9. Zabit Magomedsharipov - Record: 18-1

Zabit Magomedsharipov might be one of the UFC's biggest what-ifs. Magomedsharipov was the ACB featherweight champion before getting signed to the UFC and many felt he was going to be one of the greatest featherweights of all time. He won all six of his his UFC appearances, three by way of submission before abruptly retiring from MMA. The fighter left the sport in order to become a doctor and now coaches his younger brother, Khasan. If Magomedsharipov had stayed fighting he would have been in his prime and could be a UFC champion today. We'll never know just how good Magomedsharipov really is.

8 8. Petr Yan - Record: 17-5

At one time, Petr Yan seemed unbeatable. He ran through the UFC bantamweight division, ultimately winning the title in 2020 when he defeated former champion Jose Aldo. But as swiftly as the former ACB champion climbed, he sunk right back down. Yan's series of bad luck came when he was disqualified while defending his title versus Aljamain Sterling in 2021. His career just hasn't been the same since. He lost a bad decision to Sean O'Malley and was defeated in a rematch with Sterling and a main event versus Merab Dvalishvili. Though his record as of late leaves much to be desired, he's still young and could bounce back if he can find his confidence once again.

7 7. Andrei Arlovski - Record: 34-24

Andrei Arlovski is the former UFC heavyweight champion and currently holds the record for the most wins in UFC heavyweight history at 23. He's a veteran of the sport having fought under the Strikeforce, WSOF, Affliction, EliteXC, ONE FC and M-1 Challenge banners throughout his more than 20 years in the sport. Arlovski has fought the whose-who in the UFC heavyweight division including Francis Ngannou, Stefan Struve, Tai Ruivasa, Stipe Miocic, Frank Mir, Alistair Overeem and more. He's competed as recently as June and while his UFC career is over, he says he intends to keep fighting.

6 6. Usman Nurmagomedov - Record 17-0-1

Usman Nurmagomedov is one of the best Russians in MMA not already signed to the UFC. He is the cousin of Khabib and trained under Abdulmanap just like Umar, who also appears on the list. He's the current Bellator lightweight champion and has competed in the UAE Warriors and Eagle Fighting Championship. He's currently undefeated in his professional career and has had just four of his 18 wins go to the judge's scorecards. The only blip in his career is that he's currently serving a six-month suspension for a failed drug test stemming from his win over Brent Primus at Bellator 300. Usman was not stripped of his title after it was proven to be an unintentional ingestion due to a tainted supplement.

5 5. Khamzat Chimaev - Record: 13-0

Khamzat Chimaev is considered one of the biggest prospects in the UFC right now. The Chechen fighter is undefeated in his short career and has gone to a decision just twice. He shot to stardom when he knocked out Gerald Meerschaert in just 17 seconds in September 2020 but his career has been marred with controversy. Chimaev has had trouble missing weight and even single-handedly changed three fights at UFC 279 when he came in heavy. He's also been difficult to pin down. He's suffered from several illnesses stemming from COVID-19 which have seen him pulled from many bouts over the years. His inactivity has hampered his legacy and slowed his hype train considerably. But he's still at the top of his game when does make it inside the Octagon.

4 4. Vadim Nemkov - Record: 17-2-1

Vadim Nemkov is hands-down one of the best Russian fighters in Bellator. He's a former combat sambo champion and previously held the Bellator light heavyweight title. He broke the record for the most consecutive Bellator light heavyweight title defenses (four) when he defeated Yoel Romero in 2023. He was a 2015 Rizin Heavyweight Grand Prix Semifinalist and returned to heavyweight when he competed, and won the PFL vs. Bellator super belt after submitting Bruno Cappelozza in the second round. He is part of Team Fedor Emelianenko, who will appear later in this ranking.

3 3. Islam Makhachev - Record: 26-1-1

If we are talking about active fighters, Islam Makhachev is the best and its not even close. But when it comes to all-time, he's a solid No. 3. Makhachev is the third fighter on this list from team Khabib and Abdulmanap. Unlike Umar and Usman, Makhachev is not a blood relation though Khabib views him like a brother. Makhachev won the Russian National Combat Sambo Championship and qualified to compete nationally but a heart condition pulled him from the event. He's the current UFC lightweight champion and ranked as the No. 1 pound for pound fighter in the UFC just over Jon Jones and Alex Pereira. The comparison to Khabib is almost daily and the debate over who is better rages on. He has defended his lightweight title a total of three time, twice finishing his opponent.

2 2. Khabib Nurmagomedov - Record: 29-0

Khabib Nurmagomedov is one of the best Russian MMA fighters of all time. He ended his career undefeated and left a legacy of fighters behind him even better than he was, inf cat, three of them are on this very list. Nurmagomedov's wrestling was unparalleled and even though he didn't break massive records or hold numerous titles, he carved a path for himself in the UFC's history books. If not for the untimely and student death of his father and head coach in 2020, he might even be fighting still today. He held firm to a promise he made to his mother and hung up his gloves after defeating Justin Gaethje at UFC 254. He might have even gotten the No. 1 spot on this list but for the fact that he missed weight and pulled out of several fights earlier in his career.

1 1. Fedor Emelianenko - Record: 40-7-1

Fedor Emelianenko's contribution to MMA, in and outside of Russia is undeniable. He was one of the most feared and respected fighters throughout his nearly 25 year career. He is a former PRIDE heavyweight champion, a four-time combat sambo champion, a seven-time combat sambo national champion, and two-time Russian national judo bronze medalist, among other championships and accolades. He also competed in RINGS, Strikeforce, M-1 Global, Rizin, and Bellator and officially retired from MMA in 2023. He's universally thought to the best fighter to never fight in the UFC. The promotion even honored the GOAT heavyweight by including him as a character in their EA Sports video game. Emelianenko's legacy is felt with his protege's including Vadim Nemkov who is ranked No. 4 on this list. Several of the best UFC fighters have named Emelianenko as the best fighter of all time including Jose Aldo, Georges St-Pierre, and the No. 2 ranked fighter on this list, Khabib.