🥋

Top Grapplers

Best ground fighters as rated by fans

2026 Rankings

9.4 Top Rating

7.0 Average

121 Ranked

Active Retired All

🔍

No fighters found matching your search.

Mackenzie Dern Women's Strawweight · 11-5

Kayla Harrison Women's Bantamweight · 3-0

Gillian Robertson Women's Strawweight · 13-6

Erin Blanchfield Women's Flyweight · 8-1

Charles Oliveira Lightweight · 25-11

Jasmine Jasudavicius Women's Flyweight · 8-3

Islam Makhachev Welterweight · 17-1

Gilbert Burns Welterweight · 15-9

Tatsuro Taira Flyweight · 8-1

Shavkat Rakhmonov Welterweight · 7-0

🥋 How Top Grapplers Rankings Work

Top Grapplers rankings showcase the best ground fighters in the UFC as rated by the MMA community. Grappling in MMA encompasses Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, submission offense and defense, guard work, ground-and-pound positioning, sweeps, scrambles, and overall ground control.

The best grapplers can submit opponents from any position, threaten with chokes and joint locks, and control the fight on the mat. This includes fighters who are dangerous off their backs as well as those who dominate from top position. Submission wins are displayed alongside ratings to highlight finishing ability on the ground.

Note that grappling is distinct from wrestling. Wrestling focuses on takedowns and top control, while grappling covers the broader ground game including guard play, submissions, and transitions. Some fighters excel at both, while others specialize.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between grappling and wrestling rankings?

Grappling rankings measure overall ground fighting ability including BJJ, submissions, guard work, and ground control. Wrestling rankings focus specifically on takedown offense and defense, chain wrestling, and top-position control. A fighter can be an elite grappler with mediocre wrestling, or vice versa.

How are grappling rankings determined?

Rankings are based on community votes. Registered users rate each fighter's grappling ability on a 1-10 scale. Submission wins are shown alongside ratings for context, but the ranking itself is purely vote-based.

Why do some fighters with few submissions rank highly?

Grappling skill goes beyond submission finishes. Some elite grapplers use their ground game primarily for control, positional dominance, and ground-and-pound. A fighter who consistently dominates on the mat without always finishing can still be recognized as a top grappler.

Does a BJJ black belt guarantee a high ranking?

Not necessarily. While a BJJ black belt indicates high-level grappling credentials, MMA grappling is different from pure sport BJJ. Fighters are rated on how effectively they apply their ground game in actual UFC fights, which includes dealing with strikes, the cage, and MMA-specific scrambles.

Explore More Rankings

Dive into ELO power rankings, P4P standings, and more

Rankings Hub