A tradition like no other, the UFC will honor former champions, classic fights and the toughest competitors in the world at this year's UFC Hall of Fame induction ceremony Thursday, June 27.
The UFC Hall of Fame recognizes fighters, fights and contributors (those outside of fighting). Representation comes from various promotions, including the UFC, PRIDE, the WEC and Strikeforce. Royce Gracie and Ken Shamrock were inducted in the opening ceremony in 2003. Since then, Chuck Liddell, Georges St-Pierre, Ronda Rousey and more have been inducted.
The 2024 Hall of Fame ceremony will be inside the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The event is before UFC 303 on June 29, which features Alex Pereira defending the UFC light heavyweight title in a rematch against Jiri Prochazka.
Celebrating its past, the UFC will induct a New Jersey legend, one Polish and two Brazilian warriors and a fight that forever bonded two men.
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The Sporting News looks into the fighters and fights that will be honored by the UFC.
Who will be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame Class of 2024?
Frankie Edgar (Modern Wing)
Frankie Edgar is known for his epic comebacks and showing true heart in the cage.
Fighting out of Toms River, N.J., “The Answer” competed from 2005 to 2022. He is a former UFC lightweight champion, beating BJ Penn to win gold and another time to defend it. His defense against Gray Maynard is the 2011 Fight of the Year, as was a 2012 fight against Benson Henderson.
Edgar faced some of the toughest fighters at lightweight and eventually moved to featherweight and bantamweight, continuing that trend. He holds the following records:
- Best significant strike defense in UFC lightweight history (71.8 percent)
- Second longest total fight time (7:57:10) in UFC history
- Tied for most successful title defenses (3) in UFC lightweight history
“Frankie Edgar is one of the greatest athletes in UFC history,” UFC CEO Dana White said. “Frankie had an amazing career and consistently fought the best athletes in the world across multiple weight classes for over 15 years. He is a legend, and it will be an honor to induct him into the UFC Hall of Fame as part of International Fight Week this summer.”
Joanna Jedrzejczyk (Modern Wing)
Known as “The Boogeywoman” or “Joanna Violence,” Joanna Jedrzejczyk is the second woman inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame.
Jedrzejczyk is a multi-time Muay Thai gold medalist. Turning pro in 2012, Jedrzejczyk made an immediate impact when she beat Carla Esparza for the UFC strawweight title. She put the division on the map, defending the belt five times by bullying her opponents with raw power. She is considered one of the fiercest competitors in UFC history, regardless of gender.
Although a loss, a highlight of her career was a fight against Zhang Weili for the strawweight belt in 2020. Regarded as one of the greatest fights in UFC history, they combined for 351 significant strikes.
MORE: Top 10 women's fights in MMA history
The Polish fighter holds the record for most significant strikes landed per minute (6:59) in strawweight history. She landed triple-digit strikes eight times in her career.
“Joanna is one of the greatest athletes in combat sports history,” White said. “Joanna is an amazing person who has been an incredible champion, ambassador and role model for women’s MMA, as well as an absolute killer inside the Octagon. She fought the best of the best in her division and never backed down from an opponent. Joanna is one of the toughest athletes we’ve ever seen."
Wanderlei Silva (Pioneer Wing)
Wanderlei Silva was one of the most violent strikers in MMA history.
Turning pro in 1996, Silva became a household name with PRIDE, where he won the PRIDE middleweight title and the 2023 Middleweight Grand Prix. He held the middleweight title from 2001 until 2007, competing in wars against rival Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, Hidehiko Yoshida and Kazushi Sakuraba.
Silva later joined the UFC and Bellator, and while his efforts weren’t the same compared to his run with PRIDE, his presence was still something to marvel at.
"The Axe Murderer" holds multiple records under the now-defunct PRIDE banner, including:
- Most wins (22)
- Most knockouts (15)
- Most significant strikes (720)
- Most successful title defenses (4)
“Wanderlei Silva is one of the true pioneers of the sport of MMA,” White said. “Wanderlei was an absolute savage who left his mark by delivering some of the most memorable fights in combat sports history. He had legendary fights against Mirko Cro Crop, Chuck Liddell, Dan Henderson, Brian Stann, and his fights against Rich Franklin, as they were absolute wars! He was also one of the early superstars of PRIDE who helped grow the MMA fanbase on a global scale."
Mauricio "Shogun" Rua (Pioneer Wing)
A now-two-time UFC Hall of Famer (Fight Wing), Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, one of the most lethal strikers in combat sports history, heads to the Hall of Fame as a pioneer.
Rua turned pro in 2002 and dominated the competition in PRIDE, beating Quinton Jackson, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, Alistair Overeem and Ricardo Arona to win the 2005 PRIDE Middleweight Grand Prix. Joining the UFC after it took over PRIDE, Rua lost against Lyoto Machida for light heavyweight gold in 2009 but knocked him out in 2010 to win the belt.
WATCH:UFC 303: Pereira vs. Prochazka 2 live on ESPN+ PPV
The Brazilian lost the UFC light heavyweight title against future legend Jon Jones and continued to trade wins and losses in the octagon, ending his run on a three-fight losing streak. He is third all-time under the Zuffa, LLC banner (UFC, PRIDE, WEC, Strikeforce) with 17 knockouts.
“Shogun Rua is one of the greatest Brazilian athletes in combat sports history,” said White. “Shogun had an incredible run in PRIDE and UFC, and he was fearless inside the Octagon. His fights against Mark Coleman, Chuck Liddell, Lyoto Machida, and Dan Henderson represent some of the most memorable moments in UFC history and helped put Brazilian MMA on the map."
Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen I: UFC 117 (Fight Wing)
One of the most historic rivalries in UFC history, Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen will forever be linked thanks to their fight at UFC 117 in 2010.
In the middle of a legendary run as UFC middleweight champion, Silva faced the loudmouthed Sonnen, who was on a three-fight win streak. The buildup to the fight was legendary, with Sonnen trying to get into Silva's head.
The fight itself was a Sonnen showcase, as he gained top position on the ground and didn't budge. Sonnen landed 89 significant strikes compared to Silva's 29 and landed three takedowns. It appeared Silva's run as champion, which started in 2006, was ending.
However, with two minutes remaining in the fight, Silva landed a triangle choke from the bottom. Sonnen, who had never gone to the fifth round in his career, tapped out. The drama surrounding the fight and the ending made for an much-anticipated rematch in 2012, which Silva won in two rounds.
“The first fight between Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen was incredible,” White said. “This is the fight that made Anderson a star and showed the world that Chael could compete with anyone in the division. This incredible dogfight had everything you want in a five-round title fight."
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