Sherdog’s Top 10: European Mixed Martial Artists
Mike SloanSep 08, 2016
Leaving aside the mountain of Rutten stories set at clubs, bars and parties all over the globe, the man was a heck of a mixed martial artist. One of the premier strikers of his day, he was ahead of his time in how he approached combat. Rutten was already a legend by the time he made his way into the Octagon at UFC 18 -- and for good reason.
“El Guapo” was one of the nastiest competitors to ever fight in MMA and enjoyed inflicting pain on his opponents. Only three men defeated Rutten: Maskatsu Funaki, Frank Shamrock and Ken Shamrock (twice). After he lost to “The World’s Most Dangerous Man” for a second time in 1995, the Dutchman never looked back. Rutten went 21-0-1 over his final 22 appearances and captured titles in Pancrase and the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He came out of retirement in 2006 and stopped Ruben Villareal with leg kicks under the World Fighting Alliance banner before walking away from the sport for good.
Rutten was enshrined in the UFC Hall of Fame on July 11, 2015.
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