3. Ken Shamrock
“The World’s Most Dangerous Man” was a tournament finalist at UFC 3, a semifinalist at UFC 1 and Ultimate Ultimate 1996 and captured a Pancrase championship in 1994. Shamrock won 17 of his first 20 pro fights -- his run included submission victories over Bas Rutten (twice), Masakatsu Funaki (twice), Maurice Smith and Matt Hume -- and became one of MMA’s first true crossover stars, eventually signing with the World Wrestling Federation. He laid claim to the UFC superfight championship by submitting Dan Severn with a guillotine choke on July 14, 1995, retained it through a draw with Oleg Taktarov two months later and successfully defended it with a kneebar submission of Kimo Leopoldo at UFC 8. Shamrock pieced together a 23-5-2 record in the 1990s and remained relevant well beyond his prime, engaging Tito Ortiz in one of the sport’s most heated rivalries.
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