From Conor McGregor to Jon Jones and Israel Adesanya – the biggest stars ranked after UFC 300 breaks records

Former UFC stars helped drive millions in pay-per-view buys, but times have changed and the latest show celebrating Dana White’s century proved it.

Ronda Rousey, Brock Lesnar and Georges St-Pierre are just a few of the bankable fighters who have left a star-shaped hole by leaving MMA.

Sure, Conor McGregor has helped fill the void, but a new generation of fighters is coming along and looking to knock the Irishman off his perch.

Following a record-breaking showing at UFC 300, talkSPORT.com has ranked the top 10 fighters who demand attention every time they speak and draw massive crowds every time they fight.

#10 Paddy Pimblett

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Five fights and five wins in the UFC, but some people still aren’t convinced Pimblett is the real deal. Regardless, MMA fans are still tuning in to watch “The Baddy,” and his star power will continue to grow if he can crack the lightweight top 15 in 2024.

#9 Sean Strickland

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Strickland’s short-lived reign as middleweight champion was eventful, to say the least. The wacky American is one of the most controversial figures in MMA, but he certainly knows how to create buzz around his career, even when he’s not fighting.

#8 Khamzat Chimaev

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There’s nothing more appealing to fight fans than a scary Russian who runs through his opponents like Chimaev did early in his career. The 13-0 contender is on the cusp of a title shot, and if he is able to become a UFC champion, he could move to the top of this list.

#7Alex Pereira

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Dana White clearly thinks Pereira is a big star because he trusted the kickboxing phenomenon to headline UFC 300 and he delivered! Ridiculous KO power and a willingness to fight anyone has also made “Poatan” a fan favorite.

#6 Dustin Poirier

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Poirier was the biggest man in the UFC for years, but then he beat Conor McGregor twice and became one of MMA’s biggest stars. Win, lose or draw, fans always tune in to watch “The Diamond” because he’s never in a boring fight.

#5 Sean O’Malley

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O’Malley is a knockout artist with rainbow hair, famous friends and a crazy personal life. Basically, he’s a promoter’s dream, and now that he holds bantamweight gold, the sky truly is the limit.

#4 Max Holloway

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Surprisingly, Max Holloway has been in the UFC for over a decade and has never been in a boring fight. “Blessed” stole the show when he scored the “greatest knockout of all time” at UFC 300 to earn a $600,000 bonus and become a bigger star than ever.

#3 Israel Adesanya

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Anderson Silva’s dominance at middleweight seemed unmatched until Adesanya came along and took over the division. “Stylebender” has suffered some setbacks recently, but his star power remains intact ahead of a highly anticipated comeback fight.

#2Jon Jones

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Jones is the best fighter of all time, and his epic run in the UFC has seen him dominate legends, his peers and a new wave of fighters. A two-weight champion, fans are as obsessed with Jones’ personal life as they are with his combat sports career.

#1Conor McGregor

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McGregor is the biggest star the UFC has ever produced.

“Notorious” might hold onto that distinction until the end of time, but for now, he intends to further enhance his legacy.

The former double-weight champion hasn’t fought in three years, but he’s still an active UFC fighter as his return fight against Michael Chandler is booked for UFC 303 on June 29.

Honorable mentions: Alexander Volkanovski, Charles Oliveira, Justin Gaethje, Islam Makhachev, Ilia Topuria, Tom Aspinall, Michael Chandler and Colby Covington