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This weekend's UFC event will see Jared Cannonier step into the octagon. Fascinatingly, 'The Killa Gorilla' turned 40 three months ago.
Jared Cannonier is definitely a senior citizen in UFC terms, but remarkably, he is not actually one of the five oldest fighters on the promotion's active roster.
Despite MMA not exactly being a sport for old men - or women - there are a number of fighters in their early to mid 40's still competing at the top, and often still winning, too.
Here are the five oldest fighters on the UFC's active roster in 2024.
#5. Vinc Pichel - UFC lightweight (41 years, 6 months)
The general consensus is that it's harder for an older fighter to succeed in the UFC's lighter weight classes than it is in the heavier ones. That's why it's routine to see heavyweights competing past the age of 40, something that's rare for their smaller counterparts.
However, one exception to that rule is lightweight Vinc Pichel. 'From Hell' turned 41 years old last November, and yet he remains part of one of the most stacked weight classes in the promotion.
Sure, right now he's on a two-fight losing skid, but prior to that he'd actually won seven of his last eight bouts, including a win over fellow ageing veteran Jim Miller in 2020.
The key to Pichel's longevity is probably the fact that he didn't start fighting until quite late on, comparitively speaking.
His first professional fight took place in mid-2009, just months before his 27th birthday, and he didn't reach the UFC until 2012 following a run on TUF 15.
When he lost his octagon debut badly to Rustam Khabilov, it looked like his stay there would be a short one. 12 years later, though, 'From Hell' is still kicking, and looks set to hit his 42nd birthday as part of the active roster.
#4. Stipe Miocic - Former UFC heavyweight champion (41 years, 9 months)
As of the time of writing, the UFC's plan for the heavyweight division will see current champion Jon Jones defend his crown against former titleholder Stipe Miocic in late 2024.
The decision to push ahead with this so-called 'legacy fight' despite the existence of interim champion Tom Aspinall has been controversial with some fans. Part of this has to do with Miocic's advanced age.
The most accomplished heavyweight in UFC history, Miocic is set to turn 42 in mid-August. Given that he hasn't actually fought since his 2021 defeat to Francis Ngannou, some fans would call it a stretch to consider him part of the "active roster" altogether.
However, regardless of whether he deserves another shot at the heavyweight title, Miocic deserves respect. After debuting in the octagon in late 2011 with a record of 6-0, he climbed through the rankings, eventually earning a title shot in 2016.
Miocic came good there, knocking out Fabricio Werdum to become champion at the age of 33, essentially bang in the middle of his prime years.
He was able to defend it successfully on three occasions - setting a promotional record in the process. After losing it to Daniel Cormier in 2018, he regained his crown a year later. Another successful defense against his rival 'DC' then followed.
It's now been well over three years since Miocic last competed, and it's fair to question how he'll look when he returns. Remarkably, though, even if he were to upset Jones, it wouldn't be enough to make him the promotion's oldest heavyweight champ.
That record that still belongs to Randy Couture, who claimed the title at the age of 43 in 2007!
#3. Clay Guida - UFC lightweight (42 years, 5 months)
Longtime UFC fans often wax lyrical about the longevity of Jim Miller, who holds the record for the most bouts and the most wins in the promotion's history.
Remarkably, though, not only is Miller not the oldest fighter currently competing in the lightweight division, he's also not the longest-tenured fighter there, either. Both of those accolades belong to Clay Guida.
'The Carpenter', who actually lost via submission to Miller in their 2019 meeting, made his first octagon appearance in October 2006, dispatching the unheralded Justin James via rear-naked choke.
The best part of two decades have passed since then, but Guida, who turned 42 years old last December, still seems to be ticking on. He has now lost four of his last six bouts, but there's still no sign that his spot on the roster might be under threat any time soon.
Widely recognised as one of the best fighters to never receive a title shot in the octagon, 'The Carpenter' was able to earn wins over greats like Nate Diaz, Rafael dos Anjos, Takanori Gomi and Anthony Pettis during his prime years.
2019, meanwhile, saw his legendary 2009 brawl with Diego Sanchez entered into the UFC Hall of Fame as part of the Fight Wing.
While he never quite got to the very top, his instantly recognizable long mop of hair and his all-action style ensured he was always a favorite with crowds around the world.
If he can arrest his current slump, there's no real reason why he can't aim to hit the two-decade mark as part of the active roster.
#2. Holly Holm - Former UFC bantamweight champion (42 years, 7 months)
Former bantamweight champion Holly Holm will always be remembered for producing one of the most famous knockouts in UFC history. 'The Preacher's Daughter' became the first fighter to beat Ronda Rousey, dispatching her with a head kick in November 2015.
Nearly a decade after that legendary knockout, Holm is still a very viable contender and remains one of the most recognisable and popular female fighters on the promotion's roster.
Given that she's now pushing 43 years old, though, quite how much longer she can keep on going is anyone's guess.
'The Preacher's Daughter' hasn't been doing too badly in recent years, though. She was admittedly dominated by Kayla Harrison in her last bout, but as recently as March 2023, she was able to breeze past Yana Santos.
Had the judges not controversially sided against her in her 2022 bout with Ketlen Vieira, in fact, that win would've put her on a four-fight win streak.
Aside from that legendary victory over Rousey, Holm has also captured wins over the likes of Megan Anderson, Irene Aldana and current bantamweight titleholder Raquel Pennington during her UFC tenure.
Already 29 when she started her MMA career, Holm had an extensive and successful run as a professional boxer prior to switching sports. With that in mind, it's almost ironic that once her career ends, it'll be a kick that she will always be most fondly remembered for.
#1. Andrei Arlovski - Former UFC heavyweight champion (45 years, 4 months)
The oldest fighter currently on the UFC's active roster is former heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski. Incredibly, 'The Pitbull' is nearly three years older than his closest competitor in this area.
At this point, Arlovski's longevity is simply abnormal. The native of Belarus actually debuted in the octagon back in November 2000, some months before the promotion was bought out by the Fertitta brothers and Dana White.
While his run was interrupted by a stint with rival promotions between 2008 and 2014, even his second tenure has now lasted for a solid decade.
What makes Arlovski even more remarkable is the fact that he's been written off by fans and observers on multiple occasions over the years.
'The Pitbull' reached the top of the UFC in 2005 by winning the heavyweight title by submitting Tim Sylvia. After making two defenses, though, he lost it to 'The Maine-Iac' in a rematch and never regained it.
2008 saw him depart in a big-money move to the upstart Affliction MMA promotion. When he then hit a four-fight skid from 2009 to 2011, it was widely believed that his career at the top was over.
Arlovski kept plugging away, though, and after winning seven of his next eight fights, he was brought back to the UFC.
It felt like a move made purely for the nostalgia rush, but 'The Pitbull' instead surprised everyone. He won four fights in a row to climb into unlikely title contention, including one of the craziest brawls of all time against Travis Browne.
After a loss to Stipe Miocic, though, the Belarusian hit another slide. He lost his next four fights, and once again, his career looked washed up and all but over.
That was in 2017, though. Since then, he's proven to be a true survivor. Sure, he's never climbed back into title contention, but he's always been able to arrest any slump by winning a fight at just the right time.
More importantly, he still seems able to defeat opponents who are far younger - but also slower and sloppier - than him, something that's remarkable given his age.
Arlovski's next fight is scheduled against Martin Buday later this month, and as he's lost his last three, he probably needs to come out on top. Based on his history, only a fool would bet against him.
