The striking system in EA’s UFC 4 is a lot of fun, but if one really wants to master the game they should learn wrestling mechanics as well as they can. This is because the best way to defend a takedown or some nasty ground and pound is to learn everything there is to know about how the opponent tells work and how the positioning works.
Of course, to learn UFC 4’s wrestling system it is a good idea to figure out who the best wrestlers and grapplers in the game are. However, a great grappler in UFC 4 doesn't just have good stats. Gamers also need to take look at a fighter’s perks too. Fighters like Demetrius Johnson, for example, have fantastic grappling stats but they don’t have any perks to boost their wrestling performance. As a note, there are a lot of great wrestlers in UFC 4 that didn't quite make this list but are worthy of mention like Tito Ortiz, Chael Sonnen, and Chris Weidman.
10 Curtis Blaydes
Curtis Blaydes is a top contender in the UFC Heavyweight division. He’s well known for his knockout power, with knockout victories over top heavyweights like Alistair Overeem and Junior Dos Santos. However, he has an amazing wrestling background as represented in UFC 4’s in-game statistics.
Blaydes’ takedowns and his top control score 96 and he has good clinch control at a score of 92, which means he can take his opponents down anywhere in the cage and keep them on the ground. Furthermore, he has excellent wrestling perks. Grinder helps him use less stamina grappling on his feet, Workhorse causes him to use less stamina on the ground, Like Glue provides an advantage in the clinch, and Wrestle Clinic boosts Blaydes’ defense on the ground.
9 Ronda Rousey
Known for her work in the WWE and the UFC, Ronda Rousey is a pioneer for women’s MMA and one of the most recognizable fighters of today. With her Olympic background in Judo, she was one of the most dangerous grapplers in the UFC. Unsurprisingly, Rousey’s clinch control scores a massive 99 in the game, leaving her opponents open for Judo throws from the inside.
In addition, her takedown offense scores a strong 94, and her top control scores 95 which makes her opponents vulnerable to her armbar submissions due to her 5 star Collar Tie Clinch and BJJ Transitions. Rousey’s perks like Nightmare, Like Glue, Grinder, and No Cigar make her a force to be reckoned with offensively and defensively while maintaining her stamina.
8 Colby Covington
Despite placing very low in the game’s rankings, Colby Covington is a great choice for players that want a fighter that’s dangerous on their feet but a great wrestler too. The outspoken fighter is a top contender in the UFC Welterweight Division and is just as dangerous in the game. Covington’s best moves in the game are his 4 star single and double leg takedowns, and his 5 star chokes.
Covington scores 96 for his takedowns and 95 for his clinch control and top control, meaning he can pretty much take fighters down at any given moment. Furthermore, he has great wrestling based perks like Wrestle Clinic for defense on the ground, Like Glue for the clinch, and finally for a stamina boost on the feet and the ground Grinder and Work Horse.
7 Ben Askren
It’s fair to say that Ben Askren didn’t meet expectations when he arrived in the UFC after getting traded for Demetrius Johnson. However, that doesn’t take anything away from his status as one of the best wrestlers in the game.
Unsurprisingly, Askren has five stars for his single and double leg takedowns, and another five stars for his orthodox chokes. In terms of stats, he scores a massive 97 for top control, 95 for takedowns, and 94 for his clinch control. Askren’s perks include Work Horse and Grinder for good stamina in the clinch and on the ground, Like Glue, and Wrestle Clinic.
6 Henry Cejudo
Former two-division champion Henry Cejudo is easily one of the best all-round fighters in UFC 4. He’s an Olympic Gold medallist in freestyle wrestling and this naturally translates well into his stats and perks for the game.
Cejudo’s perks include Work Horse and Grinder which means he doesn’t get tired in grappling situations on the feet or ground, which in turn supports his clinch control score at 96. He also has the Wrestling Clinic perk which complements his takedowns and top control scoring a 95. Cejudo’s top moves are the single and double takedown, which score five stars, as do his wrestling transition and reversals.
5 Matt Hughes
Matt Hughes is a former two-time UFC Welterweight Champion and an NJCAA Hall of Fame inductee. Unsurprisingly, his stats lean more into his abilities as a wrestler with a takedown score of 96, which is supported by his Slam Boost perk.
In addition, Hughes’ top control and clinch control both score 95 and are supported by his other perks like Work Horse which maintains his stamina on the ground, Wrestle Clinic for grapple defense, and the Crafty perk which improves his submission defense when going up against submission specialists. His top moves all score 5 stars in the single and double leg takedowns, orthodox chokes, wrestling transitions, and sweeps.
4 Daniel Cormier
Former two-division champion Daniel Cormier is without a doubt one of the best wrestlers to ever compete in the UFC and he’s legendary for his takedowns and slams.
His perks such as Like Glue and Grinder complement his score of 97 for clinch control and the 96 he scores for his takedown ability without losing much stamina. In addition, he has the perk Wrestle Clinic which boosts Cormier’s defense on the ground and supports his 5-star wrestling transitions.
3 Kamaru Usman
The current UFC Welterweight Champion and The Ultimate Fighter winner Kamaru Usman is a force to reckoned with in any aspect of mixed martial arts. He can knock his opponents out but he’s also a very powerful wrestler with his takedown and clinch control ability scoring 97.
These skills are supported by perks like Grinder, Like Glue, and Work Horse, but he’s also very good defensively with the Wrestle Clinic perk. In addition, Usman also has five-star moves in the single and double leg takedowns and his wrestling transitions.
2 George St-Pierre
George St-Pierre is a former UFC Welterweight Champion and a former UFC Middleweight Champion. He is highly regarded as being one of the greatest fighters of all time and was capable of out-wrestling an NCAA Division All-American champion like Matt Hughes.
Pierre’s takedown offense and top control both score a massive 98 which is supported by the Work Horse and the Wrestle Clinic perks. Additionally, his clinch control is rated at a score of 93 which is backed up by his go-to wrestling moves the single and the double-leg takedown, which are rated at 4 stars.
1 Khabib Nurmagomedov
The current UFC Lightweight Champion Khabib Nurmagomedov is often regarded as the best wrestler to have ever stepped into the Octagon and his statistics and in-game rankings system do a great job in playing to his strengths.
He has a takedown, top control, and clinch control score of 98. This is backed up by his top moves like the single and double-leg takedown and wrestling reversals, all of which are rated 5 stars. Nurmagomedov’s perks also support his wrestling skills with Grinder and Work Horse for stamina maintenance on the ground and the feet, and Like Glue for the clinch. Finally, the Wrestle Clinic and No Cigar perks allow Khabib to work defensively on the mat.