MMA GOAT Rankings - 2015 Edition

[kurt]

Hi all,

As some of you may recall, back in 2011 we went through an interesting and fairly highly debated process of ranking the best MMA fighters of all time.

Link: http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=918184

2011 Ranks:

1. Fedor Emelianenko
2. Anderson Silva
3. Royce Gracie
4. Georges St. Pierre
5. Wanderlei Silva
6. Bas Rutten
7. BJ Penn
8. Kazushi Sakuraba
9. Matt Hughes
10. Randy Couture

How do these ranks change 4 years later? I feel like guys like Jon Jones, Dan Henderson, Vitor Belfort, Jose Aldo, and maybe even Fabricio Werdum find their way into the conversation. Guys like Gracie, Rutten, Sakuraba, and Wanderlei might slip.

Who else might be in the conversation? I'll start a thread tonight to vote for #1.

Click to read more...

 

[Nurmagomedov]

How do these ranks change 4 years later? I feel like guys like Jon Jones, Dan Henderson, Vitor Belfort, Jose Aldo, and maybe even Fabricio Werdum find their way into the conversation. Guys like Gracie, Rutten, Sakuraba, and Wanderlei might slip.

Who else might be in the conversation? I'll start a thread tonight to vote for #1.

Jon Jones should be up there. Warts and all, he's probably the best MMA fighter ever. His run of Matyushenko, Bader, Shogun, Rampage, Machida, Evans, Belfort, Sonnen, Gus, Teixeira, Cormier is the best ever.

Edit. could have sworn you'd omitted Jones form your list of new names.

 

[kurt]

Jon Jones should be up there. Warts and all, he's probably the best MMA fighter ever. His run of Matyushenko, Bader, Shogun, Rampage, Machida, Evans, Belfort, Sonnen, Gus, Teixeira, Cormier is the best ever.

Edit. could have sworn you'd omitted Jones form your list of new names.

Haha. I edited my post. I had accidentally pasted a name overtop of him and had to add him back.

 

[Jasper]

I think Weidman should be considered if he beats Rockhold December 12.

 

[kurt]

Yep - Weidman is definitely another good one to add.

 

[The Jesus*]

Jose Aldo needs to be on the list for sure.

 

[KapG]

Fedor should not be number 1

 

[The Jesus*]

Hughes was a pioneer of the sport, but he doesn't deserve to be on a GOAT list, imo. He beat a green GSP, and old Royce, and a 145 pounder in BJ. But beyond that, his resume is very unimpressive. Prime Hughes would get eaten alive in the modern UFC.

Royce I can understand, as he popularized bjj and whooping 250 pound monsters like Shamrock and Severn when he only weighed like 170lbs. But I just don't see who Hughes beat to put him on the GOAT list. He bullied cans.

 

[Kitten Mittons]

Let's wait after the Aldo and Weidman fights first.

 

[kurt]

Let's wait after the Aldo and Weidman fights first.

Yeah, I think if we do 1 poll per week we should be fine on accounting for those fights when considering their spots.

 

[kurt]

Fedor should not be number 1

Who should be?

 

[Kitten Mittons]

Who should be?

Viacheslav Datsik.

 

[I am the Liquor]

Who should be?

Anderson Silva or Jon Jones. Without a doubt. They dominated at the top for a long time. They didn't just eek out decisions for the most part. They toyed with and just plain beat guys down. Weidman may make it there one day. Aldo needs to beat Connor. Mighty Mouse should get some recognition.

 

[KapG]

Who should be?

I'd put GSP over him, maybe silva too.

 

[The Jesus*]

I cant be the only one who thinks Jose Aldo is the GOAT fighter, can I? The guy hasn't lost a fight in 10 years. He's so good, that he doesn't even have to really try in his fights anymore. Other than Mendes, he just coasts to victories now.

Only person who can really touch him is Silva. Fedor was incredible, and very talented, but a lot of his fights were extremely close. Hell, he was losing many fights and came from behind to win. Whereas guys like Silva and Aldo went 5+ years without losing a round.

 

[I am the Liquor]

I cant be the only one who thinks Jose Aldo is the GOAT fighter, can I? The guy hasn't lost a fight in 10 years. He's so good, that he doesn't even have to really try in his fights anymore. Other than Mendes, he just coasts to victories now.

Only person who can really touch him is Silva. Fedor was incredible, and very talented, but a lot of his fights were extremely close. Hell, he was losing many fights and came from behind to win. Whereas guys like Silva and Aldo went 5+ years without losing a round.

Mark Hominick almost beat Aldo. I think he came close or actually lost one or both of the Edgar fights. He ain't all that and is gonna hit the floor when he gets in the cage against Connor, if he doesn't manufacture an injury to avoid it.

 

[Kitten Mittons]

Lol strong opinion there. Are you talking about Benson Henderson here? Aldo fought Edgar once and won unanimously.

 

[darko]

Mark Hominick almost beat Aldo. I think he came close or actually lost one or both of the Edgar fights. He ain't all that and is gonna hit the floor when he gets in the cage against Connor, if he doesn't manufacture an injury to avoid it.

You confusing Aldo and Benson. Also Aldo dodging Connor? Really? Connor fanboys are out of control.

 

[kurt]

I cant be the only one who thinks Jose Aldo is the GOAT fighter, can I? The guy hasn't lost a fight in 10 years. He's so good, that he doesn't even have to really try in his fights anymore. Other than Mendes, he just coasts to victories now.

Only person who can really touch him is Silva. Fedor was incredible, and very talented, but a lot of his fights were extremely close. Hell, he was losing many fights and came from behind to win. Whereas guys like Silva and Aldo went 5+ years without losing a round.

I think Aldo is right up there for sure, but I'm not ready to consider him tops unless he can get through Connor & maybe fight a couple more top 155 ers.

 

[Peasy]

Ronda Rousey

If Aldo beats McGregor he should easily be up there, hes gone through the entire division.

 

[ViD]

Fedor has been constantly fighting guys bigger than him in size, he's always been going for the kill, not cruise for a judge decision, he's been trying to beat fighters at their own game (stand up vs Crocop, ground vs Nogueira)

There will never be another Fedor

 

[Kitten Mittons]

Fedor's three losses tainted his career as did Silva getting dominated by Weidman. Jones' resume is incredible and he'll only be getting better.

 

[kurt]

Fedor's three losses tainted his career as did Silva getting dominated by Weidman. Jones' resume is incredible and he'll only be getting better.

I agree. In my mind Fedor's reign of dominance is still unmatched though, even by Jones. Jones is well on his way to blowing the doors of Fedor from the looks of things, but he hasn't actually done so just yet.

 

[kurt]

If Aldo beats McGregor he should easily be up there, hes gone through the entire division.

Definitely up there, no doubt about it, but not quite top 3 in my mind. He hasn't fought enough of the top-of-the-heap 155ers, that he is very similar to in size. His streak of dominance also hasn't spanned as many fights. His notable wins are also fewer, IMO, over Edgar (UFC LW Champ), Urijah Faber (WEC FW Champ), Mike Brown (WEC FW Champ), and Chad Mendes x2.

Those are my only reasons against selecting Mighty Mouse, too.

 

[The Jesus*]

Definitely up there, no doubt about it, but not quite top 3 in my mind. He hasn't fought enough of the top-of-the-heap 155ers, that he is very similar to in size. His streak of dominance also hasn't spanned as many fights. His notable wins are also fewer, IMO, over Edgar (UFC LW Champ), Urijah Faber (WEC FW Champ), Mike Brown (WEC FW Champ), and Chad Mendes x2.

Those are my only reasons against selecting Mighty Mouse, too.

Kenny Florian (who was a 155lb contender) and Cub Swanson should be on that list too.