MMA General Discussion and Fight Announcements 7.0

[member 51464]

So year by year, who are the biggest people he missed in their respective primes and who did he fight in their stead? How big was the gap between actual competition and potential competition in this time frame?

 

[jw2]

Fedor fought cans: fact
Fedor fought the best fighters: fact

 

[tmurfin]

Fedor fought cans: fact
Fedor fought the best fighters: fact

Pretty much

 

[kurt]

I believe the stories out there were that he was offered a boatload of money per fight by Dana, but that the co-promotion thing got in the way. And again, he's had a great career, and he's certainly one of the best all time. But to me, if you want to be considered the greatest, you really need to face and beat everyone. Since he never came over to UFC, I'm not sure he can say that definitively.

The UFC doesn't own a monopoly on MMA relevance. Ben Askren and Bibiano Fernandes are legit. Rickson Gracie was legit. Shinya Aoki was legit. Ricardo Arona was legit. Igor Vovchanchyn was legit. Fedor was legit. Maybe some people question that. People have questions about contrails, vaccines, and the shape of the Earth, too. What can ya do.

 

[LSCII]

The UFC doesn't own a monopoly on MMA relevance. Ben Askren and Bibiano Fernandes are legit. Rickson Gracie was legit. Shinya Aoki was legit. Ricardo Arona was legit. Igor Vovchanchyn was legit. Fedor was legit. Maybe some people question that. People have questions about contrails, vaccines, and the shape of the Earth, too. What can ya do.

Sure, there are a lot of relevant fighters not in the UFC, no question. At that stage of Fedor's career though (post Pride), the highest and most consistent level of competition would have been found in the UFC. He couldn't reach a deal with them multiple times, so he fought in other organizations. Obviously they had some good fighters, but the consistency of fighters wasn't as good, if that makes sense and clarifies my view.

 

[Rocko604]

I believe the stories out there were that he was offered a boatload of money per fight by Dana, but that the co-promotion thing got in the way. And again, he's had a great career, and he's certainly one of the best all time. But to me, if you want to be considered the greatest, you really need to face and beat everyone. Since he never came over to UFC, I'm not sure he can say that definitively.

IMO, I think he would have had a similar showing in the UFC as he did in Strikeforce. Greatest fighter ever? I think that's a stretch given the talent we're seeing today. Greatest of the 00s? Absolutely.

 

[LSCII]

IMO, I think he would have had a similar showing in the UFC as he did in Strikeforce. Greatest fighter ever? I think that's a stretch given the talent we're seeing today. Greatest of the 00s? Absolutely.

I never get too worked up over GOAT debates, because like you point out, it's too hard to compare cross generations. The guys now are light years ahead of what came before them, and the guys in 10 years will surpass them. It's just the evolution of the sport.

 

[kurt]

I never get too worked up over GOAT debates, because like you point out, it's too hard to compare cross generations. The guys now are light years ahead of what came before them, and the guys in 10 years will surpass them. It's just the evolution of the sport.

Totally. I just don't think people question Gordie Howe's all-time greatness because of how he looked in a Whalers jersey. Or Tretiak's because he didn't play in the NHL.

Connor McDavid teleported back in time would be much better than Howe. Bobrovsky would be better than Tretiak. They're still among the GOATs.

 

[LSCII]

Totally. I just don't think people question Gordie Howe's all-time greatness because of how he looked in a Whalers jersey. Or Tretiak's because he didn't play in the NHL.

Connor McDavid teleported back in time would be much better than Howe. Bobrovsky would be better than Tretiak. They're still among the GOATs.

Absolutely. Generational players are always good regardless of era. It's just that concept of dropping them into a different generation and saying they'd do x that I have an issue with. You can argue it both ways too. A guy like Bobby Orr wouldn't be as good today because the skaters and fitness in all players is greater than it was back then. Or a guy like Orr would be just as dominant because he'd get to use modern training techniques, etc. You know?

Fedor was an all time type of fighter. He's not now. It's sad to watch and even more scary to me is that he may get badly hurt at some point.

 

[Jasper]

I don't think anyone wants to see someone like Fedor or BJ get pummeled at this point in their careers. I was worried that might happen with Henderson. If they're going to fight, they should be fighting total cans. Meathead could have really clobbered Fedor if that fight went further.

 

[Avs_19]

Mousasi signed with Bellator. A while back it was reported that him re-signing with the UFC was almost a done deal but now he's gone. Great pick up for Bellator and good for him for getting paid but it kinda sucks as a fan. Bellator's MW division is terrible and there were a lot of potentially great fights for him in the UFC.

 

[kurt]

Mousasi signed with Bellator. A while back it was reported that him re-signing with the UFC was almost a done deal but now he's gone. Great pick up for Bellator and good for him for getting paid but it kinda sucks as a fan. Bellator's MW division is terrible and there were a lot of potentially great fights for him in the UFC.

Man, the UFC blew it letting him go. Good on him for getting paid.

 

[Avs_19]

Rory potentially moving up could get me more excited about this signing. If all goes according to plan, both Rory and Mousasi could win belts at WW/MW and maybe fight next year. I'd love to see that.

 

[Kitten Mittons]

Rory potentially moving up could get me more excited about this signing. If all goes according to plan, both Rory and Mousasi could win belts at WW/MW and maybe fight next year. I'd love to see that.

Ex-LHW fighting a WW who moved up to MW? Not a fair fight.

 

[Avs_19]

Ex-LHW fighting a WW who moved up to MW? Not a fair fight.

I don't think there would be a significant size difference. Mousasi was always been a smaller LHW and Rory is a big WW.

 

[jw2]

I'd rather see him go up the LHW. They've got a good division there.

 

[dss97]

Mousasi signed with Bellator. A while back it was reported that him re-signing with the UFC was almost a done deal but now he's gone. Great pick up for Bellator and good for him for getting paid but it kinda sucks as a fan. Bellator's MW division is terrible and there were a lot of potentially great fights for him in the UFC.

Wow, the UFC continues to **** away all of their top talent. What a waste of 4 billion dollars.

 

[Rocko604]

UFC apparently matched Bellator's monetary offer, but according to Mousasi, sponsorship money, ability to compete in boxing (which UFC would not match due to Reebok and him not being named Conor McGregor) and working with Coker again, was why he signed with Bellator. There also seemed to be no plans to put him in the title picture, nevermind give him a title fight, while he'll face Calvarho in his first fight.

 

[m9]

I like Mousasi, but I actually don't think this is a big loss or big deal for the UFC. 185 is pretty deep, and Mousasi just has never really been that big with fans.

Nice addition for Bellator though.

 

[Rocko604]

Dana vs Ariel 2








Apparently Showtime wasn't on board with this move, so the UFC must have threatened something huge for them to go through with it.

 

[Kitten Mittons]

I like Mousasi, but I actually don't think this is a big loss or big deal for the UFC. 185 is pretty deep, and Mousasi just has never really been that big with fans.

Nice addition for Bellator though.

MW is not really deep at all. Within 2 years, Silva, Bisping, Jacare and Romero will be gone. The only fighters left are Whittaker, Rockhold and Wideman (who is a shell of his former self).

 

[Kitten Mittons]

Good. Ariel is a good reporter sometimes but in many other cases he's basically TMZ and stirs **** up, asking stupid questions.

You're seriously gonna ask Romero "hey, you promised to win the fight and bring the belt to your son. You didn't. Are you still planning on going home to your son?"

Like seriously, dude? What the actual ****?

 

[Rocko604]

Good. Ariel is a good reporter sometimes but in many other cases he's basically TMZ and stirs **** up, asking stupid questions.

You're seriously gonna ask Romero "hey, you promised to win the fight and bring the belt to your son. You didn't. Are you still planning on going home to your son?"

Like seriously, dude? What the actual ****?

This entire fight is TMZ. And like I said, for Showtime to reluctantly go through with it makes me think Dana threatened to pull all of their promotional material.

 

[m9]

MW is not really deep at all. Within 2 years, Silva, Bisping, Jacare and Romero will be gone. The only fighters left are Whittaker, Rockhold and Wideman (who is a shell of his former self).

Jacare and Romero will probably be around in two years. Rockhold, Weidman, and Whittaker will too. Gastelum probably will be there. I think Jotko & Carlos Jr will be in the top ten mix, too. It's true they have a few older guys, but I think it's positioned better than some of the other divisions.

 

[m9]

People get so worked up about things like this with Helwani, I just couldn't care less. The whole thing with the UFC last time was ridiculous.