What would be the closest MMA equivalent of Ali beating Foreman?

[EGarrett]

Obviously Ali was a global celebrity on a level that MMA hasn't reached, but I was just wondering.

I'm thinking of something like Randy Couture coming out of retirement in 2010 and beating Brock? Or beating Jon Jones a year or two later by gassing Jones out?

The only fighter I can think of besides Randy who has that kind of respect among MMA fans is Sakuraba.

 

[Spotless Mind]

There will never be anything close to that in MMA. Not in this lifetime.

 

[VanMMA]

If Dadbod Jones came back after 7 years and beat the HW champ.

 

[SCTwins]

Fedor signs with the UFC and KOs Stipe inside the first round.

 

[EGarrett]

There will never be anything close to that in MMA. Not in this lifetime.

Agreed, but I was still curious about what would be some small equivalent.

 

[EGarrett]

Fedor signs with the UFC and KOs Stipe inside the first round.

Makes sense, or perhaps if Overeem was heavyweight champ and had won 6 straight and Fedor gassed him out in an epic 5-round fight.

 

[Sosua]

DC vs Rumble?

DC the older, smaller, skilled and proven guy figuring out the younger, bigger powerhouse whom nobody wanted to fight.

 

[Kyler Ruxin]

If Yoel or Whittaker is holding the undisputed title, and Anderson beats him.

 

[JayJayMMA]

Obviously Ali was a global celebrity on a level that MMA hasn't reached, but I was just wondering

On a smaller level as MMA doesn't have an equal comparison, I guess you're saying a well known past champion coming back after many years and claiming the belt?

Tito Ortiz or Chuck Liddell beating Daniel Cormier for the LHW belt by dominating him through wrestling.

BJ Penn coming back to beat Conor at LW at striking.

 

[EGarrett]

On a smaller level as MMA doesn't have an equal comparison, I guess you're saying a well known past champion coming back after many years and claiming the belt?

Tito Ortiz or Chuck Liddell beating Daniel Cormier for the LHW belt by dominating him through wrestling.

BJ Penn coming back to beat Conor at LW at striking.

Good stuff, the BJ one is really great.

 

[LargeMammal]

There will never be anything close to that in MMA. Not in this lifetime.

This unfortunately is the true answer.

Makes sense, or perhaps if Overeem was heavyweight champ and had won 6 straight and Fedor gassed him out in an epic 5-round fight.

This could be the closest to it. Stipe is not established enough or intimidating enough as a champion to warrant a credible comparison. If there was a scary intimidating HW champ and Fedor came back to pick him apart and win via late stoppage, that would be the closest thing... but it's not gonna happen.

I guess in a hypothetical world if Chuck came back to fight JBJ for the 205 belt and then win via late stoppage that would be pretty close. But again, not gonna happen unfortunately.

 

[kflo]

Woulda been if Gina beat Ronda when Ronda was undefeated.

 

[Idonotbelieveit]

Bj Hughes ?

 

[Willek]

GSP beating Platinum Mike Perry.

 

[rurouni]

nelson ko over kongo

 

[blingking]

Randy KOing Carwin if Shane had gotten the first round stoppage.

 

[Lockard The GOAT]

GSP is probably the best candidate to imagine as Ali in this scenario, because he's an aging legend like he was and also a huge star in his own right. If there were a really dominant (and perhaps even undefeated) GOAT-level champion at either Welterweight or Middleweight, and GSP returned after all this away and was the one to dethrone them? Then yeah, that.

 

[Agnawedbone]

What about Cruz over Dillashaw?

On a smaller level as MMA doesn't have an equal comparison, I guess you're saying a well known past champion coming back after many years and claiming the belt?

Tito Ortiz or Chuck Liddell beating Daniel Cormier for the LHW belt by dominating him through wrestling.

BJ Penn coming back to beat Conor at LW at striking.

If we're looking for a past champ coming back to win the belt, what about none other than Dominick Cruz coming off a four year lay off to beat the "newer and better" version of himself in TJ Dillashaw? I know he wasn't really a draw back then but no one is in MMA compared to Ali.

 

[NotoriousMillions]

Obviously Ali was a global celebrity on a level that MMA hasn't reached, but I was just wondering.

I'm thinking of something like Randy Couture coming out of retirement in 2010 and beating Brock? Or beating Jon Jones a year or two later by gassing Jones out?

The only fighter I can think of besides Randy who has that kind of respect among MMA fans is Sakuraba.

Jon Jones beating USADA.

 

[Sonny Qc]

Anderson Silva beating Jon Jones.

Former champ, once the greatest, speed and skills Vs a younger, Bigger undefeated champ. It fit imo

(You know, if peds was out of the equation)