Is Jon Fitch a top ten all time WW?

[Cantalope]

Your point is certainly valid. However, many of those losses were later in his career when Penn was clearly not in his prime.

Consider this, BJ finished Hughes for the WW title in his first UFC WW match. Then BJ left the UFC and gave up the WW belt. Eventually came back and almost beat GSP in WW title eliminator fight in 2006. BJ Penn won 2 out 3 vs. Hughes although the 3rd was not really relevant since both were past their prime. For us old guys who saw Penn in his prime, we understand the talent and shook our heads at his not being more disciplined in order to have a legacy comparable to GSP, Anderson Silva or Jon Jones. Penn was truly an amazing fighter in his era and I was not a Penn fan. I was a GSP fan, so I rooted for GSP big time in their two fights. Hard not to respect Penn's talent at his prime. His comments, lack of discipline and pissing and moaning when things didn't go his way were turn-offs for me.

Penn is the biggest could have been in MMA history. It's amazing the guy was a 2 division champ on talent alone.

 

[Mmmmmmma1234]

Absolutely. People don't like to talk about his greatness because he is a "boring" fighter but he definitely belongs.


GSP/Hughes are the clear #1 and #2

next you can group in Woodley/Lawler/Condit at 3-5

Miletich/Fitch/Sakurai at 6-8

Shields at 9.

Even though he won't be here much longer I will put Hendricks at 10 still because he actually won the title and should have won that fight against GSP. MacDonald and Thompson are hot on his tail though.

I like your list but why do u have Carlos so high up? He's younger than most fighters there with more losses and no real titles.

 

[robbie]

Penn is the biggest could have been in MMA history. It's amazing the guy was a 2 division champ on talent alone.

Agreed. Coulda, woulda, shoulda...

 

[ScarHead]

Serious note,

Any of you think Askren is Top 10 all time ?

 

[Squall10]

GSP, Hughes, Lawler, Diaz, Maia, Shields, Woodley, Hendricks, Condit, and....
I dunno Rory Lima winner?

 

[HUGHPHUG]

fawck, forgot Newton.

Good man for choosing Pat though, not many people even consider him

 

[philweed]

Good fighter by boring as f*ck to watch. Same as Shields. Too bad they both didn't have a good stand up game. The UFC would've kept em around longer.

 

[Pacemaker Joe]

Your point is certainly valid. However, many of those losses were later in his career when Penn was clearly not in his prime.

Consider this, BJ finished Hughes for the WW title in his first UFC WW match. Then BJ left the UFC and gave up the WW belt. Eventually came back and almost beat GSP in WW title eliminator fight in 2006. BJ Penn won 2 out 3 vs. Hughes although the 3rd was not really relevant since both were past their prime. For us old guys who saw Penn in his prime, we understand the talent and shook our heads at his not being more disciplined in order to have a legacy comparable to GSP, Anderson Silva or Jon Jones. Penn was truly an amazing fighter in his era and I was not a Penn fan. I was a GSP fan, so I rooted for GSP big time in their two fights. Hard not to respect Penn's talent at his prime. His comments, lack of discipline and pissing and moaning when things didn't go his way were turn-offs for me.

Regardless of when his losses were, he has 2 wins, only one of which was relevant. BJ is great, but not for his WW record, and he's not a WW great. LW, absolutely.

 

[Willek]

If we are only judging fighters on what they did at 170 pounds inside the UFC then yes, he is top 10.

 

[Rizzo]

I like your list but why do u have Carlos so high up? He's younger than most fighters there with more losses and no real titles.

Yeah you are right, i went back and looked at his career and 5 is probably too high. Probably put him down to 10 after a second look behind Hendricks since he lost to him and all. I didn’t realize what a slide he’s been on lately as well.

 

[SeattleFightFan]

and is he higher or lower than Shields?

 

[L.T.]

Yawn ...

 

[KeiranMc]

GSP
Hendricks
Lawler
Rory
Woodley
Maia
Wonderboy
Kos
Hughes
Condit

Not in that order, and there probably more that than replace these names before Fitch. Fitch's biggest accomplishment is the ass whooping he got from GSP.

List is invalid without Shields.

 

[Cantalope]

Serious note,

Any of you think Askren is Top 10 all time ?

He had the talent to be but I don't think his resume stacks up.

 

[fractal]

Shields has beaten Condit, Woodley, Lawler, Maia, and bonus Hendo at MW. How is he not not in your list but Hendricks is?

Like I mentioned, there may be others that can replace people on the list. Those names were off the top of my head so I missed Shields. No biggie.