The misused word: Legacy

[Shaddows]

Lately, we hear a lot of this word being thrown out.
DC talking about it.
Jon Jones.
GSP.
And even guys that are young are already talking about legacy, such as Ortega ot TJ.

I think People misuse this word. A lot.

See, Legacy does nto have to be for any belts.

Legacy fight is one legend fighting another not because they KNOW they can win, but because it would be a war.

For instance, those claiming Legacy for GSP is him fighting a LW.
I disagree.
It would be a lot bigger for his legacy if he had defended against Whittaker (solidifying him as the sole MW champion at the time), or beating Woodley.

because beating Khabib might be great for another belt (he didn't earn), but we all know it would not be such a challenge, given his size advantage.

Same can be said for TJ.
Beating Cejudo might add him to the "champ champ" club. But would it be better than rematching Cruz and cleaning up his division? I don't think so.

Heck, even for DC.
Rematching Jon and getting that W against someone who beat him twice (though with PED accusations thrown in) would be a lot bigger (for his legacy) than beating a pro-wrestler in Lesnar (note: i understand he was an UFC champ, but he left and is not an MMA fighter right now.

For Silva, for instance, he could have fought Jon (while he was at the top). Yes, risky fight, but that was EXACTLY why it would be a huge legacy fight.

I mean, BJ Penn gets a lot more accolades exactly because he fought guys like Machida, or Hughes & GSP. That is what I am talking about!

So I disagree with this noting that people who obviously support those guys attempt to justify why the lesser/easier fighter adds to the legacy (mostly because it is a lot easier fights for their preferred fighters, and they can't bear the thought of that fighter losing). ...

what say you, Sherdog??

 

[Reach4theSky]

I mean, BJ Penn gets a lot more accolades exactly because he fought guys like Machida, or Hughes & GSP. That is what I am talking about!

 

[Mr.Maelstrom]

Like many words, legacy has been hijacked for purposes of playing down their intent

 

[Mike K.O]

BJ Penn GOAT
Even Playboy Silva said it
-makes weight on beer and hot dogs
-2 div champ
-fought a HW Machida (BJ was a MW in that fight)
-Went to the death with Georges
-retired in 2009

 

[Mixedfights]

If you reign as a champ for a long time thats great but if you challenge yourself out of your weight class that says more to me win or lose.

BJ was a warrior

 

[Sweater of AV]

Agreed, guys like BJ and Saku are some of the greatest ever because of what they accomplished as well as what they attempted. They tested themselves against the best regardless of weight.

 

[fortheo]

I think your title made it seem like what you were going to say was a fact, but then it was just your interpretation :/

 

[TheAmericanGazelle]

Which BJ Penn is rated higher?

A BJ Penn who stays at 155 and follows a GSP/Silva/Jones path of dominance within the UFC (and perhaps the Gomi fight), OR

A BJ Penn who weight hops, takes killer fights outside his station, losses a majority of those killer fights, intermixing some great top-tier wins along the way?

It's clearly the first one. Ultimately, legacy is strongly correlated to winning big fights and length of dominance. Other things fill in at the margins, but winning big is 80 percent of the game.

 

[babycart]

"Legacy" is another hijacked word, like "Warrior." Branding techniques that work on the masses. They throw out the word in hopes of attracting paying, gullible customers.

Sadly, these guy can't compare to BJ, Saku and Cro Cop. Hell, they can't even compare to Machida, and Machida's legacy was showing people that 'krotty" (as it was denigrated) can win fights effectively.

Which BJ Penn is rated higher?

A BJ Penn who stays at 155 and follows a GSP/Silva/Jones path of dominance within the UFC (and perhaps the Gomi fight), OR

A BJ Penn who weight hops, takes killer fights outside his station, losses a majority of those killer fights, intermixing some great top-tier wins along the way?

It's clearly the first one. Ultimately, legacy is strongly correlated to winning big fights and length of dominance. Other things fill in at the margins, but winning big is 80 percent of the game.

Depends on the audience you have. The JMMA scene considers openweight competition a great legacy. It takes balls to fight someone bigger, even if you lose. The fact that BJ in his later years can still rack up some wins that way is deserving of accolade. It's not always about the 'king.' OTOH UFC mostly focuses on dynasties, and neglects the strugglers beneath the throne. Only now they throw fancy words like "legacy" due to waning support and criticism. ​

 

[Mike K.O]

Which BJ Penn is rated higher?

A BJ Penn who stays at 155 and follows a GSP/Silva/Jones path of dominance within the UFC (and perhaps the Gomi fight), OR

A BJ Penn who weight hops, takes killer fights outside his station, losses a majority of those killer fights, intermixing some great top-tier wins along the way?

It's clearly the first one. Ultimately, legacy is strongly correlated to winning big fights and length of dominance. Other things fill in at the margins, but winning big is 80 percent of the game.

In sports, yeah.
But this is fighting
Bein a Warrior makes your legacy

 

[TheAmericanGazelle]

In sports, yeah.
But this is fighting
Bein a Warrior makes your legacy

How on earth can you not be a warrior and win 16 fights in the UFC in a row, 9/10 title fights in a row, etc...?

Continued, sustained dominance > Fighting outside your station and mostly losing (those fights)

 

[Mike K.O]

How on earth can you not be a warrior and win 16 fights in the UFC in a row, 9/10 title fights in a row, etc...?

Continued, sustained dominance > Fighting outside your station and mostly losing (those fights)

It's about testing yourself. If you stay at a weight class you dominated, you stop testing yourself at some point.

 

[ignorant MMA fan]

To me, legacy is about who you beat and what state of each fighter's career that it happened. Legacy fight also seems to be used as some sort of opposite to a 'money fight' as if it's morally superior or something.
Mostly, I think 'legacy' is being abused by immature fans making immature arguments - specifically the current Khabib/Conor madness.

 

[babycart]

How on earth can you not be a warrior and win 16 fights in the UFC in a row, 9/10 title fights in a row, etc...?

Continued, sustained dominance > Fighting outside your station and mostly losing (those fights)

A one-trick pony can win fights in a row and establish a dynasty, but is still a one-trick pony. Want to have a legacy of being a one-trick pony? <Lmaoo>

 

[JackSchtotll]

Lately, we hear a lot of this word being thrown out.
DC talking about it.
Jon Jones.
GSP.
And even guys that are young are already talking about legacy, such as Ortega ot TJ.

I think People misuse this word. A lot.

See, Legacy does nto have to be for any belts.

Legacy fight is one legend fighting another not because they KNOW they can win, but because it would be a war.

For instance, those claiming Legacy for GSP is him fighting a LW.
I disagree.
It would be a lot bigger for his legacy if he had defended against Whittaker (solidifying him as the sole MW champion at the time), or beating Woodley.

because beating Khabib might be great for another belt (he didn't earn), but we all know it would not be such a challenge, given his size advantage.

Same can be said for TJ.
Beating Cejudo might add him to the "champ champ" club. But would it be better than rematching Cruz and cleaning up his division? I don't think so.

Heck, even for DC.
Rematching Jon and getting that W against someone who beat him twice (though with PED accusations thrown in) would be a lot bigger (for his legacy) than beating a pro-wrestler in Lesnar (note: i understand he was an UFC champ, but he left and is not an MMA fighter right now.

For Silva, for instance, he could have fought Jon (while he was at the top). Yes, risky fight, but that was EXACTLY why it would be a huge legacy fight.

I mean, BJ Penn gets a lot more accolades exactly because he fought guys like Machida, or Hughes & GSP. That is what I am talking about!

So I disagree with this noting that people who obviously support those guys attempt to justify why the lesser/easier fighter adds to the legacy (mostly because it is a lot easier fights for their preferred fighters, and they can't bear the thought of that fighter losing). ...

what say you, Sherdog??

You are 100% right.

People don't understand the meaning of legacy, and use the word as "resumé". It's not.

Good job TS.

 

[Chagaev]

I don't think one can have a legacy in MMA nowadays outside stats- number of title defences, PPV sells and such.

Seemed possible in Pride or with the old school fans, but now there's just too much negativity, shitting on the fighters and discrediting everybody but the GOAT of the moment.

 

[MacDuffle]

ITT we create UFC energy drink names

 

[TheAmericanGazelle]

A one-trick pony can win fights in a row and establish a dynasty, but is still a one-trick pony. Want to have a legacy of being a one-trick pony? <Lmaoo>

If the trick is winning title fights and making millions of dollars per fight, yes that would be perfectly fine with me.

Some of you are being really weird about this. A legacy is simply what you are remembered for after you retire and some time has passed. The people that are looked at most favorably are virtually always the big winners.

 

[fortheo]

If the trick is winning title fights and making millions of dollars per fight, yes that would be perfectly fine with me.

Some of you are being really weird about this. A legacy is simply what you are remembered for after you retire and some time has passed. The people that are looked at most favorably are virtually always the big winners.

Aldo needs to fight Fedor at a catchweight to prove his legacy and gain "warrior" status.

 

[MacDuffle]

[GSP stands under a spotlight]

"Legacy is a werd dat is often misused"

LOUD MONTAGE FLASHES: Matt Hughes TKO/Frank Trigg RNC/TKO loss to Matt Serra

"We are often deefined by the visions of aure past"

LOUD MONTAGE FLASHES: GSP jogging/running on a treadmill/doing box jumps

"Until we no longeur let dem define us"

LOUD MONTAGE FLASHES: Matt Serra TKO win/BJ Penn TKO/Johnny Hendricks fight

"What legacy will you choose?"

[[SMASH CUT TO LEGACY ENERGY DRINK]]