Which fighter's mystique impressed you the most?

[gono btw]

Anderson Silva's mystique in his prime was crazy, he truly seemed unbeatable compared to GSP/Fedor's mystique, part of Silva's mystique was that he never gets cut/dropped/hurt/bruised in his fights unlike Fedor/GSP.

When Weidman knocked him out, it was just surreal.

Cant beat this dude... "Touch of Death"...

 

[GTS]

Andy Wang

 

[Sdeev]

Fedor

Good portion of people thought he was a russian experiment during his prime.

It had to do with his record; the fact that he didnt speak much, russian or english; his training methods looked primal in videos; his “regular life” footage was almost non-existant.

I remember i was always in awe watching his highlights.

Add to that the fact that top fighters during that period considered him to be the GOAT.

 

[GTS]

pre-shogun machida was pretty much untouchable.

I would agree except it is REALLY hard to get past the whole not being able to stop David Heath or Sam Hoger. Watching those fights made me think neither would get out of the first round against Anderson.

 

[LynchRippin]

My favorite was Chuck.

The consummate defensive wrestler who loved to sling leather.

 

[EGarrett]

Anderson Silva's mystique in his prime was crazy, he truly seemed unbeatable compared to GSP/Fedor's mystique, part of Silva's mystique was that he never gets cut/dropped/hurt/bruised in his fights unlike Fedor/GSP.

When Weidman knocked him out, it was just surreal.

Yup. On top of his leather skin that never bled, Anderson also never gassed. Aside from possibly sweat, it was impossible to tell what round it was in a fight by looking at Anderson.

 

[Dmurr90]

Ronda Rousey

 

[Kryptt]

Weird question to me, kinda like GOAT... it is too intangible to credit to a single sampling. A specific range of fighters who seem to defy the norm however is viable.

 

[Beerus]

Silva Era, Machida Era.... Jon jones.

 

[KarateYeah]

Yes definitely Anderson Silva.

I remember thinking that dude was an alien at one point, he didn't bleed, he didn't make mistakes, and he always seemed to be in his opponent's head. It was one hell of a run.

That’s what I told Cigano and his bjj coach hahahaha

 

[NHB.SQ87]

Anderson. By the time he front kick KO'd Vitor I just thought "Holy hell... who is gonna ever beat this guy??"

 

[giusti825]

Fedor approaches MMA fight like someone waiting on a coffee machine.

Ccmplete emotional calm from the time the fight began until his hand was raised over a beaten man.

 

[MikeyB]

The look on Rich Franklin's face as Anderson decimated him. Dan Henderson getting strangled. Yeah, it's Anderson.

 

[SteveMR]

Pre-2000:

Smashing Machine
Igor
Sapp

Post-2000:

Fedor
Anderson
Wanderlei
Jones
Pre-Diaz Conor

These are the only eight fighters I can think of whose opponents were truly more worried about the punishment they were going to take than how they were going to win the fight. Almost all of them were beaten before the fight started.