Best LHW from 2000-2009?

[BowserJr]

I dont think anyone would argue that those were the golden years for the division. Especially from 2003-2007.

When we look at skill, who did the best and who'd come out with the best record if they did all fight each other at that time. Who is the best?


Here are the names

Lidell
Shogun
Wanderlei
Rampage
Arona
Tito
Couture
Hendo
 Reem
Lil Nog

Names you may think should be included but aren't and the reason why:​

Saku- peak ended too early in this era
Machida- peaked too late in this era
Vitor- his peaks were sprt of before and after this period

My rankings

Shogun
Rampage
Chuck
Wanderlei
Couture
Arona
Tito
Lil Nog
Hendo
Reem

How would you rank these guys looking at them specifically only from 2000-2009?

 

[jsbx45]

I think Couture or Shogun were the best...but how could you not love Chuck back then? He was a deadly beast. Golden era indeed.

 

[BJJ4Tone]

Healthy Shogun

 

[RockyLockridge]

gotta be shogun or rampage

 

[AstralPanda]

Shogun
Rampage
Hendo
Chuck
Wand

Edit- at his peak, which was when he beat Chuck the second time, Rampage was the best.

 

[WoozyFailGuy]

Prime uninjured Shogun
Rampage
Randy
Wanderlei
Chuck
Tito
Arona
Lil Nog
Hendo
Reem

A bit hard to rank them as the division was very rock paper scissors at the time, such as prime Tito beating prime Wandy in 2000. You choosing 2009 makes the list very interesting with that specific year.

I think a Prime Shogun beats the brakes off of any LHW on the planet not named Jon Jones, and even that fight would have at least been a whole lot more interesting with a prime killer Shogun in there.

Rampage in 2nd, as up until 2009 right before his fight with Rashad, he was still considered a top title contender and had just slept Wandy and beat Jardine after losing his title to Forrest.

Randy in third place as he lost to Brock in 2009 and up until then had so many achievements across both LHW and HW that's it's hard not to give him a top 3 spot, even if half of what he did was at HW, he capped the year off with a win over Brandon Vera.

Wandy in 4th out of respect, even though I personally think you would put Chuck here if you chose 2007 before his losses to Evans and Shogun.

Chuck for the aforementioned.

The rest I just listed based on accomplishment, even though I would personally rank Lil Nog higher than Arona overall career wise, but Arona retired in 2009 and by that point had peaked slightly higher than Lil Nog.

 

[Bend NvR Break]

Gun to my head and I'd say pride Shogun or UFC champ Rampage.

I think if everyone was in peak conditions and fought then peak Machida would win. Guy sliced through the UFC like butter to take the LHW title. He was Dana's handpicked fighter to beat up Tito for him.

 

[KAZSoliloquy]

wanderlei probably. hendo is also arguable. shogun had a great 2005 but also got smoked by forrest griffin of all people. looked like shit against coleman in the rematch too.

 

[KAZSoliloquy]

Prime uninjured Shogun
Rampage
Randy
Wanderlei
Chuck
Tito
Arona
Lil Nog
Hendo
Reem

A bit hard to rank them as the division was very rock paper scissors at the time, such as prime Tito beating prime Wandy in 2000. You choosing 2009 makes the list very interesting with that specific year.

I think a Prime Shogun beats the brakes off of any LHW on the planet not named Jon Jones, and even that fight would have at least been a whole lot more interesting with a prime killer Shogun in there.

Rampage in 2nd, as up until 2009 right before his fight with Rashad, he was still considered a top title contender and had just slept Wandy and beat Jardine after losing his title to Forrest.

Randy in third place as he lost to Brock in 2009 and up until then had so many achievements across both LHW and HW that's it's hard not to give him a top 3 spot, even if half of what he did was at HW, he capped the year off with a win over Brandon Vera.

Wandy in 4th out of respect, even though I personally think you would put Chuck here if you chose 2007 before his losses to Evans and Shogun.

Chuck for the aforementioned.

The rest I just listed based on accomplishment, even though I would personally rank Lil Nog higher than Arona overall career wise, but Arona retired in 2009 and by that point had peaked slightly higher than Lil Nog.

randy is underrated for sure. just didn't beat any of the pride guys outside of 50 year old coleman which hurts his stock.

 

[JKS]

Shogun

 

[HavokHarmon]

Wand

 

[BowserJr]

Prime uninjured Shogun
Rampage
Randy
Wanderlei
Chuck
Tito
Arona
Lil Nog
Hendo
Reem

A bit hard to rank them as the division was very rock paper scissors at the time, such as prime Tito beating prime Wandy in 2000. You choosing 2009 makes the list very interesting with that specific year.

I think a Prime Shogun beats the brakes off of any LHW on the planet not named Jon Jones, and even that fight would have at least been a whole lot more interesting with a prime killer Shogun in there.

Rampage in 2nd, as up until 2009 right before his fight with Rashad, he was still considered a top title contender and had just slept Wandy and beat Jardine after losing his title to Forrest.

Randy in third place as he lost to Brock in 2009 and up until then had so many achievements across both LHW and HW that's it's hard not to give him a top 3 spot, even if half of what he did was at HW, he capped the year off with a win over Brandon Vera.

Wandy in 4th out of respect, even though I personally think you would put Chuck here if you chose 2007 before his losses to Evans and Shogun.

Chuck for the aforementioned.

The rest I just listed based on accomplishment, even though I would personally rank Lil Nog higher than Arona overall career wise, but Arona retired in 2009 and by that point had peaked slightly higher than Lil Nog.

I agree with a lot of what you said. I have Chuck higher than Wand cuz when they did fight it went how I always envisioned. I have Randy lower cuz while he did great in that era of LHW he spent time at HW.

Wand vs Randy in a cage hands down goes to Randy but in a ring it would be very interesting... i dunno maybe I'd say

Shogun
Rampage
Randy
Chuck
Wand


It just feels weird having Wand so low when it was him and whoever the top UFC guy for so long

 

[BowserJr]

Gun to my head and I'd say pride Shogun or UFC champ Rampage.

I think if everyone was in peak conditions and fought then peak Machida would win. Guy sliced through the UFC like butter to take the LHW. He was Dana's handpicked fighter to beat up Tito for him.

I agree on the Machida take except we saw what non peak Shogun did.

If Machida fought the top guys earlier. I'd have Shogun 1 Machida 2 Rampage 3

On that note I wish we saw Shogun v Rampage in the ufc around the time they fought Machida

 

[Bobby Boulders]

Shogun beat the fucking brakes off of Rampage, Chuck, Arona, and Overeem x2, and also beat Lil Nog, who we all know was no slouch, during that period. For the 00s, Shogun was king.

 

[VinceArch]

Has to be Shogun. He was in a league of his own before his knees were shot and even then, he still captured the UFC title, took part in one of the best fights of all time and gave us many KO's to cheer for. War Shogun.

 

[GolovKing]

Head to head or legacy? Jon in his early fights still would have beat any of these guys I think. If not probably wand and wand I think probably had the most legendary run in those years as well

 

[Streeter]

Favorite Chuck

Best was Sho n then Randy

 

[arrmike]

Randy is #2 behind Shogun.

The rest are so hard to rank. Liddel above Wanderlei. I’m unsure where Rampage fits in…

 

[Elvis.]

I’m going with Shogun , what a fantastic era
Too bad Hendo never fought Iceman and Shogun never fought Randy , ect ect

 

[Big Tuppy Hole]

This era was so competitive and each fighter had great runs.

Wands run from 2000-2007 is 1 of the most brutal reigns of terror and my favourite.


But honestly I can't separate
Wand
Rampage
Chuck and
Shogun. All had amazing runs but all lost fights.

I Also highly rate Randy's run at LHW. The way he blew threw Tito, Chuck and Vitor was amazing and I truly believe that versions of Randy has a great chance at beating all of the above.

Hendo is another fighter I find hard to rank, because like Tandy he jumped between divisions