Best LHW from 2000-2009?

[BowserJr]

Wandy was shot coming off two back to back KO L's when he fought Chuck.

Prime 2003-2004 Wandy destroys Chuck

Chuck was done too. He was koed by Rampage and got dropped by Jardine of all people.

Chuck was always a big LHW with 76 inch reach and threw straight down the pipe while Wand was a short LHW who threw wide looping punches.

Chuck was also a great counter puncher. Wand was almost Taylor made for Chuck. Prime Chuck had trouble with strikers who were technically sound but would prevail with his granite Chin and dynamite hands

 

[BowserJr]

Oh fuck off! Shogun fans were saying he was new and improved patient Shogun and the best he ever was after the Machida fights. Go look up any thread about Shogun from that time. It wasn't until Jones murdered him did his fans start saying he was not as good as Pride.

Don't get your panties in a bunch over me calling your BS. Shogun had multiple knee surgeries before and after Machida. If anyone said that (which I doubt) it was hope.

If anything it shows how good Shogun was for him not to be his peak self and be the first to solve the machida puzzle especially with no reach advantage.

Shogun before his knee injury was a clearly leagues above everyone else

 

[KO Shotz]

Chuck. I would say it would be between Chuck or TIto during those days, but Chuck whooped Tito every time so hands down Chuck. Plus Chuck was the face of MMA & the UFC during those times especially at LHW.

 

[Langinbang187]

Chuck was done too. He was koed by Rampage and got dropped by Jardine of all people.

Chuck was always a big LHW with 76 inch reach and threw straight down the pipe while Wand was a short LHW who threw wide looping punches.

Chuck was also a great counter puncher. Wand was almost Taylor made for Chuck. Prime Chuck had trouble with strikers who were technically sound but would prevail with his granite Chin and dynamite hands

Chuck was never an elite striker though, his defense was piss poor and Rampage with his looping hooks and mediocre striking absolutely decimated Wandy on the feet.

The big difference in Wandy and Chuck is Wandy on the juice had a massive speed and explosiveness advantage, he was much faster than Chuck and as good a counter striker as Chuck was, he was getting nearly KO'd by some pretty mediocre guys routinely at that point, the UFC talent pool was piss poor in comparison to pride.

Wandy had pretty much abandoned his kicking game/knees, he was primarily a sloppy boxer with a compromised chin. Chuck was still significantly better until Rashad ended him, he had a fart against Jardine but still essentially looked physically the same prior to the Rashad KO, Wandy was rapidly declining as early as the 2005 MW grand prix, far too many wars in the ring and the gym.

I like Chuck quite a lot, I just don't think he ever had anything to offer the elite pride MW's of the 2003-2005 era.

 

[Langinbang187]

Oh fuck off! Shogun fans were saying he was new and improved patient Shogun and the best he ever was after the Machida fights. Go look up any thread about Shogun from that time. It wasn't until Jones murdered him did his fans start saying he was not as good as Pride.

Lol Shogun literally blew his ACL for a third time in the Machida rematch, he was lucky to ever fight again let alone still compete at a high level.

Anyone expecting him to look anything like the Shogun of pride after three major surgeries that would retire most athletes was completely delusional.

 

[BowserJr]

Chuck was never an elite striker though, his defense was piss poor and Rampage with his looping hooks and mediocre striking absolutely decimated Wandy on the feet.

The big difference in Wandy and Chuck is Wandy on the juice had a massive speed and explosiveness advantage, he was much faster than Chuck and as good a counter striker as Chuck was, he was getting nearly KO'd by some pretty mediocre guys routinely at that point, the UFC talent pool was piss poor in comparison to pride.

Wandy had pretty much abandoned his kicking game/knees, he was primarily a sloppy boxer with a compromised chin. Chuck was still significantly better until Rashad ended him, he had a fart against Jardine but still essentially looked physically the same prior to the Rashad KO, Wandy was rapidly declining as early as the 2005 MW grand prix, far too many wars in the ring and the gym.

I like Chuck quite a lot, I just don't think he ever had anything to offer the elite pride MW's of the 2003-2005 era.

Pride literally the everything they had at him before they'd have him fight Wand.

Rampage had very good mna striking and mma boxing (in UFC). Chucks defense was not good that's true. He relied on his chin and yes Wand was faster in pride but we saw how that panned put with another good counter puncher in crocop (similar size to chuck).

 

[Langinbang187]

Pride literally the everything they had at him before they'd have him fight Wand.

Rampage had very good mna striking and mma boxing (in UFC). Chucks defense was not good that's true. He relied on his chin and yes Wand was faster in pride but we saw how that panned put with another good counter puncher in crocop (similar size to chuck).

Chuck had a perfect opportunity to fight Wanderlei in 2003 and he was battered by a green Reem before he gassed and then beaten into a pulp by Rampage in a fight where the winner would meet Wanderlei in the finals, he had absolutely nothing to offer Rampage anywhere in that fight, two completely different levels everywhere the fight went.

Wanderlei beat Cro Cop in a fight in his prime, it was scored a draw due to special rules where a decision wouldn't be awarded but Wanderlei easily won that fight, the 2006 version of Wanderlei was coming off of quite arguably back to back L's to Arona, a very, very close decision with Yoshida, he was regressing rapidly by that point and had lost a lot of speed.

Mirko was bigger, faster and far more skilled on the feet than both Wanderlei & Chuck.

 

[AmbassadorFright]

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

 

[Typrune Goatley]

In the year 2000, the best was probably still Tito.

From 2001 to 2005 it was Wanderlei. (Although Chuck had an incredible year in 2001)

2003 and 2004 was PEAK Wanderlei.

Around 2005, Wanderlei's young training partner really started improving fast. Shogun beat Rampage, Overeem, Lil Nog and Arona all in 2005.

So from 2005 to 2010 it was Shogun. (Despite multiple serious injuries!)

Let's also not forget Rampage's absolute peak when he beat Chuck and Hendo in 2007. His boxing had greatly improved and his wrestling was still very solid. He seemed to lose his mind/focus for a while there around/after Forrest fight.

Also, Machida came into the ranks a bit late in the decade but peak Machida is as good as any LHW of all time. He was so damn hard to hit in 2008 and 2009.

So it's either Wand or Shogun for the entire decade

 

[Typrune Goatley]

Oh fuck off! Shogun fans were saying he was new and improved patient Shogun and the best he ever was after the Machida fights. Go look up any thread about Shogun from that time. It wasn't until Jones murdered him did his fans start saying he was not as good as Pride.

Well, more than one thing can be true at a time. Shogun did look good and showed some new looks in the Machida fights. People were excited about the future as he was still young yet already a legend.

It is a fact though that he had major injuries and surgeries around that time. Jones was a great talent but that was also a Shogun who just came off yet another knee surgery.