BJ Penn & Tito Ortiz: Do their legacies still hold up?

[thewilks]

Inconsequential...MMA is still so new, it's kind of our responsibility, here on Sherdog, to immortalize their factual accomplishments for the sake of History. Both were accomplished champions in their respective era, and they both absolutely fucked up a bunch of people at the top of the sport back in the day, which deserves respect. Facts.

 

[PicoPulse]

Titos on a win streak!

 

[dr. john lee]

Tito’s legacy is more about saving the sport of mma in North America from ppv extinction than title dominance.

Penns legacy is about fighting at whatever weight he felt like and either winning or making it competitive.

Both are goats in their own way, both are warriors who deserve hespect.

But the narrative in Penn's case (greatest LW conversation) should be gone. I agree ("just scrap") is his legacy, but he's been exposed as just that. He just got hot for a little while, that's all. He's like a talented Josh Neer or something.

 

[NoSmilez]

I don't know about greatest of all the LW but he was number 1 or 2 for many years. We seen it in boxing. Anyone who keeps fighting the top guys will eventually get taken out.

 

[Hardkore]

Tito yes BJ Penn no IMO

BJ Penns legacy was "greatest LW of all time" "most skilled fighter" all this stuff

I think Tito doesnt have to live up to that and isnt expected to live up to that. Hes' atleast had a few nice moments in the second half of his career...Bader fight...Chael sonnen fight.

Your post doesn't live up

 

[I am your real dad]

Yes.

All men get old.

All men die.

 

[Big Dawg]

BJ once fought Machida. I personally feel he was always overrated. Tito, still fighting and winning fights. Respect both, they are fighters.

 

[DuncanFan819]

Tito beat Bader and had a pretty solid run in Bellator. Tito has one bad streak on his record, but I thought he beat Forrest at 106.

As for BJ, he's been terrible since he lost to Frankie the first time, but I think that can be forgiven. His decisions outside the Octagon are actually hurting his legacy more than his losing streak.

 

[Sweater of AV]

Why would all their accomplishments get pushed aside?

War Baby Jay. To anyone who doesn't appreciate and respect his greatness.

 

[Protagoras]

Tito is probably one the chronically most underrated fighters of all time. Back in his absolute prime he basically crushed all his opponents.

The only people he ever lost to were all time greats:

- Chuck
- Randy
- Frank

As well as Guy Mezger, who is also chronically underrated.

He’s also kind of the MMA archetype of shit-talking to build up hype for a fight. The whole rivalry he built with Lion’s Den, and the Shamrocks in particular, was truly epic.

 

[Kinger85]

They were excellent for their time.

Both hung around 10 years to long though.

 

[EricSpider]

Of course they hold up. What is done is done. Being KOed on the street as an old man doesnt erase moving up on weight and beating one of the most dominant champions of all time in Matt Hugues, for example.

 

[ermac88]

Tito is still winning in 2019... has added Chuck name to his fight finder win (yes, fight should have never happened). Likely to get another name opponent in 2020....

BJ is getting knocked out at a bar by a bum... and hasn't won since the year of the rat. You be the judge.

I don't see the similarities in the two. BJ has lost 7 in a row, looked shit in all of them, and is getting KO'd by old high school buddies at random bars. Tito, if anything, is helping his legacy a little bit lol

Bums and high school buddies
Lmao!!

Y'all had me dying w these

 

[mkt]

Tito is still winning in 2019... has added Chuck name to his fight finder win.

I wouldn't call beating a massive CTE case Chuck or a pro wrestler (who's just as old as Tito) "wins."

 

[HunterAcosta]

But the narrative in Penn's case (greatest LW conversation) should be gone. I agree ("just scrap") is his legacy, but he's been exposed as just that. He just got hot for a little while, that's all. He's like a talented Josh Neer or something.

If Josh Neer was talented enough to even sniff at the Weiterweight AND lightweight titles.

 

[hillelslovak87]

Yes.

All men get old.

All men die.

Usada Morghulis.

 

[cneely717]

Your post doesn't live up

your....mom... doesnt live up



BURN

 

[RemyR]

To noobs they won’t. To people that understand how aging affects an athletes career it should. It’d be like a NBA fan suddenly start watching when Jordon was playing for Orlando and thinking “man this guy is nothing special”