During Fedor's reign as the #1 HW, let's say we completely ignore all the recognizable freak-show fights against the Japanese fighters, Zulu, HMC, & Lindland. His reign as #1 consisted of:
Fedor has, albeit unofficially, won 9 HW championships against 9 ranked opponents... the next closest HW, in the history of MMA, is Stipe with 6 championships against 6 ranked opponents. Daniel Cormier, across both LHW and HW, has 6 championships against 6 ranked opponents
- Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira 1 (champion)
- Mark Coleman 1 (top 10)
- Kevin Randleman (top 10)
- Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira 3 (top 5)
- Mirko Cro Cop (top 5)
- Mark Hunt (top 10)
- Tim Sylvia (top 5)
- Andrei Arlovski (top 5)
- Brett Rogers (top 10)
I don't care what metric you want incur. There is no universe where Fedor Emelianenko is not the most accomplished HW in MMA history from a purely data driven standpoint.
New fans:My problem with this list is same if we talk about Pele in soccer. Its easier to be great if your competition smokes, drinks and semiprofesionaly plays sport.
Coleman and Randlman had no stand up skills or sub game at all. just pure wrestling.
Hunt was Hunt, mark of professionalism and dedication to sportskillwise pure bokser.
CroCop first wrestled in his life when he fought Fujita, 1 year after he fights Wanderlei under special rules, and one year after that he fought Nog. 2 years after Fedor. I will ask you if 3 years of wrestling and BJJ training is enought to scramble with Fedor on ground? Dude who trains in his own gym in Zagreb. How may wrestling olympians CRO has, or how many BJJ black belts?
On your list you forgot Semmy who was pure kickboxer and who sped all 25min on back because he was TD 5 sec after start of every round. This is how Fedor boxed guys who were good at standup.
Those are some of greats who Fedor fought. I love PRIDE but skillwise it was beginng of MMA.
Dont get me wrong he was best of his era, but his skillset is lacking and we saw it later in MMA.
He rocked Hendo twice and hard, he lost when he fucked up scramble and got KO for it. He rocked and dropped Werdum but lost on ground in sub game. He lost not because "out of prime" but because you cant GnP Werdum like you do it with Nog, nor you can GnP Hendo like you do it to CC or Semmy. These are clear cut tehnical losses.
If you go to Bigfoot match, he didnt just brawl, he failed to TD BigFoot. You cant just hug and trip BF like he did to CroCop or Semmy. Ppl just got more rounded as time passed.
Now ppl say how he would murk DC. Based on what? As i remmember Semmy, CroCop and Hunt was same gameplan of hug and tip. He never boxed against ppl who could box.
What?only @SalvadorAllende think that Fedor is not in GOAT category.
The man deserve a beating like this :
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Not a chance, Fedor would have lit him the fuck up on the feet.
New fans:
Also new fans:
- Semmy Schilt, arguably the most accomplished kickboxer in kickboxing history who was also a black belt in judo, is a one dimensional can that should never have been ranked in MMA
- Ciryl Gane, a French kickboxer with no wrestling background and a blue belt in BJJ, is the new breed of HW and would demolish all those who came before him
You guys give DC so much shit for being a shill when he's employed by the UFC. He's supposed to shill for them. That's his damn job.
Secondly, DC is entitled to his opinion even if you disagree. You don't have to shit on him as a fighter or a person if he thinks otherwise, as he was an exceptional fighter and by all accounts seems to be a really good person, which doesn't relate to commentating or professional opinions.
Last but not least, he may have beat Fedor. Stipe may have. Cain may have. It's not absurd to think that it's possible, even if they may not be favored going into those matchups, as anything can happen with a single punch at Heavyweight.
Not a chance, Fedor would have pieced him onPrime for prime Cormier would beat Fedor.
So you think what? DC would have taken him down, held him there, and GNP'd him or something?Yeah doubt it.
Never liked DC. Obnoxious personality, always whining, big ego, annoying voice, bad commentator, and now add Fedor hater to the list?
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I miss when Randy Couture was the third man/fighter in the booth. A true legend who conducted himself like a professional and with respect. To have to endure the likes of DC and Cruz just adds insult to injury. Dana, please make up with Randy and bring back The Natural!
Not a chance, Fedor would have pieced him on
So you think what? DC would have taken him down, held him there, and GNP'd him or something?
How did they rationalize that Masvidal beat Thompson? That's fucking crazy.Cormier is trying to be the new Chael with his absurd takes lately. He even agreed with his dumb co host that Masvidal beat Wonderboy.
He defeated Yuki Kondo when Pancrase was considered the #1 organization at the time (PRIDE took over in 2000).How many top 10 mma fighters did schilt dominate, I can only remember him ever losing to top guys in