Definately Bas.
Mach Sakurai, I guess it's noteworthy that I did watch him throughout all his PRIDE fights (and his UFC ones), however at the time of his reign supreme (in shooto) I either couldn't get a hold of the tapes or I just hadn't gotten into MMA just yet.
After the car crash he just became so mediocre. Still my favorite fighter (well atleast one of them). I guess this doesn't count towards the thread but whatever.
I don't even think I can name a fighter that "would have been" if I had watched them in their prime, mostly because footage is available everywhere nowadays.
Good call, glad to know I'm not the only other 'old ass' here haha. im just passed my mid 20s and I still feel old on here bc no one remembers heath herring ffs, much less a guy like gary goodridge, mo smith, pete williams, etc...
I first remember Mach in the Anderson fight, but he was already p4p #1 by then.
I've always thought that I'd have much more respect for Fedor if I didn't start getting hardcore into MMA once he was in Strikeforce losing 3 in a row
Because of that I was always one of those guys that thought Fedor fought cans his whole career and that he shouldn't be GOAT. now that I'm a more hardcore fan I take that back but I still have trouble appreciating his reign when I discovered him on a losing streak