First truly well rounded/complete fighter in the UFC.

[DiazSlap]

Candidates:

Don Frye:

Boxing
Wrestling
Judo
Submissions

Marco Ruas:

Superior Kickboxing/Vale Tudo
BJJ
Elite on the feet and on the ground

Frank Shamrock:

Proficient in all areas
Insane Cardio
Master technician


My choice is semi-biased as I was a huge fan but regardless is Ruas. He was much older than his listed age when he joined the UFC but he was already a legend in Brazil and just very fluid in his striking and ground game.

The King of the Streets made it look effortless.

 

[jsbx45]

Anderson Silva was sleeping fools and dominating olympic wrestlers on the ground. Maybe not the earliest, but certainly one of the highest level "well rounded" fighters.

 

[Local Plata]

"Truly" doing a lot of heavy lifting there.

Ken Shamrock, Oleg Taktarov, even Steve Jennum were competent at striking/wrestling/submissions. Ruas might have been 'better' at one or all areas comparatively, but lots of guys were 'well rounded' relatively before UFC 7.

 

[Yabadabaev]

Bruce Lee not professional fighter but life long student and teacher with his deep analysis from various martial arts and I would also add Oleg Taktarov in your list

 

[DiazSlap]

Anderson Silva was sleeping fools and dominating olympic wrestlers on the ground. Maybe not the earliest, but certainly one of the highest level "well rounded" fighters.

And getting subbed by Japanese cans.

 

[Get To Da Choppa]

 

[560ti]

Guy Mezger was a good one. He was a state champion wrestler and professional kickboxer before he made his UFC debut in 1994. Developed a pretty good submission game as well.

 

[Tweak896]

"Truly" doing a lot of heavy lifting there.

Ken Shamrock, Oleg Taktarov, even Steve Jennum were competent at striking/wrestling/submissions. Ruas might have been 'better' at one or all areas comparatively, but lots of guys were 'well rounded' relatively before UFC 7.

It's hard to say when first "well rounded" fighters were, because those guys were complete but basic enough to get beat by a specialist, but it's true these were the first guys who had all 3 disciplines.

Then later came the BJJ+Striking and Wrestling+Striking evolution of mma, which was probably what everyone calls the golden age of mma during pride and the crossovers into UFC. Where the best were really good in 2 aspects, with one weakness. Maybe you could say around Fedor's time.

After that was what we have now where guys train everything and mma camps teach it all, probably started when GSP stopped getting submitted and brought a truly complete regiment.

 

[mjoln]

I dont think we are going to see complete fighter. But that is good thing... superman without crypto-currency was boring af.

 

[Tito Tapped]

Do y'all remember when they were hyping Rory Mcdonald as the most complete fighter ever in history because he started with straight MMA training and not a speciality first?

 

[KO Shotz]

Back in the day everyone had a specialty. That being a boxer, a wrestler, or a ju jitsu expert. When I think about the first person that could put it all together & was looked at as a person who could take the fight anywhere it went was definitely BJ Penn. Hence the meaning him being named "The Prodigy".

There's obviously an argument for Vitor Belfort, Ken Shamrock, & Dan Severn as well. But even at that Vitor was known as a vicious striker, & Ken & Dan for their wrestling.

 

[Fedorgasm]

Despite Tank Abbott trying to make his persona all about being a bar brawler, he actually had a good amount of wrestling and boxing experience. One of the first dual threat guys, along with don frye.

 

[HHJ]

Don Frye might have been well rounded, but when he fought Coleman he got taken down and dominated. By only wrestling.


Wrestling laughs at your well roundedness

 

[HHJ]

Do y'all remember when they were hyping Rory Mcdonald as the most complete fighter ever in history because he started with straight MMA training and not a speciality first?

Well they thought that if GSP can be so good, and that guy's training with him, they thought we could get more of that. I can understand the rationale...but in the end GSP is a once ever.

Unfortunatley for us.

 

[Thy]

nelson was pretty round. in his belly.

 

[DiazSlap]

Don Frye might have been well rounded, but when he fought Coleman he got taken down and dominated. By only wrestling.


Wrestling laughs at your well roundedness

Sometimes your absolute stupidity shines through…

Yes Coleman dominated him but Coleman at that time was MUCH bigger…Frye was max 215-220 while Coleman was like 245-250…a much bigger guy who could impose his will.

Coleman did not even take any risks trying to stand up with Frye and just laid on him the whole first fight.

 

[HHJ]

Sometimes your absolute stupidity shines through…

Yes Coleman dominated him but Coleman at that time was MUCH bigger…Frye was max 215-220 while Coleman was like 245-250…a much bigger guy who could impose his will.

Coleman did not even take any risks trying to stand up with Frye and just laid on him the whole first fight.

So what's stupid about Coleman dominating Frye twice with only wrestling again?

 

[autolycus]

"Truly" doing a lot of heavy lifting there.

Ken Shamrock, Oleg Taktarov, even Steve Jennum were competent at striking/wrestling/submissions. Ruas might have been 'better' at one or all areas comparatively, but lots of guys were 'well rounded' relatively before UFC 7.

Yes, I think it has a lot to do with how we view "truly". All of those you mentioned were well rounded compared to most fighters of their time. But if we're going "truly", then I'm tempted to say GSP. Actually high level in every area rather than just competent enough in all areas.

 

[KungFuCow]

He was older at the time but I think Ruas. They dont call him "The King of the Streets" for nothing. I think if the UFC existed even 5 years earlier, Ruas would be a lot more of a legend than he already is.

Frank Shamrock also gets a nod.

 

[DiazSlap]

He was older at the time but I think Ruas. They dont call him "The King of the Streets" for nothing. I think if the UFC existed even 5 years earlier, Ruas would be a lot more of a legend than he already is.

Frank Shamrock also gets a nod.

100% agree…Ruas was closer to 40 when he first started in the UFC. Imagine if he was in his late 20s….