Is Cowboy Really a "Legend"?

Depends on how you define 'legend'. I certainly think that it's a term thrown around way too easily though.
 
20 years of fighting solid competition (not always "top" competition but never fought a bunch of nobodies like, say, Jeremy Horn).

Fought for the WEC belt before most new sherdoggers were in kindergarten.

Fan favorite.

Fought anyone, fought often.

Perennial top 10 for years.

If it's a little hyperbolic, I'm ok with it.
 
By the standards I'm seeing in this thread, that means fighters like Sakuraba and Vovchanchyn aren't legends either.
 
Cowboy's last years in the UFC weren't legendary status, but the guy was super active and was top 10 level for most of his UFC tenure. I respect frequent fighters more than the once a year fighters we have in 2022.
 
aerius said:
Believe it or not I do take other accomplishments into account when anointing a legend. If we're talking about GOATs, the main criteria for me is championship dominance, everything else is of fairly little importance. Guys like Shogun, Hendo, or even Sakuraba wouldn't be on my GOAT list because they never had a dominant championship run. But they are most certainly on my legends list thanks to their accomplishments, influence, and other things they've done for the sport.

Cerrone's never touched gold in a major organization, nor has he had anything as epic as Hendo vs. Shogun 1 or Sakuraba's 90 minute fight against Royce Gracie. He's a pretty good fighter who's had a lot of good fun fights over the years, but I doubt anyone can point to any of his fights and go "yeah, that was historic" the way they do with Sakuraba, Shogun, or Hendo.
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Epic battles? Maybe not, though he had more than a few, especially earlier in his career.

Did he have a lot of the most memorable, skilled, beautiful finishes for wins, as good as almost anyone's highlight reel? Yes.

That qualifies for the UFC HOF, for sure. But I get the counter-argument, as well.
 
xn7 said:
yeah and "very good" does not equal legend. thanks for confirming.
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Well, not really confirming since that's not what I'm saying about Cerrone, and his level.

You basically said anyone who sucks can run up those stats simply by fighting a lot of fights, and I pointed out that you can't even have that many fights in the UFC without being, at least, very good.

I was responding to the idiotic and general proposition you threw out there, that anyone, even a mediocre or bad fighter, can run up those kinds of numbers.

My actual response, for someone who can read at a third grade level with a functioning brain, was that you have to be AT LEAST very good to have that kind of UFC longevity.
 
Hell yes he's a legend. U don't have to get the belt to be considered a legend. Cowboy is my all time fave fighter just bc of how often he would fight and how many headkick knockouts he managed to score
 
I think he’s a legend. His record is respectable, and while he didn’t win gold in the UFC, he still manages to be a top 15 guy for longer than a lot of peoples entire careers last. He built a reputation as a anywhere/anytime fighter and had good wins in multiple weight classes. Plus he’s earned the status of being one of the fighters with an instantly recognizable persona. He’s Cowboy. Like Rampage, he’s known by one name. There might be a Brazilian cowboy as well, but when someone says cowboy, we all know exactly who they mean.
 
mirko>anyone said:
It simply comes down to personal standards. I hold the term “legend” in the highest regard. Hughes, Penn, Gracie, Wanderlei, Shogun, Cro Cop, Fedor, Noguiera, etc.


Cowboy was an excellent fighter with a distinct personality. He was exciting, and he fought often. Legend? I’m not sure. Probably not in my book, but I could see a case.
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He didn't have a distinct personality, he just dressed like a cowboy
 
I mean I consider him a legend in the sport but not a hall of famer. He was always at least a step below elite and when he had opportunities to prove he could hang with the elite he completely blew it. If he had rose to the occasion or at least just fought to his abilities he still would have lost those big fights but he at least could have looked like he belonged and I might have a different opinion of him. But instead he crumbled in those key moments
 
Yeah… he is. WEC classics. And I say this as someone who really doesn’t like cowboy
 
ufc-octagon.gif

One of the best technical combo ever in mma.

36-17, fighting for almost 20 years

What was the question again ?
 
fzoid4454 said:
Well, not really confirming since that's not what I'm saying about Cerrone, and his level.

You basically said anyone who sucks can run up those stats simply by fighting a lot of fights, and I pointed out that you can't even have that many fights in the UFC without being, at least, very good.

I was responding to the idiotic and general proposition you threw out there, that anyone, even a mediocre or bad fighter, can run up those kinds of numbers.

My actual response, for someone who can read at a third grade level with a functioning brain, was that you have to be AT LEAST very good to have that kind of UFC longevity.
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i mean i did point out that in basically all his fights he was given matchups in which he was the favorite.

crowning achievement.. being -400 vs nate diaz. yeah cerrone is a legend lol.
 
I think most people would deem him a WEC legend, so he might classify as a legend overall. Sure.
 
Legendary Dana white ass kisser and company man. Didn't he play a huge part in sabotaging the attempt to make a fighters union that GSP was part of?

I guess the fight business is brutal and ultimately you have to look after yourself only, so I won't hold it against him.
 
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