Most underrated GOATS ever

DC easily. People now don't even considering him one of the GOATs or hardly listing him in top10 where he is virtually undefeated - he was defeated only once in LHW by known cheater and his HW tenure ended like it ended because father time got him. He beat Stipe first time, second time he was past prime yet he was winning until Miocic found his weakness. Third fight he was washed up and old and fight was not that good from both sides because Stipe was also past prime.
So guy was dominating 2 divisions, was champion at both LHW and HW, lost only to cheater and so called LHW GOAT then lost to so called HW GOAT when he was old and because he was crying people shit on him. It's not fair IMO.
 
Aye the whole "iT's oNlY eNterTaiNmeNt"/ "I don't care, I just watch for the fights" mentality is. . . . brutally casual. If you really love the sport (lol or actually participate in it) and its players, . . . you probably don't think like that.
This is a very naive child like viewpoint. It's not so black and white.
 
For me, Dan Henderson is right outside the typical list of 6-7 guys who've dominated their divisions and stand as usual GOAT contenders.

Dude fought from MW to HW and fucked up some of the best to ever do it, including the guy generally regarded in the #1 spot. His resume is absolutely incredible. Some of the most iconic fights and finishes ever witnessed in the sport.

FFS this guy was fighting Alan Goes three fights into his career. Absolute legend and P4P great.
 
As much as I don't like him and think he is boring as fuck I have to say Mighty Mouse
 
None are underrated. There are 4 acceptable answers in most eyes. After that they are all-time greats, but not the greatest.


Tier 1

Fedor
Jones
Silva
GSP

However you want to order them. Been discussed a million times.


Tier 2

Mighty Mouse
Aldo
Khabib
Cruz
DC
Big Nog
Adesanya/Usman are probably in this group too, or creeping in. This group has more wiggle room. Maybe I’d throw Hendo’s name in that group too for the sheer amount of accomplishments.

while these guys are “in the conversation” (but not really imo), I just don’t see an argument for any being the very best fighter ever except perhaps Demetrius.
 
For me, Dan Henderson is right outside the typical list of 6-7 guys who've dominated their divisions and stand as usual GOAT contenders.

Dude fought from MW to HW and fucked up some of the best to ever do it, including the guy generally regarded in the #1 spot. His resume is absolutely incredible. Some of the most iconic fights and finishes ever witnessed in the sport.

FFS this guy was fighting Alan Goes three fights into his career. Absolute legend and P4P great.
^
Just got done throwing his name out there. Not a hill I’d die on, but yeah, for a natural MW it’s insane he holds victories over Fedor, Shogun, Big Nog, Wand, and several others. Lots of losses, to be sure, but what an ironclad list of adversaries.
 
How tf can a "greatest of all time" be underrated????

clown-mask.gif
 
Also, in the wild world of open class competition, Sakuraba might deserve a mention. His career isn’t really comparable to anyone and he accomplished great things.
 
3.Khabib: the fact he isn't easily mentioned in every GOAT discussion is ridiculous. Lost only 2 rounds in he's entire career and even them are questionable. Rarely ever showed weakness in a fight. Probably the most gifted and skilled MMA grappler ever. Many people blaming him for not having enough title defenses but forgetting the simple fact that quality is more important than quantity. You can as well get 200 wins against truck drivers like boxers do but it's really meaningless. Medals don't win you fights, skill does. Another complaint is that he's striking isn't good, but while it's not perfect it's super underrated as he manged to beat in standup the best UFC strikers. For the weight class, Gaethje is bigger than him. He would be a small welterweight.

2.Usman: it seems that he's personality is hes biggest weakness. The guy literally clearing the welterweight division twice in a row now. Many people say that a prime GSP would beat him but honestly if you do a deep analysis of them and their skills Usman most likely takes it. And again like i said before medals dont win you fights.

1.Demetrious: If the guy wasn't so short people would talk about him non stop. Maybe the most well rounded MMA fighter ever. Dangerous everywhere. Everything exactly by the book with extremely high fight IQ and much more skilled than other fighters who are regular on the GOAT discussions.
The only one i agree is MightyMouse.
Usman and Khabib are both not even close of being GOAT.
The fact people think that winning a belt makes you GOAT just proved they don't understand what it truly means.

note: I find it curious you are such vested in Khabib, but then Cain is not on your radar....
 
^
Just got done throwing his name out there. Not a hill I’d die on, but yeah, for a natural MW it’s insane he holds victories over Fedor, Shogun, Big Nog, Wand, and several others. Lots of losses, to be sure, but what an ironclad list of adversaries.

For sure. There's an interesting discussion in the fight game about "greatest" and "best" and what differentiates those ideas. The old discussion stemming from Ali, maybe not recognized as the absolute BEST fighter ever in terms of statistics or skillset, but combined with the story of his career and everything that goes along with his importance, generally recognized as the GOAT. From a boxing purist/skillset standpoint most people revert to Ray Robinson as an example. As a measure of comparison directly within the sport that's adding in a lot of opinion and subjectivity for sure when you start trying to define and compare greatness.
 
None are underrated. There are 4 acceptable answers in most eyes. After that they are all-time greats, but not the greatest.


Tier 1

Fedor
Jones
Silva
GSP

However you want to order them. Been discussed a million times.


Tier 2

Mighty Mouse
Aldo
Khabib
Cruz
DC
Big Nog
Adesanya/Usman are probably in this group too, or creeping in. This group has more wiggle room. Maybe I’d throw Hendo’s name in that group too for the sheer amount of accomplishments.

while these guys are “in the conversation” (but not really imo), I just don’t see an argument for any being the very best fighter ever except perhaps Demetrius.
I would argue that tier 2 needs to be smaller or larger. If it includes Cruz, DC, Usman, Adesanya, and Hendo, there are more guys on that level who deserve to be listed. The most egregious omission is probably BJ. Cejudo is currently > Adesanya. There are others that are on the same level as Izzy that could be considered for inclusion like Hughes and Gomi. Izzy certainly has the potential to surpass these guys.
 
LOL Usman 'cleaning out the division twice"
He hasn't even done it once, just because he beat Journeyman George and Colby twice doesn't mean he's cleaned out the division, that's insanity.

And Khabib left too early, not enough top wins or title defenses
 
3.Khabib: the fact he isn't easily mentioned in every GOAT discussion is ridiculous. Lost only 2 rounds in he's entire career and even them are questionable. Rarely ever showed weakness in a fight. Probably the most gifted and skilled MMA grappler ever. Many people blaming him for not having enough title defenses but forgetting the simple fact that quality is more important than quantity. You can as well get 200 wins against truck drivers like boxers do but it's really meaningless. Medals don't win you fights, skill does. Another complaint is that he's striking isn't good, but while it's not perfect it's super underrated as he manged to beat in standup the best UFC strikers. For the weight class, Gaethje is bigger than him. He would be a small welterweight.

It's an impressive level of mental gymnastics to defend Khabib's record with the line "quality over quantity."

Khabib does not belong on the list with the GOATS, but he's maybe the #1 PWHBAGOAT (Probably Would Have Been A Greatest Of All Time).
He just doesn't have the quality of fights. How many top 5 fights? 4? That's nowhere even close to GOAT status, it doesnt matter how many Russian jobbers he beat before that.

Khabib was an absolutely incredible fighter, no doubt about it. It is possible, it is maybe even LIKELY, that he could be the GOAT, but with his record the way it is today, no reasonable person can say that he is on the GOAT list.
 
Moussasi
DJ

If there was the opposite thread - GOAT candidates that aren't actually GOAT candidates, Khabib would be #1 on the list.
 
It's an impressive level of mental gymnastics to defend Khabib's record with the line "quality over quantity."

Khabib does not belong on the list with the GOATS, but he's maybe the #1 PWHBAGOAT (Probably Would Have Been A Greatest Of All Time).
He just doesn't have the quality of fights. How many top 5 fights? 4? That's nowhere even close to GOAT status, it doesnt matter how many Russian jobbers he beat before that.

Khabib was an absolutely incredible fighter, no doubt about it. It is possible, it is maybe even LIKELY, that he could be the GOAT, but with his record the way it is today, no reasonable person can say that he is on the GOAT list.
Agreed. Khabib has a place in a "best fighter of all time discussion" if we want to talk about skills and peak ability. Khabib doesn't have a claim to "greatest fighter of all time". He has fewer top 10 wins than many fighters who never won a belt in a major organization.
 
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Is it just me or is Bones name less relevant in the goat discussions these days? Im good with that tbh
Don't think anyone has forgotten about Jones. There is the issue of including someone in the GOAT discussion who clearly cheated during his career. Some people are OK with that and others auto-disqualify. So that can make him seem less discussed than he otherwise would be.
 
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