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Name a fighter with deceptively good accomplishments.

oski said:
If memory serves me, Matt had been knocking out and submitting fools everywhere and he must have had over 20 fights when Hallman subbed him the 2nd time, Matt's only two blemishes at the time. Long story short, soon after he's UFC champ and still just killing everyone they threw in front of him until BJ years later.

He might not have been recognized as "top of the world," but at the same time and as we know now, was likely the most dangerous man on Earth at 170 for quite some time.
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Even by the time he challenged Newton for the WW title at UFC 34, he was reversed on the ground and very nearly lost by sub. But then at UFC 38, he'd progressed so much as a grappler that he utterly mauled Newton and almost subbed him with an armbar. It wasn't just about being "recognized," Hughes hadn't yet hit his stride. What's impressive is how dominant he was just with his wrestling and GNP. But his grappling was a huge hole in his game and Hallman was able to exploit it twice early in his career. Once Hughes became a proficient grappler in his own right, though, even excellent grapplers like Charuto and BJ couldn't tap him, while Hughes himself started winning a lot by submission.

In short, even for as dominant as he was with just wrestling, there's a big difference between the Hughes that fought at UFC 29 and the Hughes that fought at UFC 38, never mind the Hughes that fought at UFC 50, UFC 56, UFC 60, etc.
 
One fighter that doesn’t get nearly enough love is Gilbert Melendez. People tend to remember his UFC run and skid at the end of his career.

He’s a former WEC LW Champ, SHOOTO LW Champ with 2 defenses, 2-time Strikeforce LW Champ with a defense in his first reign, then won Interim SF LW Champ, defended that once, then unified it, then defended it 4 more times.
He has wins over Kawajiri x2, Josh Thomson x2, Shinya Aoki, Jorge Masvidal, prime Guida, Diego Sanchez…
Dude was a hair away from beating Bendo too, should’ve put the pedal to the metal in rd 5 and he’d have been UFC LW Champ. He’s a top 10 all time LW in my book.
 
BFoe said:
One fighter that doesn’t get nearly enough love is Gilbert Melendez. People tend to remember his UFC run and skid at the end of his career.

He’s a former WEC LW Champ, SHOOTO LW Champ with 2 defenses, 2-time Strikeforce LW Champ with a defense in his first reign, then won Interim SF LW Champ, defended that once, then unified it, then defended it 4 more times.
He has wins over Kawajiri x2, Josh Thomson x2, Shinya Aoki, Jorge Masvidal, prime Guida, Diego Sanchez…
Dude was a hair away from beating Bendo too, should’ve put the pedal to the metal in rd 5 and he’d have been UFC LW Champ. He’s a top 10 all time LW in my book.
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I want to add Benson as a fighter people dont give enough credit to as well.
 
Joe Lauzon.

- Beat future WEC champ Mike Brown in his prime
- knocked out Jens Pulver when Jens was being set up for the belt
- beat 18-0 Jason Reinhardt easily
- beat Jeremy Stephens, a surging Jamie Varner, Mac Danzig, Michael Chiesa, Takanori Gomi
 
RockyLockridge said:
I want to add Benson as a fighter people dont give enough credit to as well.
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Absolutely. When we do threads where we rank the top 10 LWs ever, people are usually surprised to see I have Bendo in my top #2-#3 all time.

He wasn’t the most exciting to watch, but has 3 LW title defenses. And his resume is crazy: Cerrone x2, Jamie Varner, Bocek, Guida, Jim Miller, Frankie Edgar x2, Nate Diaz, Gil Melendez, Josh Thomson, Rustam Khabilov, Patricio Pitbull…. Just a crazy list of names.
 
BFoe said:
Absolutely. When we do threads where we rank the top 10 LWs ever, people are usually surprised to see I have Bendo in my top #2-#3 all time.

He wasn’t the most exciting to watch, but has 3 LW title defenses. And his resume is crazy: Cerrone x2, Jamie Varner, Bocek, Guida, Jim Miller, Frankie Edgar x2, Nate Diaz, Gil Melendez, Josh Thomson, Rustam Khabilov, Patricio Pitbull…. Just a crazy list of names.
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in his prime, He's a handful for any LW
 
Darius the Destroyer went 17-0 in a sport where roughly half the fights end in a KO. Former SFC HW champ (basically PRIDE FC for slap sports). Went nearly 30 rounds with paper GOAT Wolverine "Ron" Bata, who many know as the Randy Couture of #PowerSlap , winning by doctor stoppage.

Unfortunately, he's seen as just a step above tomato can these days.
 
VinceArch said:
Sean Sherk only lost 4 times in his career.

Matt Hughes
Georges St-Pierre
BJ Penn
Frankie Edgar.
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Arguably should have lost his last fight with Evan Dunham. Also a very underated fighter, started 4-0 in the UFC before, including wins on
Marcus Aurelio and Tyson Griffin, before arguably getting robbed against fomer chamion Sherk. 3 years latter he loses another controversial fight to RDA who would not long after make a run to the title. After forgiveable losses to prime Cowboy and Barboza he would go on another 4 fight win streak which lead to a draw with Dariush.
 
JoeRowe said:
Martin Kampmann. UFC record of 11-6, really 13-4 because he got robbed vs Shields and Diego. Although if he didnt get robbed vs Shields he would've fought GSP and lost which would've made him 12-5. I actually think his TDD and his striking would have made a tough fight for GSP, 49-46 or maybe 48-47 type of fight.

His back-to-back comebacks vs Alves and Ellenberger in a 3-month span were borderline epic. Unfortunately they took place on FuelTV and nobody saw them.

WAR HITMAN
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Martin was taken down 4, 4 times by Jake Shields.... one of the worst takedown guys in the game.

GSP would have absolutely tooled Kampmann bell to bell
 
chinarice said:
Martin was taken down 4, 4 times by Jake Shields.... one of the worst takedown guys in the game.

GSP would have absolutely tooled Kampmann bell to bell
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Yeah I should've reprhased that to include his get-ups. He also stuffed 11 of Jake's 15 attempts so its not like he was getting taken down with ease. And Jake took down Hendo at least 4 times too, Olympic Wrestler, so its not like Jakes takedowns were complete shit especially in his prime. As he got older he got noticeably worse with his offensive wrestling.
 
JoeRowe said:
Martin Kampmann. UFC record of 11-6, really 13-4 because he got robbed vs Shields and Diego. Although if he didnt get robbed vs Shields he would've fought GSP and lost which would've made him 12-5. I actually think his TDD and his striking would have made a tough fight for GSP, 49-46 or maybe 48-47 type of fight.

His back-to-back comebacks vs Alves and Ellenberger in a 3-month span were borderline epic. Unfortunately they took place on FuelTV and nobody saw them.

WAR HITMAN
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Don't forget the battles with Carlos Condit
 
Matt Fedor doesn't count. Fedor was washed.


I offer up Roy Nelson. Kod Matt, Schaub, Kongo. Was very effective. Despite 240 6 food fat guy.
 
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