Now that's a great question. I couldn't honestly answer that. Historically, Penn grappled bigger and possibly better wrestlers, but statistically Aldo is probably better. You could say either and I couldn't really say you were wrong.
Aldo's display against Frankie Edgar in TDD is HOF worthy. EDIT: Alltruth one of the most influential posters on Sherdog already?
I want to say Aldo But BJ stuffed GSP and Hughes before he got tired - for my money those two of the top five best MMA wrestlers ever tompete I think BJ's freakish flexibility gives him the edge in this one
Well that's easy. Had Aldo not been gassed, he would have defended those takedowns. Also that was years ago. Frankie Edgar couldn't take him down in the rematch and barely did so the first time. Edgar and Mendes are two of the absolute best MMA wrestlers we've ever had in this sport and they can't do shit to Aldo as far as grappling goes. Holding down Aldo is apparently impossible for a FW.
Mendes would have dumped him on his head had he not grabbed the fence. He was already airborne. Who knows how that fight would have gone without the cage grab?
Nobody has better take down defense than "first round Penn". Shucked old George, Aldo couldn't do that.
Frankie Edgar couldn't take Penn down in their first fight at all, it looked pretty similar to the Aldo fight actually until BJ got tired. I think Frankie might have gotten like one takedown late or something in that fight
If you can't honestly tell yourself gsp and Hughes wouldn't have put aldo on the mat you have an easy answer here.