Media Who is the Greatest MMA fighter of all-time?

[gentel]

I'm surprised Khabib is getting so few votes, and Fedor so many.

I mean it's surprising that Fedor gets a lot only because it was so long ago

With Khabib it's no surprise - he beat Iaquinta, Conor, Dustin, Justin, and retired. Really no argument for GOAT there

 

[-Sideways-]

It was GSP. It's still GSP.

 

[RevolverOctopus]

Agree to disagree on the chin and cardio, to each their own.

GSP comes from a striking background who has adapted and evolved in a manner he feels best suited to MMA. Jones' diversity and effective striking are also part and parcel attributed to his reach, his range, and his height. I believe Jones' striking would be far less effective if he was shorter, if he only had a 72 inch wingspan etc. I also never stated that GSP would outstrike Jones, but yes, I think he beats him.

The other guy said he has better striking than Jon which is what I quoted. I dont agree as Jon has a much more diverse range of moves, hypotheticals aside.

If you don't think a Jones-sized version of GSP takes Jon down and works the top game, you're biased as fuck. When did GSP ever have a fight where people mused "I wonder if he'll be able to take XXX down?"?

Jones doesnt overextend his strikes to leave himself open for the blast doubles GSP does. I'm sure GSP could just shoot and force grappling exchanges, but Jon from memory has been held down for about 3 seconds combined in his entire UFC career. Theres no reason to think any fighter we have seen would have the skills to hold him down. Jones is arguably the best defensive wrestler in mma history, and that's not being biased.

A 6'4" 230lbs version GSP with a 84" reach could Superman jab you from across the octagon, change levels and scoop you up and drop you on your head. He's not going to tire out, and if GSP can outwrestle legitimate and decorated wrestlers at WW, I'm confident he could do it at LHW (if he was Jones' size).

Jones held a retiree down for about 4 straight minutes and couldn't put him away in a fight where he he held every single physical advantage. Whenever Jones has faced opponents closer to his physical equal, Jon certainly looked less superhuman.

I dont like these P4P arguments about "If X was bigger he'd beat Y", I more was talking about how effective their skills are against their own divisions. Also if you're talking about Stipe he did put him away?

 

[Bouboumaster]

If he weren't such a fucking cheater, it would be Jon Jones. The only one who has a resume that come close to him is GSP. And he finished his fights a lot.

But since he's a cheater (and popped multiple times), it has to be GSP.
Incredible resume, and even tho he didn't close his fights as oftent as other, the dude was dominating his opponents like no one else.

My top 3 would go like this:

1- GSP
2- Fedor

3- Demetrious Johnson

 

[josh345]

On paper, it's Jones by a clear margin. It comes down to how much you hold his PED controversies against him.

After that it's harder.

I'd put GSP and Fedor in the next bracket together. Fedor for going undefeated for so long in a division where one punch ends a fight, and GSP for being the most well-rounded fighter ever (alongside maybe MM) along with his longtime divisional dominance and avenging all of his losses.

Anderson would come next in my book. Not as well rounded as the 3 above him and certainly had some PED controversy like Jones, but probably has the best highlight reel in MMA history and at his peak had IMO the best aura of invincibility. His win streak was incredible also.

Demetrious is next. He's a very hard one to rate, as I could see someone making the argument for him being #1, and him being #6. The knock against him is I feel that his division just wasn't as built up with as skilled of fighters that the others on this last had to face. Maybe that's just lack of name value of those fighters, but that's how I see it.

Khabib is another one that is hard to rate. On paper - he's perfect, and probably the most dominant fighter in MMA history (i.e. barely lost any rounds, never hurt). He just doesn't have the long-standing dominance that the others on this list have. He retired after 3 title defenses - many of the fighters on this list have 6+.

I love Jose Aldo, one of my favorites on this list. I just think there is now too much cloudiness around who is actually the best FW of all time (with Max and Volk now also having great runs) so it's hard to have him above anyone else here.

Swap Aldo for khabib and you got a respectable list. I put GSP at 1 because no drug test failures.

 

[josh345]

He was only 33 and had roughly 30 fights before he hit a skid. It has nothing to do with age, or miles on the clock

It's well known that fighters in heavier weight classes should have better longevity

30 fights before his skid? That's why he started to fall off. He was worn down by then

 

[JBJ was here]

30 fights before his skid? That's why he started to fall off. He was worn down by then

That's part of it, but part of it is also that Fedor took full advantage of the Pride rules and ropes to maximize the effectiveness of his grappling.

Part of it is also likely to be the reduction or elimination of steroid use; Fedor may not have been musclebound, but it's a lot easier to fight at 100% five times a year while also being active in combat sambo if you make use of medically enhanced recovery, and a lot of the downside injury risk of steroid use comes from putting on more muscle mass and lifting more weight than your joints can handle. I suspect that Fedor was a smart steroid user who actually used them the way a combat fighter should, to enhance training and post-fight recovery and get a modest strength boost in the weighroom, rather than to build more muscle than anyone needs to knock an opponent out.

 

[Dana's Moonface]

30 fights before his skid? That's why he started to fall off. He was worn down by then

Different sport but we have 2 guys in boxing fighting Dec 21 much older and still top dogs

Usyk especially has had 300 plus amateur fights, also world series of boxing, but of course mma is still in it's infacy and fighters are not close to usyk level get.