Best MMA fighter ever?

Question

Who is the best UFC or MMA or whatever fighter of all time and why?

Answer 1

I love GSP, but, alltime I would have to go with Royce Gracie. Even though I hated that he came back at an older age to fight Matt Hughes and lost. That sucked.

Answer 2

oooh

Hoyce Gracie       -        Legend of Jui Jitsu

Chuck lidell           -        Great attitude

Randy Couture     -        KO of chuck Lidell lol

Matt Hughes         -        Hate the guy but he beat Hoyce Gracie so must pay tribute to that

BJ Penn               -         Destroyed Joe Stevenson! What a fight! Hilarious on TUF as a coach!

Edit: Come on give me a bit of credit! I'm the only chick here who's bothered to justify my answers! And apologies for the spelling, didn't know I got marked down for it! :(

Answer 3

Fedor Emelianinko is hands down the greatest, most dominant, heavyweight fighter of all time.  No one can touch the man.  His record speaks for itself.  Silva, Gracie, Hughes, Severn, Franklin, GSP, Cro Cop, etc......  are all great fighters, but NO ONE has been able to dominate like Fedor.  Especially as long as him, and especially at heavyweight.

Answer 4

Best in terms of what they have done so far - Fedor

I dont  think Fedor is or ever has been the best pound for pound fighter in the world, in fact I think if he wieghed 180 BJ Penn GSP and A. Silva would beat him, but he has beaten so many great guys over such a long time that I have to put him on top.

If GSP beats a fit BJ Penn or Anderson Silva beats on some more top notch talent in the 205lb division, or if GSP fights Anderson Silva I would put the winner of any of those fights at the top, but until that happens its Fedor.  

Answer 5

My top choice is going to be Fedor right now, provided he continues on showing his dominance.

Many will talk about Royce Gracie, mainly because he won 3 UFC's in a tournament format (unknown opponents, on after another) which was impressive.

However they fail to mention Dan Severn did the very same thing, including winning an Ultimate Ultimate.

People will talk about the limited ruleset Royce faced, and again Dan Severn did the same thing under the same rule set. (Barring the fact that the ref couldn't stop fights when Royce won, but could when Dan was winning). But same rules, same no weight limits, small differences in time limits, but as far as the rules, the no weight limits and the tournament format, Dan Severn did just as much as Royce Gracie did, yet never gets the props for that the Royce does.

So anyone mentioning Royce is easily the best MMA fighter ever, should recognize Dan Severn as being on par with or as the one as well.

However as MMA has evolved greats like Royce and Dan (who were one dimensional) have fallen behind, and warrior who are well rounded have emerged.

If you want to look at the best MMA fighter ever, you need to look at the one who can win standing, on the ground, either by KO or Submission, and there is one name that remains glaring in that category as completely dominant, Fedor Emelianenko.

Fedor not only has won in multiple ways, he has come from behind and survived things no one else would have.

(Randlemen's murderplex, Cro Cop's left high kick, Mark Hunt's right hand).

I think Fedor embodies the ideal of a complete MMA fighter. Quality stand up, good clinch game, great takedowns, solid submissions, great submission defense, great movement and instinct in the scramble, toughness, extreme tempo,iron jawed, and the single most dangerous person to have in your guard.

Royce deserves his recognition, him and his family put this sport on the map. He is a pioneer. But the greatest MMA fighter ever? According to Royce or any other Gracie that would be Rickson.

But my feelings would be Fedor. I love Royce, and I love BJJ, but I am also a fan of the history and of MMA. Fedor vs. Royce in his prime, Fedor would destroy him. If you shrunk Fedor down and made a mini Fedor the same size as Royce... and them warped him back in time in the first UFC... Fedor would still have destroyed him.

That is not because of some love of Fedor or hating on Royce, it is because Royce would never be able to take Fedor down, Fedor would easily beat Royce on the feet, if it did manage to go to the ground because Fedor took him down, Fedor would have dominant position, be able to maintain it, and Royce would at most be able to bring him in guard. Fedor would punish him from his guard and avoid any submission, and his base is such that he would not get swept.

Royce is a great fighter, but he is one dimensional. Fedor has shown dominance in every range.

Just my opinion

edit:

LOL Vic, I guess that makes you one too. Too bad you didn't debate or bring up any points about Severn... oh and ps. I like Sherdog, MMA.TV, Subfighter, Bullshido, Judoinfo, and a ton of other forums as well... being well informed (not to mention meeting with promoters and arranging fights) actually makes my opinion more valid, then the normal  uninformed"Royce is the Best" nuthuggers.

Answer 6

In the ufc probably Randy Couture, not Royce Gracie, and buy the way its Royce, not Hoyce, even though it pronounced that way, The best fighter in mma, I dont know depends on what weight class, Heavy Weight probably Fedor Emilieninko, Lightheavy probably Rampage, middle weight Anderson silva, welter weight George st Pierre, and lightweight Bj Penn.

Answer 7

MMA is a joke. If u want to watch to semi naked men rolling around keep it to yourself pervs

Answer 8

Dan "The Beast" Severn His record is 86 - 15 - 7. 13

(T)KOs, 53 Submissions, 20 Decisions.

He has fought the best and is still fighting and he is 54 years old.

I would agree that Royce Gracie has sick skills but his record is 14 - 3 - 3. Since we are talking about the best in MMA and not just BJJ, Severn has it hands down.

Answer 9

Royce Gracie - A legend in the sport!

FEDOR - He is an animal!!  power,speed,skills..  truly an Ultimate Fighter.

To Charis: Matt Hughes beat Gracie when Gracie was 106 years old ... Hughes does not deserve respect for that!!

JudoMofo is a typical Fedor NUTHUGGER..... Im sure your a sherdog junkie too!!

Answer 10

Fedor

He has beaten some of the best fighters ever while they where in their prime! Never lost a fight and just destroyed Tim Sylvia in 36 seconds! I dont think we will ever see him lose. On the other hand you have Anderson Silva who has cleaned out his entire weight category and has moved up a weight class to be challenged. He seems to be getting better with every fight and I think he will go onto becoming the next Fedor!

Answer 11

CHUCK LIDELL

Answer 12

Fedor

http://markstraining.com Fighting and Training Methods for Unarmed Martial Artists.

Answer 13

Anderson Silva, by the time he is finished wrecking everyone in the middleweight and light heavyweight division, he will be the best to ever enter the octogon.

Answer 14

It's got to be Fedor.  No one else has put together his combination of technical skill, toughness, size, strength and speed.  If he retired today, I think he would be largely considered the best ever.

Answer 15

There shouldn't be any question that Fedor is the greatest now and forever.  I know that saying that he's the best pound for pound will make the Anderson Silva fans freak, but he is. Ask yourself who Silva has beat that ment anything. An ageing Dan Henderson and Rich Franklin is all that he has bragging rights over. Fedor has beat everyone he's faced, and there are more than two names notched in his belt.  The truth is that Silva dominated a weak weight class, and most of the fringe viewers have bought what Dana White has sold. Believe it or not they used to sell Tim Silvia the same way, and Fedor rolled him out the door in 36 seconds. FEDOR'S THE BEST! Hands down!

Answer 16

Anderson Silva.... Most well rounded fighter on the planet.  He has everything stand up and the ground game. He will hold two belts in the UFC at the same time.  

He has walked over shoe in MMA hall of famers like Dan Henderson and Rich Franklin. He seems to be unstoppable right now and getting stronger with each and every fight.

Answer 17

Royce Gracie, need I say more?

Answer 18

though i hate to say it...matt hughes has to be in the discussion, his record and the way he dominated early in his career is more than impressive...also fedor has to be mentioned as well...with well over 30 fights and only one loss because of a cut...royce gracie is in the discussion because of HOW he won ufc 1, 3, 4. no weight classes...less rules...though his skill when he won those couldn't hang with most fighters today because of their added striking and ground knowledge...its still impressive what royce did...and his jiu jitsu wasnt even acknowledged as the best in the family at the time...when its all said and done...i think anderson silvas name will be in there as well, the way he is just a humble guy and totally dominating right now...

Answer 19

Royce Gracie, he was a pioneer in the UFC, before it was mainstream. He could submit anyone in MMA.