Going to leave out the "multi-offenders"..... We all have "our" reasons for "our" lists... this just happens to be mine
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1
- Fedor Emelianenko
- "The Last Emperor"
- 40-7-0, 1 NC
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There just ARE no words left if you have followed MMA since its early years 20-25 years ago... its relatively an easy pick for many of us... Another example of "what your seeing from him today doesnt even remotely reflect the fighter who most fans had followed for years...its not even slightly similar"
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2
- Rickson Gracie
- 9-0-0
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Had he been available for UFC 1 ...this entire thing might have needed complete restructuring
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3
- Demetrious Johnson
- "Mighty Mouse"
- 25-4-1
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I personally could give you a all day explanation on the many things that I feel keep him from being ranked any higher.. But if I am being totally honest and looking at body of work,.its alot like Miocic's... hes simply unbeatable at his present weight.. Unless TJ and him fight.. but thats in the "now"..nobody has put on a level of dominance in one division like this guy has..and thats partly why I only have him ranked 3rd... he "could" be truly testing the theory that he IS current P4P best... but he remains apprehensive with a ton of excuses.. Thats it in nutshell... Greats dont create excuses, they knock them down
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4
- Stipe Miocic
- 20-4-0
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Sport has taken us to many new heights... Being that more athletes are now a part of sport there sizes are extremely impressive.. I argue with myself about ranking him here.. The division clearly has never been weaker.. But Stipe appears to be fighting and winning against everyone now.. That includes the old timers as well as the up n comers.. in literally the meanest division in the sport.. His overall skill sets would have been too much for guys like Severn and others I think... Fight between he and younger Cain would have been terribly interesting
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5
- Daniel Cormier
- "DC"
- 22-3-0, 1 NC
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What can you say? Its not his body of work lately..cause that is simple.. he now struggles over controversy over his only 2 losses that came subjectively at best... Fought at the biggest table on earth and was undefeated.and is so far ahead of any 205'er on the planet right now that it actually makes all of them look just "that" much worse.. And hes a man of profound character outside the cage,., DC Cormier literally "lives it"
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6
- Matt Hughes
- 45-9-0
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This man had the most complete ground game that has ever been..With far less sanctions on sport.. he was if not THE best GnP fighter a very very solid runner up.. he added things to allow wrestlers a REAL shot at greatness and he lived and fought on every word of what I am saying...and he too fought the best..time after time after time
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7
- Georges St-Pierre
- "Rush"
- 26-2-0
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8
- José Aldo
- "Junior"
- 31-8-0
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9
- BJ Penn
- "The Prodigy"
- 16-14-2
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BJ may be inching closer to parity on his overall record.. But thats completely decieving... What this guy managed to do from a very early age is boggling... Fighting and winning in multi weight classes and beating many that appear on this list doing so... When the BJ era was actually upon us... we were ALL blessed just not him
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10
- Joanna Jędrzejczyk
- 16-5-0
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You have to consider what shes done in her career nothing but amazing..she has taken on ALL comers... and all though majority of her division remains relatively weak by most standards... The few select fighters who truly were ranked just under her..were exceptionally good.. and for the most part she walked right through them as well.. even when we know they too are a few levels above the "standard"..and shes ALWAYS represented her sport and her sex with the utmost proffessionalism ... Theres no cheating going on with her..shes a true athlete
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11
- Anderson Silva
- "The Spider" | 34-11-0, 1 NC
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Its very simple... he's popped out on tests... ONLY reason hes not inside top 5
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12
- Kazushi Sakuraba
- "The Gracie Hunter" | 26-17-1, 2 NC
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Sakuraba had a very defined sense in the ring..Often playing it off the cuff was probably his most amazing feature... He represented a nation and wore it well.. He was literally a cross over from pro wrestling to MMA and made the whole thing "work"... Totally a entertaining fighter who lived in the era of tuff SOB's
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13
- Randy Couture
- "The Natural" | 19-11-0
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Randy accomplished such amazing things.. regardless of age.. he actually introduced "pure athleticism" to the game..and was a lot meaner than he ever put on.. Things he accomplished at various stages of his career makes him a very easy pick
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14
- T.J. Dillashaw
- 17-5-0
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I put him here cause the very best is still yet to come and he has already accomplished so much and still remains quite the example of what a perfectly well rounded athlete can become in the sport.. His ceiling is still sooo high and he continues to grow each and every time he goes out there..
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15
- Maurício Rua
- "Shogun" | 27-14-1
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One of if not THE tuffest fighters to ever come from Brazil... he was taking on legends at 22 wih NO "break in period"..Involved in some of the greatest come backs and battles of history of this sport..and never a bad word..never involved in ********... he is the epitemy of the word "Brazilian Warrior"
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16
- Mirko Filipović
- "Cro Cop" | 38-11-2, 1 NC
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17
- Michael Bisping
- "The Count" | 30-9-0
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He is probably the absolute pure example of "Great Journeymen"... Michael shuts his mouth and hes pure pleasure to fight.. always is prepared, and he doesnt hold back..leaving it all in the cage for viewers and fans everywhere.. And he truly has suffered from so much talent in his division for years... its NOT that he never deserved a title.. glad when he got it..He will truly be missed IN the cage..
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18
- Cris Cyborg
- 27-2-0, 1 NC
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I have very little respect for her as person.. theres no mistaking her ability as a fighter tho... She has made so many bad decisions and passed blame on so many people she cl;early has the Tyrone Woodley -syndrom... Knowing "How" to be great is whats got her so low on this list... That and she fights so low compared to her true walk around weight and her past use with steroids.
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19
- Royce Gracie
- 15-2-3
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Introducing the WORLD to a fight style they just couldnt wrap there heads around is one of his claims to greatness. Doing so as a 160 pound man fighting and beating 400 + pound fighters is another.. and to think..he wasnt even Helon Gracies first choice to enter the Octagon initially at UFC 1
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20
- Miguel Torres
- 1-0-0
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Earlier years (being the pioneer of this weight) were nothing short of absolutely brilliant... He paved the way for alot of fighters..His troubles with the UFC truly effected his legacy... another ****** spot on Dana Whites very very scandulous record in regards to how hes treated fighters who won;t say yes or suck his ****..
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21
- Alistair Overeem
- "The Demolition Man" | 47-19-0, 1 NC
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Probably one of the top 3 most gifted strikers ever to perform at this high level of the sport..He would strike like a "lynx" with the power of a hemi
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22
- Jon Jones
- "Bones" | 27-1-0, 1 NC
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I am holding Jon Jones out but inside top 20 due to not knowing just how dirty this man has been in the past
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23
- Don Frye
- "The Predator" | 20-9-1, 1 NC
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Fought usually anywhere between 35-80 pounds under weight and just dominated opponents.. with his ferocity and no rules barred style during the era when the sport clearly was at its most violent and fighters were far less protected by sanctions..
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24
- Bas Rutten
- "El Guapo" | 28-4-1
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25
- Ronda Rousey
- "Rowdy" | 12-2-0
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Have to be honest here..her body of work... it goes without saying she sheerly dominated her field at the time.. Could she have been more well rounded? Thats obvious.. but she came along at a time where nearly anyone(even today) can remotely find an answer for her
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26
- Wanderlei Silva
- "The Axe Murderer" | 35-14-1, 1 NC
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27
- Igor Vovchanchyn
- "Ice Cold" | 55-10-1, 1 NC
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Many many newer MMA fans dont know much about this man... and its a shame... 5'9" and one of the hardest punching heavyweights ever.. He was an absolute killer
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28
- Max Holloway
- "Blessed" | 26-7-0
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29
- Chuck Liddell
- "The Iceman" | 21-9-0
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30
- Dan Henderson
- "Hendo" | 32-15-0
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31
- Tyron Woodley
- "The Chosen One" | 19-7-1
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Its unfortunate because he is sooo talented... but I truly believe Tyrone fails like many do... in knowing "HOW " to be great...
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32
- Vitor Belfort
- "The Phenom" | 26-14-0, 1 NC
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I would have Vitor MUCH higher , much,...but he too has history with drugs.,. I can never concieve ranking a dirty or previously dirty fighter in Top 10 just based on good conscience
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33
- Dominick Cruz
- "The Dominator" | 24-4-0
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34
- Dan Severn
- "The Beast" | 101-19-7
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35
- Cain Velasquez
- 14-3-0
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36
- Fabrício Werdum
- "Vai Cavalo" | 24-9-1, 1 NC
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37
- Tito Ortiz
- "The Huntington Beach Bad Boy" | 21-12-1
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38
- Robbie Lawler
- "Ruthless" | 30-16-0, 1 NC
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39
- Nick Diaz
- 26-10-0, 2 NC
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IMO Nick has done far too much damage to himself and his name to ever remotely be able to credit him as a highly ranked GREAT fighter.. Entertaining he was.,.and strength of scheduled opponents was just impressive as hell
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40
- Luke Rockhold
- 16-6-0
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41
- Rafael dos Anjos
- 32-16-0
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42
- Gegard Mousasi
- "The Dreamcatcher" | 49-9-2
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43
- Jake Shields
- 33-11-1, 1 NC
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44
- Eddie Alvarez
- "The Underground King" | 30-8-0, 2 NC
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45
- Alexander Gustafsson
- "The Mauler" | 18-8-0
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46
- Shinya Aoki
- "Tobikan Judan" | 48-11-0, 1 NC
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47
- Andrei Arlovski
- "The Pitbull" | 34-23-0, 2 NC
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48
- Conor McGregor
- "The Notorious" | 22-6-0
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49
- Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira
- "Minotauro" | 34-10-1, 1 NC
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50
- Frankie Edgar
- "The Answer" | 24-11-1
My Summary