Do you think fedor would have the same legendary status if he came to the UFC and lost

What if he came to the UFC and lost to everyone like Cro Cop and Wand did?  Cro Cop was my favorite fighter of all time and watching him beat beat by everyone has made me not even like him, do you think it would be the same if Fedor came to the ufc and had to fight guys like Brock, Cain, JDS, or Shane Carwin

So much of the analysis necessarily requires an apples-to-oranges comparison that you have to realize there are no right answers, just opinions. First, the general skill sets of fighters have increased exponentially over the past ten or so years. Both Fedor and Cro Cop were capable of beating much larger and stronger opponents with technique and focused aggression. Now, bigger and stronger guys have caught up on the technique. Fedor and Cro Cop also getting older and have gone through some wars, which imposes some limitations. That doesn't make what they did at the time and in their prime any less amazing. Second, the rules of the game are different. Different structured time limits, tournament formats, different striking rules, cage versus ring, yellow cards. I believe that all of these differences are material. It's very hard to compare anything under these circumstances. You have to realize that due to the nature of this sport, subsequent "generations" of evolving fighters are fighting earlier generations today. Again, that doesn't make what the pioneers did any less amazing. Could Tyson have crushed Ali? Does that mean Ali shouldn't be respected for his accomplishments?

Holy paragraph batman. Posting from phone and formatting didn't hold.

I understand what you're saying, although Boxing had already peaked by Ali's time, so there was nowhere for the sport to progress. You could make a fair comparison from boxers today and from 40+years ago and it would be a fair comparison, boxers from the last 40+ years have been similarly skilled. The difference between MMA now and 10 years ago is much greater, mainly due to defense techniques. I see mma fighters like cars, you can still appreciate the classics even though they'd get munched on track. :)

I completely disagree with everybody who thinks that a prime Fedor wouldn't be competitive or legendary in today's UFC. @Thiago - I respect you and all, most of the time we agree, but to even say that Fedor wouldn't have the same record as Chuck or Randy is downright ludicrous. Did you see Randy fight Big Nog? What happened there? Oh yeah, Randy got owned by a HW who Fedor owned 3 times. Chuck went over to PRIDE, and got schooled over there by PRIDE's gatekeeper. That's right Rampage was PRIDE's gatekeeper.

@Yaspaa - GSP and Anderson have evolved their games, and are currently the greatest fighters on the planet. You said that MMA has evolved, and I agree, but it's because of fighters like Fedor that MMA has evolved the way it has, and Fedor is still competitive even out of his prime against today's MMA fighters.

Fedor lost to Fabricio Werdum. A fight that Fedor was dominating in the stand-up. Fedor put, like JDS, put Werdum on the floor with one punch. Unlike what Werdum did against JDS, Werdum went to his back instead of trying for a takedown. This shows that Werdum has learned from his mistakes as well. Fedor made a mistake. He thought that since Big Nog couldn't submit him in 3 fights, how could Werdum? Fedor made a mistake, and like a fighter getting caught with a punch, Fedor got caught in a submission by probably the best BJJ practitioner in the HW division. In fact Big Nog even said that Werdum's BJJ is more dangerous than his. That's the equivalent of getting outwrestled by Cain Velasquez and Brock Lesnar, or getting outstruck by Shane Carwin or JDS. In other words, there's no shame in it at all.

Fedor lost to Antonio Silva. The man walks around at 300+lbs. Like Brock Lesnar and Shane Carwin, he has to cut weight to make the 265lb weight limit. Fedor is 230lbs. at the his heaviest. That's a 70lb weight difference. That's tough for any fighter, I don't care how good you are. BJ Penn has a hard time with a 15lb weight difference fighting in the WW class. Like many fighters, Antonio Silva has evolved his overall fight game. He's easily one of the top HWs in the world right now, and he outweighs Fedor by 30lbs, but Fedor still held his own for two rounds, just like Randy did against Brock Lesnar, but noone questions Randy's legacy at all?

Now don't get me wrong, I love Randy and Anderson. Though I'm not a fan of GSP, I give GSP respect where respect is due. Same can be said for Chuck. Fedor during his prime was like GSP, Chuck, Anderson, and Randy all in one. In the sense that at the time, he was the fighter with best gameplan, superb striking, a ton of heart, tough as nails, seemingly unbeatable, and beloved by all of his fans.

Fedor did what Anderson and GSP did, he cleaned out the HW division in PRIDE. At that time PRIDE HWs were far above what the UFC HWs had to offer, and Fedor cleaned house. At the time the top UFC HWs were Tim Sylvia and Andrei Arlovski, and Fedor beat both of them in the first round. Before that, the top UFC HWs were Josh Barnett and Ricco Rodriguez. Josh Barnett was demolished twice by Cro-Cop, and Ricco Rodriguez was owned by Big Nog, which Fedor dominated both Cro-Cop and Big Nog. Before that the top UFC HWs were Mark Coleman and Kevin Randleman. Fedor submitted Coleman twice, and submitted Randleman. Both fighters were finished in the first round. Fedor beat the best HWs that Japan had to offer. So in reality Fedor has done more than many other MMA fighters have. Fedor didn't just clean out 1 generation of HWs, he cleaned out 2. He didn't just beat HWs in one organization or one country. He beat some of the best HWs all over the world in multiple organizations but because he's getting older, and the sun is starting to set on his time like it has with Chuck and Randy. Instead of just letting Fedor have his legacy, and be remembered for the great warrior that he is and was, you're going to, for lack of a better word, piss all over his accomplishments, and discredit what his presence in MMA has truly meant?

To say Fedor done well in his last 2 fights is a huge overstatement... He got subbed in 70 seconds by Werdum who was cut by the ufc although he got cut too easy he still wasnt at the top level of the ufc ... And he got dominated by Silva although he did show heart but was still dominated... I agree with Yaspaa that his only really impressive win is Big Nog and he is probably just about top 10 in the ufc?... So we havent seen him against anyone nearly as good as top 4 in the ufc...

Let's just leave it at, you have beliefs, and I have mine. I've been watching MMA since the Pankration and Vale Tudo tournaments that took place before the UFC even thought of being in existence. With all the events and fighters I've seen, none have more honor, heart, and skill than Fedor Emelianenko. People can credit what they want to credit, and others can try to take it away, but the fact is, Fedor is and will always be one of the greatest HWs to ever compete in MMA period.

Yes he is but like i said before for his time period you know?... Like Royce Gracie was one of the best and stuff... Ok lets leave it at that and i cant say I have been watching mma that long my history goes back as far as UFC 116 :/ Haha.

@jaykool at this point, Fedor is the greatest heavyweight of all time.  But that's based on the accomplishments of a younger Fedor in a different era of MMA.

Today he is worn down and lacks motivation, the UFC is the dominant organization instead of Pride, and the level of competition is greater than ever before.

If a young, motivated Fedor came and started his career in today's UFC, would he be able to put together the same type of legendary title reign?  I highly doubt it.  It's a different game, different rules, different style of fighting, different kind of matchmaking, different kinds of training camps.

But that's what happens. MMA evolves like any other sport.  Fedor was great within his era, and now that era is over. 

@Gregory.. Man you just embarrased me thats what I was trying to say the whole time, Haha.

@thiago - I still wouldn't count Fedor out just yet at this point in his career. He's had a couple of losses, but Anderson was almost counted out before he came to the UFC, and look at what's happened since then. I don't think that Fedor is going to have some miracleous run of success, but stranger things have happened. Nobody thought that Randy Couture could beat Chuck Liddell, and it happened. Nobody thought that Fabricio Werdum had a chance in hell against Fedor, but yet, look at what we're talking about here.

If I've learned anything by watching MMA for as long as I have and competing when I was younger, is that anything that can happen, will happen. You can't count any fighter out, and it ain't over til the fat lady sings.

Yeh thats true but I have it for Hendo to **** his legendary career up and i meant that in the nicest way possible...

Something else to think about - One day the sun is going to set on GSP, Anderson Silva, Cain Velasquez, and Jon Jones, and somebody will try to sell them and/or their careers short, and whether I'm a fan of them at the time that happens or not, I will stick up for them too. Every fighter that ever becomes a champion, and does what Fedor, Royce, Randy, Matt Hughes, Chuck, and Wandy did, deserves all the respect and honor of being called legends and having their legacy preserved in the highest honor.

If the Hendo/Fedor fight goes the way I think it will go, we will see if Fedor still has a cast iron chin or if the "H-Bomb" can put anybody to sleep. Right now, I'm leaning towards the ladder. I actually really like both fighters, and have all the respect in the world for them for so many reasons, but my heart says Fedor, my mind says "H-Bomb". LOL

No matter what happens, that is going to be a great fight among two great legendary fighters.

yes it is and your right about the legacy of fedor, i have fedor winning right now i just dont know how yet lol.

I don't respect Hendo as much as Fedor, Hendo has the thug in him, it's not very professional. For God's sake Hendo he's out, he's out already!

Hendo just goes until the ref stops him thats his job! HENDO!

If Fedor wins, we'll see him come to the UFC soon. If he loses then his days as a contender are over and so likely will be his chances to be in the UFC.

I agree with you themysticalninja, if Fedor loses to Hendo, then the sun has definitely set on Fedor's career. He'll basically be in the same category as Chuck Liddell, Wanderlei Silva, Randy Couture, Matt Hughes, Royce Gracie, Pedro Rizzo, Ken Shamrock, Frank Shamrock, and Jens Pulver.

3 strikes and your out. i really hope that hendo KO's fedor like he did bisping,

As do I man .. As do I