Question for long-time MMA fans: who are the ten best MMA fighters ever?

[DINAMITA]

I only started watching the UFC about 6 or so months ago, and so have only seen highlights videos of Pride, and generally don't know much about the sport.

From the small amount of knowledge I have, I'd say the best MMA fighters have been (in no order):


Fedor Emelianenko
Randy Couture
Minotauro Nogueira
Anderson Silva
Dan Henderson
Wanderlei Silva
Chuck Liddell
Matt Hughes
Georges St Pierre
BJ Penn


Is this a decent top 10, or is it obvious I am a noob?

Who should be in there and who shouldn't??

:bbb

[Polymath]

Sakuraba is the obvious omission.

Don't know if its a good top 10. Do you mean h2h or achievemnt wise?

[DINAMITA]

Sakuraba is the obvious omission.

Don't know if its a good top 10. Do you mean h2h or achievemnt wise?

Both, pound-for-pound ATG list.

[jimmie]

I only started watching the UFC about 6 or so months ago, and so have only seen highlights videos of Pride, and generally don't know much about the sport.

From the small amount of knowledge I have, I'd say the best MMA fighters have been (in no order):


Fedor Emelianenko
Randy Couture
Minotauro Nogueira
Anderson Silva
Dan Henderson
Wanderlei Silva
Chuck Liddell
Matt Hughes
Georges St Pierre
BJ Penn


Is this a decent top 10, or is it obvious I am a noob?

Who should be in there and who shouldn't??

:bbb

Solid list mine wouldnt be awhole lot different I may not have Wanderlei on there im not sure but I have no problem with him on there. Overall theres nothing you can complain about on the list IMO. Pretty soon ill be doing a top 10 MMA history by weights and p4p.

[BITCH ASS]

You have a solid list, but how could you forget arguably the greatest MMA fighter of all time in Tim Slyvia?

[Blue145]

Of course its subjective.. but its a good list

[BewareofDawg]

I'll go with skill and ability first because it's such a young sport and has evolved so fast. Matt Hughes is the "greatest" WW champ ever, but GSP is a level above what Hughes ever was, I would also say Alves and Fitch are better then Hughes ever was...the difference is Hughes's competition was weaker.

Fedor
Silva
GSP
Machida
Penn

Yes, the fighters today are better then any fighters before them. So the greatest fighters ever in MMA are the greatest fighters of today.

[JonesHagler]

Ken Shamrock is one of my favorite mma fighters ever.

[ufoalf]

It's a good list. I'd throw in Royce in there because he ruled in early UFC and you can't punish his lack of skill because it was very new sport at the time.

[rekcutnevets]

Posted by BewareofDawg
Yes, the fighters today are better then any fighters before them. So the greatest fighters ever in MMA are the greatest fighters of today.
I agree somewhat. The fighters of today are better at was mma has become than the fighters before them, would be a little more accurate. Strength and striking power have become more important in the day of time limits, rounds, stand-ups, and decisions. I'm not complaining about those changes here. I realize some were necessary, I'm just pointing them out.

My list off the top of my head would look like:

Fedor
GSP
Anderson Silva
BJ Penn
Minotauro Nogueira
W. Silva
Dan Henderson
Sakuraba
Renzo Gracie
Chuck Liddell

I may change this from time to time. I've left Liddell in the past, but look at his record. It is hard to argue a better resume than Chuck's.

[Beebs]

Best or greatest? Royce for example is unquestionably one of the greatest, but just as unquestionably not one of the best.

[rekcutnevets]

Posted by Beebs
Best or greatest? Royce for example is unquestionably one of the greatest, but just as unquestionably not one of the best.
I'm not telling everyone they must do what I do, but I rank fighters like Royce a bit differently. Royce has fought some fights under modern mma rules, but made his mark before mma became the sport it is today. Royce defeated multiple opponents in a single night; with no stand ups, no time limit, and no rounds. Royce Gracie's tournament's only rules were no biting and no eye gouging.

Royce Gracie especially, Dan Severn, Oleg Taktarov, Marco Ruas, Don Frye, and Mark Coleman deserve a special type of praise for their unique accomplishments.

[zarman]

I only started watching the UFC about 6 or so months ago, and so have only seen highlights videos of Pride, and generally don't know much about the sport.

From the small amount of knowledge I have, I'd say the best MMA fighters have been (in no order):


Fedor Emelianenko
Randy Couture
Minotauro Nogueira
Anderson Silva
Dan Henderson
Wanderlei Silva
Chuck Liddell
Matt Hughes
Georges St Pierre
BJ Penn


Is this a decent top 10, or is it obvious I am a noob?

Who should be in there and who shouldn't??

:bbb

no old school fighters? i'll try a list of my own once i sharpen my knowledge.

[Bill Butcher]

I only started watching the UFC about 6 or so months ago, and so have only seen highlights videos of Pride, and generally don't know much about the sport.

From the small amount of knowledge I have, I'd say the best MMA fighters have been (in no order):


Fedor Emelianenko
Randy Couture
Minotauro Nogueira
Anderson Silva
Dan Henderson
Wanderlei Silva
Chuck Liddell
Matt Hughes
Georges St Pierre
BJ Penn


Is this a decent top 10, or is it obvious I am a noob?

Who should be in there and who shouldn't??

:bbb

Good list but Kazushi Sakuraba should definitely be in there & possibly Frank Shamrock too, I think Frank could replace Henderson at least & Sakuraba has a good case to replace any of them other than Fedor, he walks into any reasonable top 10 list IMHO.

[socrates]

I only started watching the UFC about 6 or so months ago, and so have only seen highlights videos of Pride, and generally don't know much about the sport.

From the small amount of knowledge I have, I'd say the best MMA fighters have been (in no order):


Fedor Emelianenko
Randy Couture
Minotauro Nogueira
Anderson Silva
Dan Henderson
Wanderlei Silva
Chuck Liddell
Matt Hughes
Georges St Pierre
BJ Penn


Is this a decent top 10, or is it obvious I am a noob?

Who should be in there and who shouldn't??

:bbbhon mentions..

royce gracie,bas rutten,frank shamrock,mark coleman.