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Fedor.
Why Fedor is considered so great to many MMA fans is constantly challenged.
I hope this thread helps, I want to break down Fedor's record and hopefully explain why he is looked at like this...
First of all when discussing a fighter and who he beat, a lot of people say things like
"Fighter A beat Fighter B, but Fighter B is overrated and sucks now, so I don't give him credit for that win"
Well that's fine, but at the time Fighter B was one of the best fighters in the world and no one could question that.
That is what people don't understand about Fedor's record. At the time, in a lot of his fights, he was facing Top 3, Top 5, or Top 10 contenders...more so than any other MMA fighter in history. Take a look.
Ricardo Arona...when they fought Arona wasn't one of the best fighters in the world but this is still a notable win to have early in your fight career.
Renato Sobral (16-2)...At the time, Sobral was definitely Top Ten. With only two losses, one to Valentjin Overeem and one to Dan Henderson. Also with wins over TK, Maurice Smith, and Travis Fulton. Maybe in 2007 those wins don't mean much, but in 2000 they are very credible wins. Fedor takes him to a dominate decision. I consider this his first win with clout.
Semmy Schilt (23-10)...People forget he was in MMA, and was good at it. Semmy Schilt was one of the Top 10/Top 5 heavy weights in the world, and was being groomed to be Nog's next big title defense, but instead Fedor strolled in and dominated the monster in an impressive fashion.
Heath Herring (20-7)...Hands down Top 5 HW in the World when he and Fedor fought. Herring had wins over Evan Tanner, Tom Erikson, Enson Inoue, Mark Kerr, and Igor. Also had a war with Nog. Fedor dismantles Heath Herring making him look out of his league. This is something that shocked most people who were watching MMA at the time.
Antonio Nogueira (19-1)...Nog was the Pride HW Champion with amazing wins over the likes of Mark Coleman, Dan Henderson, Semmy Schilt, Bob Sapp, Valentjin Overeem, Tamura, Heath Herring, Goodridge and only one loss to Dan Henderson which he avenged. Nog was the best fighter in the world and looked unbeatable. Nog was the #1 fighter and Fedor completely destroyed him. Not ant any point in that fight did Nog look like the champion he was. He was completely dominated. Think of it this way... If Muhammad Ali was never born, Joe Frazier would of went down in history as the greatest boxer of all time, but unfortunately Ali was born. Same with Fedor and Nog, if Fedor was never born, Nog would of been the greatest fighter of all time. Not only did Fedor beat him, but he beat Nog inside of Nog's guard! It is very hard to explain to people who weren't watching MMA at the time, what this meant, this win shook the foundation of HW MMA.
Kazuyuki Fujita (9-3)...Fujita was easily a Top 10 HW with his only losses coming from a game Cro Cop and a still young Mark Coleman. Fujita actually rocked Fedor in this fight (to this day the only time Fedor looked like he was in trouble), but eventually got caught with two killer punches and was choked out. Which a lot people forgot at the time was a HUGE deal because one of the things Fujita was known for was for never tapping out. He never tapped out until he fought Fedor.
Gary Goodridge (17-12)...Say what you want, Gary Goodridge can make any MMA Fighter look stupid...Just ask Don Frye. But Fedor had the K-1 Striker in the fetal position getting hammered until the referee stopped the fight in the first. Not the most notable win, but I'm bringing it up just because Goodridge is a hard fight for anybody...And Fedor beat him up bad.
Mark Coleman (13-5)...Mark Coleman could of been a Top 10 HW when he and Fedor fought. I guess you could make a good case against it too at the time, but you can't take anything away from a man who was the first Grand Prix Champion and also held titles in the UFC. Fedor taps him out easily. Fedor won this fight easily, and was almost a passing of the torch. Mark Coleman was known for his ground and pound, something that Fedor was now being known for. Fedor beating Coleman was almost like "There is a new master of the ground and pound".
Kevin Randleman (15-6)...Randleman was coming off of a huge win against Mirko Cro Cop and had to be let into the Top Ten HWs of the World after that win. Could he pull off another upset on Fedor? He almost did with an insane slam that would of killed any other man, but Fedor rolled with it and got the win in the first round. Randleman career may of been drifting in and out of "Journeyman/Top HW" at the time, but coming into this fight he was definitely considered a Top Ten HW because of the huge upset against Cro Cop.
Antonio Nogueira (24-2)...Nogueira showed why if Fedor was never born he would be the best fighter in the world by making it all the way to the finals of the Grand Prix to face Fedor. But the accidental cut set the fight back. When they fought again, everyone thought Nogueira would atleast put up a better fight then last time and have the champion in trouble, but no...Nogueira was dominated from bell to bell. This absolutley solidified Fedor as the best HW in the World, winning the Pride HW Grand Prix, holding the Pride HW Title, and having wins over Top HW Fighters such as Randleman, Coleman, Herring, Schilt, Fujita and Nog (2x). The only person left was Cro Cop...
Mirko Cro Cop (16-2)...Cro Cop was the #1 Contender for the belt and was highly regarded as the only man who would be able to beat Fedor. Cro Cops wins at the time included Coleman, Randleman, Aleks, Barnett, Herring, Waterman, Igor, and Sakuraba. Not too many people had a record with so many wins over names in such a brutal fashion. Fedor dominates Cro Cop, and stops Cro Cop at his own game. Fedor now at this point really had nothing else to prove. Even the UFC Champion at the time Tim Sylvia, wasn't even looked at as a potential threat to Fedor. That was one of the few Title vs. Title Dream Fights that people wouldn't even care to see because they were(5 so sure that Fedor would destroy Timmy. Basically...there was no one left.
Mark Hunt (5-2)...Hunt was Top Ten HW even being under Ten fights. He had wins over Silva & Cro Cop. Fedor struggled a bit in the beginning but then disposed of the Top Ten HW.
That is 10 Wins over Top Ten HWs (Not including Arona & Goodridge) at the time that Fedor fought them. Some of these men may not be Top Ten HWs anymore, but at the time they were, hands down, no questions asked.
Not other MMA Fighter has that many wins over that many contenders.
That is why Fedor is considered the best in the World.
I'm not saying I don't believe he needs to come to the UFC and prove himself against Vera, Couture, or even Sylvia but he is not "overrated" or part of pride's hyped fighters that get beat in the UFC.
His inactivity is the only reason why you shouldn't rank him at #1 HW in the world... But until he is beaten, he shouldn't rank anywhere past #2.
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