Thanks I dont like the 1st list much to much is put on the orginal MMA guys and they deserve respect but I dont think there ability or accomplishements messure up to the more recent guys. Rickson has done little to nothing in MMA I mean the only good guy he beat was Funaki and you know Rutten and both Shamrocks defeated Funaki as well not to mention all the other guys on there resumes and they are well down the list.
Well it depends on what verisons of Randy and NOG/Cro Cop where talking about. Ill go out and say Nogs prime was probablly around 03 or so his boxing was pretty crisp then and his ability to take punishment was even better,Cro Cop ill go with 2006 and Randy probablly of 07 even if he was 44 thats the best verison of Randy with his overall game. Id pick Randy over Cro Cop he would have a gameplan I doubt Cro Cop would id expect Randy to close the distance and use cage tactics and his much superior Wrestling and Clinch skills to get the fight down and batter Cro Cop remember Cro Cop getting busted up with elbows by Gonzaga ? Randys are much better and the UFC refs wouldnt stand the fight up neither IMO. Randy takes Cro Cops will away and beats him down within 3 no doubt in my mind unless he trys to stand and trade to long. Nogueira id lean towards over Randy id give him a striking edge and he would nullify anything Couture could do on the ground and probablly catch him with a submission at some point.
I know but I like Henderson all around body of work this guy has been Champion in 2 weight classes while also defeating Nogueira thats very impressive.
its unfair to even mention royce or ricksen in the same breath as any of those guys because the sports has evolved so much in the last 15 years(mostly because of them) if it wasn`t for them mma wouldn`t exist as we know it(even though they would struggle against todays top fighters) the gracies deserve the utmost respect but you cant compare them to the likes of fedor or randy etc..
Rikson Gracie has never lost a fight, the sport develops but at the time he was by far the best fighter.
Edited a few mistakes ultimately Wanderlei Silva's huge failures in the ufc Belfort,Ortiz,Liddell,Jackson let him down.
It's really hard to do.Noguiera could be higher but it's not a disgrace to have him 17.You have to give old-timers some credit that's part of the reason why Rutten,Severn,Shamrocks and Gracies are all well placed they were great in their respective eras.