Currently, and all time, may be the same person. BJ Penn is near impossible to take down when fighting in his weight class. Pierre is the only sure bet to do it at 170.
Where would you rank Liddell? I know Couture was able to handle him easily in their first fight, but I've rarely seen him taken down (other than being KTFO) since. Also what about Machida?
BJ at 155 I don't believe has really been taken down, GSP is almost in the same boat in ww. Anderson has been taken down before....Machida hasn't really been taken down either. I don't see many people taking Lesnar down either.
Those are good questions. My answer may have been skewed due to the fact that I've seen numerous opponents attempt to take Penn down to no avail. Penn hopping around on one foot, and managing to stay afoot, is an all to familiar image. I may overlooking other fighters because I've not seen them being put into that position. Avoiding that position could also be interpreted as being part of one's takedown defense.
Well you can't really count wrestlers, because if they actually focused on takedown defense they would clearly be the best. However, the top notch wrestlers are never out there thinking takedown defense. They are usually thinking striking defense, which actually sometimes leads them to being taken down by someone who normally wouldn't be able to do so.Anyways, you have to go with BJ Penn. His ability to avoid the takedown (against people his size) is sickening.
Thats a hard question. Not something you pay a huge amount of attention to compared to other things. GSP looks like a hard mofo to take down, Randy coutre is also someone who seems incredibley hard to take down.
I agree that at 155 no one can take BJ down. GSP has been taken down by Koscheck at 170. Id say about even.
While hardly a top all time P4P takedown defense, Mirko Crocop's ability to spin Herring like a ragdoll when he shot for takedown after takedown was great to watch.
I think the only person around at present that could take Brock down is his missus, though Carwin does perhaps possess the size and wrestling skill that makes "Mission impossible" seem feasible. Machida hasn't been taken down because the only guy who has been close enough to do so was only interested in striking him. Lyoto is a superb grappler, though whether he is as difficult as GSP or BJ Penn to take down is an unknown. Both SGP and BJ possess supreme take-down defence and whilst GSP's is due in part to his incredible athleticism, Penn's is based on his almost inhuman flexibility! P4p I go for Penn, but I wont argue with anyone who favours GSP!
Chuck's take-down defence was superb, but Randy did take him down several times in their first fight and Randy held Chuck down! Indeed, Randy finished Chuck on the ground. I also believe that Tito also got Chuck "To the mat" in their second encounter.
I had forgot about that!! Thierry is a supreme grappler. He won the American open judo championship and Dan Henderson and Matt Lindland, both superb grapplers, sing Sokodjou's praises. I watched Sokodjou's fight with Mousasi, and as usual Thierry was doing okay against a wonderfully talented fighter, then as usual, he gassed out and Mousasi beat him up. I expected great things from Sokodjou when he came to the UFC and it just didn't happen. But he is still young and he hasn't had many fights, he will be a success, of that I am sure.