All things considered, is BJ Penn vs Matt Hughes 1 the greatest win in MMA history?

Discussion in 'MMA Forum' started by horst, Jul 16, 2011.


Page 1 of 2
  1. horst

    horst Guest

    Matt Hughes was a huge welterweight, a fantastic wrestler, and was making the 6th defence of his UFC welterweight title, having beaten Carlos Newton twice, Hayato Sakurai and Sean Sherk, and was coming off the submission win in the grudge match with Frank Trigg. After this fight, Hughes went on to take Georges St Pierre's zero by submission, and beat Frank Trigg (again), Joe Riggs and BJ Penn before losing to St Pierre in a return.

    BJ Penn was the naturally smaller man, being a lightweight moving up for this fight. He had nowhere near the experience of Hughes, and had failed to win the UFC lightweight title in two attempts, losing to Jens Pulver and drawing with Caol Uno, both much, much smaller men than Hughes.


    And yet, Penn won the fight with ease, submitting Hughes in the 1st round.



    All things considered (quality of opponent, quality of performance, size difference, opponents' performances before and after this fight, respective proximity to fighting prime, etc), is there a single win better than this in MMA history?

    :bbb
     
    horst, Jul 16, 2011
    horst, Jul 16, 2011
    #1
  2. greathamza

    greathamza Boxing Junkie Full Member

    10,652
    1
    Feb 14, 2011
    The greatest win in history is a bit much but its a very good win
     
    greathamza, Jul 16, 2011
    greathamza, Jul 16, 2011
    #2
  3. scurlaruntings

    scurlaruntings ESB 2002 Club Full Member

    35,621
    12
    Jul 19, 2004
    Not the greatest win. Certainly a VERY significant accomplishment for Penn as no one expected him to pull that off at the time.
     
    scurlaruntings, Jul 16, 2011
    scurlaruntings, Jul 16, 2011
    #3
  4. Stoo

    Stoo Obsessed with Boxing banned

    25,846
    2
    Apr 4, 2008
    Hard pressed to think of anyone moving up and beating the ATG at his own weight in his prime

    One of the top 5 wins in MMA Im sure in terms of achievement and unexpectedness
     
    Stoo, Jul 16, 2011
    Stoo, Jul 16, 2011
    #4
  5. horst

    horst Guest

    Can you name a better win and say why?

    Penn moves up to face a naturally bigger defending champion with ATG abilities, and trounces him.

    How can a win be better than this in MMA? I honestly can't think of one.
     
    horst, Jul 16, 2011
    horst, Jul 16, 2011
    #5
  6. scurlaruntings

    scurlaruntings ESB 2002 Club Full Member

    35,621
    12
    Jul 19, 2004
    Nog vs Fedor. Nog was the favourite. No one expected that level of domination from Fedor. Was an incredibly significant fight at the time as both were seen as the best heavyweights on the planet, in the best promotion, and in the deepest division. Fedor took Nog to a place he'd never been in before. Some of the best and most brutal GnP you'll ever witness in the history of MMA. And Fedor did it whilst in Nog's guard which was all the more mesmerising.
     
    scurlaruntings, Jul 16, 2011
    scurlaruntings, Jul 16, 2011
    #6
  7. thewinfella

    thewinfella The Golden Boy Full Member

    14,954
    0
    Jun 14, 2009
    Yes ,

    This was the official BJ Penn finally living up to his talent fight , to the general public that is , because his domination of Takanori Gomi announced him as the worlds best 55 'er long before his UFC run as champion @155 .

    People in the know at the time will tell you they were not suprised to see Penn tap Hughes , but to the general MMA public this was a podgey grappler coming in overweight submitting a modern legend who was seen as being practically un beatable .

    A massive significant result in the MMA world and for me taking into consideration every factor you have mentioned .................... is the number one win of all time yes
     
    thewinfella, Jul 16, 2011
    thewinfella, Jul 16, 2011
    #7
  8. Anarchy99

    Anarchy99 Babalu will KILL You! Full Member

    2,726
    0
    Feb 2, 2011
    1 win that definitely ISN'T the GOAT but makes me smile, Randy Couture dominating Tim Sylvia :) I'm sorry but I had to bring that up because this was supposed to be Sylvia's time to shine and Randy totally butt****ed him in front of thousands and thousands of people...Ahhhhhh.
     
    Anarchy99, Jul 17, 2011
    Anarchy99, Jul 17, 2011
    #8
  9. scurlaruntings

    scurlaruntings ESB 2002 Club Full Member

    35,621
    12
    Jul 19, 2004
    :thumbsup NO ONE expected that. Far as im concerned that might actually be Randy's best run of his career. Remember he also beat Gonzaga too who destroyed CC.
     
    scurlaruntings, Jul 17, 2011
    scurlaruntings, Jul 17, 2011
    #9
  10. horst

    horst Guest

    Yes, this is my feelings on it too.

    Scurla's alternative is a very good one, and the only other win I can really see a decent argument for, but I'd still go with Penn-Hughes. If nothing else, for the size factor and the fact that Penn finished the fight... early.
     
    horst, Jul 17, 2011
    horst, Jul 17, 2011
    #10
  11. Amrn4s

    Amrn4s Active Member Full Member

    712
    0
    Apr 14, 2011
    Um maybe not the best. But its pretty damn close to it.
     
    Amrn4s, Jul 17, 2011
    Amrn4s, Jul 17, 2011
    #11
  12. The Spider

    The Spider Guest

    B.J.'s win over Hughes ****ing shocked me at the time. Can't think of a better one really.
     
    The Spider, Jul 17, 2011
    The Spider, Jul 17, 2011
    #12
  13. chimba

    chimba Off the Somali Coast Full Member

    20,005
    7
    Mar 8, 2007
    It is the best unless others want to get too smart about it.
     
    chimba, Jul 17, 2011
    chimba, Jul 17, 2011
    #13
  14. codeman99998

    codeman99998 Boxing Addict Full Member

    3,713
    1
    Aug 28, 2006
    I guess it depends on what you mean by greatest win. I am more inclined to think when one fighter is losing badly to another fighter, or seems to be down and out, but somehow finds a way to win anyways constitutes a greater win than a fighter being an underdog and winning handily.

    If being an underdog but still destroying a higher rated opponent is the qualification for the greatest win than Serra over GSP has to be up there.

    Under my criteria I think Smith over Sell or Silva over Sonnen are greater wins.
     
    codeman99998, Jul 17, 2011
    codeman99998, Jul 17, 2011
    #14
  15. rekcutnevets

    rekcutnevets Black Sash Full Member

    13,685
    350
    May 25, 2007
    All things considered, it probably is. Fedor vs Nogueira was a huge win as well, but it was in a bout against fighters that are close to being the same size. Matt Hughes is the 2nd best welterweight ever, and BJ was a lightweight. BJ beating Hughes would be like Wanderlei, Liddell, or Shogun moving up and dethroning Nogueira, when he was PRIDE's heavyweight champion.
     
    rekcutnevets, Jul 17, 2011
    rekcutnevets, Jul 17, 2011
    #15
Page 1 of 2