All Time Heavyweight Rankings

The only valid current top HW on JDS's list is Werdum however, att the others arent exactly top class or even in their prime. At least Werdum has beaten many current top line opponents. Also How the helldid Cain managed to climb so high when he hasnt fought anyone of note? Nog is not longer in his prime and Brock isnt a very well rounded fighter.

Also IGOR V should easily be in there and definately above Brock, Cain, Carwin, Overeem, JDS, Werdum....this is afterall their achievements in their whole career and not the "what have you done for me lately" ranking.

 

Mir beat Sylvia but he also lost to Lesnar, Carwin, Vera, De Pano and Freeman plus the Nog he ebat was way off of his prime.

Sylvia has a much more sucessful long term record including two wins over AA, a win over Ricco at the top of his game and multiple mid level wins.

 

no frye? no shamrock? no severn?

 

Ken is really the only one of those three who should be in discussion for the top 10 I'd say although personally I'd have Igor and Bas ahead of him from that era.

It just highlights how diffuclt it is to rank HW/openweight fighters from the 90's agenst those from post 2000, the sport changed so quickly around the millenium with MMA taking off in Japan with Pride/Rings drawing in alot of new talent and the UFC becoming more organised shortly afterwards.

 

True Nog's decline was starting to be evident but he was clearly worse vs Mir IMHO.

I don't think thats enough to overcome the big dispartity in there overall records. Part of the problem with Mir is that his inability to take punishment makes him incredabley hot and cold, if he doesnt dominant or finish quickly he loses. Sylvia by comparason is much harder to put away and has come though being badly rocked by AA aswell as more than a few testing matches.

As I said I think the problem with a HW list is that unlike the other divisions which were only introduced as MMA evolved its been around right from the start. How do you rate Bas's achievements next to say Arlovski's? Bas clearly has the better record but AA has beaten fighters like Sylvia and Werdum who are clearly superior to anyone Bas faced.

The top 7 for me are pretty easy, something like...

1.Fedor
2.Nog
3.Crocop
4.Barnett
5.Werdum
6.Randy
7.Sylvia

After that you could really have anyone from Bas, AA, Igor, Coleman, Cain etc mixed in depending largely on opinion.