# Ten Greatest MMA Fighters of all time. Your Picks?



## Rastaman (Feb 25, 2010)

By greatest I don't necessarily mean best at the moment, but if you take their entire body of work and analyze it.
In no particular order, here are my top ten:
1. Fedor Emelianenko
2. Anderson Silva
3. Mirko Filipovic
4. Georges St. Pierre
5. Big Nog
6. BJ Penn
7. Matt Hughes
8. Shogun
9. Randy Couture
10. Chuck Liddell


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## NikosCC (May 16, 2007)

MMA is still a new sport so in years we could have an amazing athlete. but for now the G.O.A.T. goes to Fedor.


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## JimmyJames (Dec 29, 2009)

In no order......

Fedor
GSP
Shogun
Big Nog
Anderson Silva
Wandy
Matt Hughes
Cro-Cop
Bj Penn
Chuck Liddell


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## Danm2501 (Jun 22, 2009)

Fedor Emelianenko
Georges St.Pierre
Anderson Silva
Wanderlei Silva
Matt Hughes
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
BJ Penn
Chuck Liddell
Mirko 'Cro Cop' Filipovic
Randy Couture


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## Syxx Paq (Feb 19, 2010)

1.Fedor
2.Anderson Silva
3.Royce Gracie
4.Randy Couture
5.Matt Hughes
6.Antonio Minotauro Rodrigo Nogueira
7.GSP
8.Chuck Liddell
9.Urijah Faber
10.Wanderlei Silva


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## badboy (Aug 1, 2009)

No specific order

Fedor Emilianenko
Royce Gracie
Wanderlei Silva
Tito Ortiz
Chuck Liddell
BJ Penn
Genki Sudo
Matt Hughes
Shogun Rua
Anderson Silva


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## BobbyCooper (Oct 26, 2009)

KAZUSHI SAKURABA
Lyoto Machida
Fedor
Silva
Sakurai
Royce Gracie
Anderson
GENKI SUDO
Shamrock (both)
Tito Ortiz


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## limba (Jul 21, 2009)

TOP 10?!! It's too hard ...there are so many...
No order:
- Fedor
- Wanderlei
- Lidell
- Sakuraba
- Royce Gracie
- Couture
- Anderson
- Matt Hughes
- Big Nog
- GSP...and i will add BJ also


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## JimmyJames (Dec 29, 2009)

I'm surprised to see Tito get some votes........


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## BobbyCooper (Oct 26, 2009)

JimmyJames said:


> I'm surprised to see Tito get some votes........


I just picked some who weren't mentioned yet Jimmy 

It wasn't easy I tell ya^^


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## limba (Jul 21, 2009)

JimmyJames said:


> I'm surprised to see Tito get some votes........


I think he could be in that Top also...but like i've said...TOP 10....very very hard.
If someone comes with the idea of TOP 7 or TOp 5...
that would just be too much..


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## Ivan (Feb 24, 2007)

+ Dan Henderson .. the rest of them is already mentioned here by most of ya'll..


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## JimmyJames (Dec 29, 2009)

I just dont think Tito belongs anywhere near a top 10 All time list. 

Big wins Wandy in the year 2000, Vitor in 2005. 

Losses to Couture, 2X to Liddell, Machida recently. 

Sure Tito is Huge name in MMA but he doesnt have a resume that looks all that great.


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## John8204 (May 13, 2010)

Randy Couture
Fedor
Royce Gracie
Matt Hughes
G.S.P
Big Nog
Sakuraba
Dan Severn
Frank Shamrock
Anderson Silva


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## osmium (Mar 6, 2007)

Whoever the 10 greatest fighters are right this moment in MMA are the 10 greatest fighters of all time. I really despise people who pretend as though the best from an inferior era are equal to or better than the best from the modern era of athletics. 

I seriously want to punch people in the face when they say shit like Rod Laver is the greatest tennis player ever. He was a ******* midget. If you had a time machine and took him from his prime to play Federer in his prime he wouldn't win a game. Cobb and Ruth played against bums not real athletes and Royce Gracie and Ken Shamrock beat on random chumps not true fighters.


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## oldfan (Mar 14, 2010)

My list is for what they did for or brought to the sport not necessarily who they beat.

Royce Gracie
Ricson Gracie
Kasushi Sakaraba
Frank Shamrock
Pat Millitich
Matt Hume
Fedor 
Randy Couture
Ginki Sudo
BJ Penn


I can relate to your sentiments osmium.
I prefer to punch in the face whiny negative fanboys who belittle real mens accomplishments.

#11 = Teddy Roosevelt, who trained boxing, wrestling and judo and who said:



> Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure... than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much, because they live in a gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat


.



> "It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat."


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## Terror Kovenant (Nov 16, 2008)

My list has not much to do with records or skills but more so who helped the sport become legit and evolved the game in some way. Each of these guys are very important in their own ways

Sakuraba 
Ortiz
Liddell
Couture
Franklin
Hughes
Penn
Fedor
CroCop
Wanderlei Silva
Royce Gracie
Big Nog
Mark Coleman


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## Toxic (Mar 1, 2007)

Royce Gracie
Sakuraba
Frank Shamrock
Tito Ortiz
Chuck Liddell
BJ Penn
Randy Couture
Bas Rutten
Wanderlei Silva
Fedor


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## BrutalKO (Oct 5, 2006)

...Glad to see Fedor made just about every list so far. Rightfully so. My top ten- no paticular order as well...

Royce Gracie
Randy Couture
Cro-Cop
Fedor
Chuck Liddell
Big Nog
Wanderlei Silva
Rampage
Anderson Silva
Vitor Belfort...


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## TheBadGuy (Dec 30, 2009)

No order:

Sakuraba
Fedor
GSP
Wandy
A. Silva
Cro Cop
Big Nog
Shogun
Chuck
BJ Penn


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## RoeNoMo (Jul 12, 2010)

Royce Gracie
Fedor
Liddell
BJ Penn
Rampage
Hume
Shamrock
Sudo
Couture
KIMBO SLICE?!? just kidding.


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## John8204 (May 13, 2010)

JimmyJames said:


> I'm surprised to see Tito get some votes........



So am I, I'm curious to see how people would flush out their lists for a top twenty or top thirty. I don't have that much knowledge of the Japanese guys so if someone who is really into them can educate me, I would appreciate it. 

HW Fedor Nog Severn
LHW Couture Sakuraba
MW A. Silva F. Shamrock
WW Hughes Royce Gracie Pierre

would he make my top 20
HW Frye 
LHW Shogun Rutten Liddell Wandy
MW Franklin Henderson
LW Penn 
FW Aldo 

nope

What about the Top 30
HW Coleman Cro-Cop
LHW Jackson Griffin
MW Belfort Renzo Gracie
WW Miletich Diaz
LW Gomi
FW Faber

I can see him fitting somewhere in the top 30 or top 40 (Lesnar, Machida, Florian, Evans, Fitch, K. Shamrock, Lindland, Sudo, Horn) but I also see most of the guys in the 40's passing Tito in the next two or three years.

I think the best you can argue for Tito is that he was one of the ten best Light Heavyweights of all time and that's it.


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## KillerShark1985 (Jan 6, 2010)

Fedor
Royce Gracie
Wanderlei Silva
GSP
Anderson Silva
Matt Hughes
BJ Penn
Mauricio Rua
Jose Aldo
Machida

Wandy, GSP and Anderson are so hard to split they are all like joint 3rd in my book.

Shogun would of been much higher I believe if not haunted by injury problems, Machida is hanging in there currently, keeping Rampage or Big Nog out on a coin flip, but Machida needs to win his next fight.

If Aldo was to move up to lightweight join the UFC and take the title which I believe we could see him do in future years then he would be a future No.1 contender, 

Future candidates to make this list Gegard Mousasi, Jn Jones and JDS are my hot favourites but I would take good odds on Rash Evans, Little Nog or Grey Maynard, but I would wait to see if Maynard beats Ken Flo first before taking that bet.


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## Toxic (Mar 1, 2007)

My top 30.


Royce Gracie
Sakuraba
Frank Shamrock
Tito Ortiz
Chuck Liddell
BJ Penn
Randy Couture
Bas Rutten
Wanderlei Silva
Fedor
Ken Shamrock
Dan Severn
Mark Coleman
Maurice Smith
Masakatsu Funaki
Minoru Suzuki
Mirko Cro Cop
Antonio Rodrigo Noguira
Matt Hughes
Pat Miletich
Guy Mezger
Don Frye
Rich Franklin
GSP
Anderson Silva
Takanori Gomi
Shogun
Dan Henderson
Josh Barnette


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## oldfan (Mar 14, 2010)

Toxic said:


> My top 30.
> 
> 
> Royce Gracie
> ...


I seriously thought I was the only Guy Mezger fan left.

and there weren't many to start with.


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## kantowrestler (Jun 6, 2009)

This is my personal top ten:
1. Fedor Emelianenko-WAMMA HW Champion, Last PRIDE Champion
2. Randy Couture-UFC HW Champ, LHW UFC Champ, Hall of Fame
3. Anderson Silva-UFC MW Champion, Cage Rage and Shooto Ch.
4. GSP-UFC WW Champion, UFC Interim Champ, TKO Champion
5. Matt Hughes-2xFormer UFC WW Champion, Hall of Fame
6. Chuck Liddell-Former UFC LHW Champion, Hall of Fame
7. Mark Coleman-First UFC HW Champion, UFC Hall of Fame
8. Dan Severn-UFC Superfight Champion, UFC Hall of Fame
9. Ken Shamrock-UFC Superfight Champ, UFC Hall of Fame
10. Royce Gracie-UFC 1,2, and 4 Champ, UFC Hall of Fame
Honorable Mention:
1. Mauricio Rua-UFC LHW Champion, PRIDE Grand Prix Champion
2. Takanori Gomi-PRIDE LW Champion, Shooto WW Champion
3. Antonio Inoki-WWWF World Martial Arts Heavyweight Champ


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## John8204 (May 13, 2010)

kantowrestler said:


> This is my personal top ten:
> 1. Fedor Emelianenko-WAMMA HW Champion, Last PRIDE Champion
> 2. Randy Couture-UFC HW Champ, LHW UFC Champ, Hall of Fame
> 3. Anderson Silva-UFC MW Champion, Cage Rage and Shooto Ch.
> ...


1. Dan Severn needs a little more respect the guy won 2 tournaments much more impressive than the "super fights". Plus he holds one of the most amazing records in MMA 93-16-7.

2. Ken Shamrock isn't even the best Shamrock, far and away the worst guy in the Hall of fame.

3. Major props for Gomi as an honorable mention, I have him in the 30's but I can see a case for him in the 20's.


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## kantowrestler (Jun 6, 2009)

John8204 said:


> 1. Dan Severn needs a little more respect the guy won 2 tournaments much more impressive than the "super fights". Plus he holds one of the most amazing records in MMA 93-16-7.
> 
> 2. Ken Shamrock isn't even the best Shamrock, far and away the worst guy in the Hall of fame.
> 
> 3. Major props for Gomi as an honorable mention, I have him in the 30's but I can see a case for him in the 20's.


Here are Severns other accomplishments:
-CFA Super Heavyweight Championship (1 time, current)
-Gladiator Challenge Superfight Heavyweight Championship


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## Hammerlock2.0 (Jun 17, 2009)

In no particular order:

Fedor (no explanation needed)
Sakuraba (same here)
Shogun (won PRIDE MW GP at 23 years old, uncrowned PRIDE MW champion, UFC LHW champion and he still has at least 5 years to go in the sport)
Wanderlei (so likeable as a person and so fearsome in the cage)
Anderson (if you ignore all the dancing he's pretty good...)
BJ Penn (never backing down from a fight, not afraid to step up and lose, UFC LW and WW champion obviously)
CroCop (no explanation needed here)
Matt Hughes (see above)
GSP (see above)


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## oldfan (Mar 14, 2010)

John8204 said:


> 1. Dan Severn needs a little more respect the guy won 2 tournaments much more impressive than the "super fights". Plus he holds one of the most amazing records in MMA 93-16-7.
> 
> 2. Ken Shamrock isn't even the best Shamrock, far and away the worst guy in the Hall of fame.
> 
> 3. Major props for Gomi as an honorable mention, I have him in the 30's but I can see a case for him in the 20's.





kantowrestler said:


> Here are Severns other accomplishments:
> -CFA Super Heavyweight Championship (1 time, current)
> -Gladiator Challenge Superfight Heavyweight Championship


Dan Severn is,was and always will be a joke. His record is as credible as anyone in the wwe. His wins are against first timers and amateurs. He used to pay opponents to not hit him in the face. His biggest win that I can remember was against the great ken shamrock:sarcastic12: in a fight that damn near put the ufc out of business. Look up the term "work" and you will find a picture of "the beast" He has done more to hurt the reputation of mma than anyone. :thumbsdown:

ps. He was the first big power wrestler in the ufc and he lost to 170lb Royce Gracie.:thumbsdown::thumbsdown:


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## John8204 (May 13, 2010)

Hammerlock2.0 said:


> In no particular order:
> 
> *Fedor (1)* (no explanation needed)
> *Sakuraba (2)*(same here)
> ...


you get one more and although I might be biased



kantowrestler said:


> Here are Severns other accomplishments:
> -CFA Super Heavyweight Championship (1 time, current)
> -Gladiator Challenge Superfight Heavyweight Championship


And lets not forget 3 time Olympic alternate and 3 time NWA Heavyweight Champion of the world. The guy is so bored that after 100 plus fights he still needs to work as a fake professional wrestler. :thumb02:


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## oldfan (Mar 14, 2010)

John8204 said:


> you get one more and although I might be biased
> 
> 
> 
> And lets not forget 3 time Olympic alternate and 3 time NWA Heavyweight Champion of the world. The guy is so *broke* that after 100 plus fights he still needs to work as a fake professional wrestler. :thumb02:


fixed


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## John8204 (May 13, 2010)

oldfan said:


> Dan Severn is,was and always will be a joke. His record is as credible as anyone in the wwe. His wins are against first timers and amateurs. He used to pay opponents to not hit him in the face. H*is biggest win that I can remember was against the great ken shamrock*:sarcastic12: in a fight that damn near put the ufc out of business. Look up the term "work" and you will find a picture of "the beast" He has done more to hurt the reputation of mma than anyone. :thumbsdown:
> 
> ps. He was the first big power wrestler in the ufc and he lost to 170lb Royce Gracie.:thumbsdown::thumbsdown:


He beat Tank Abbott, Paul Vareleans, and Oleg Taktarov in the same night which I believe is the greatest UFC tournament win of all time. 

Severn also has wins over Shamrock, Griffin, Sims. Horn and Miletich couldn't beat him.

Oh yeah and he started his MMA career at 36 years old. We never saw a Dan Severn in his prime years. 

ps. His first day fighting MMA he fought the legend Royce Gracie and though he lost, Gracie never took part in a UFC style tournament again.


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## oldfan (Mar 14, 2010)

John8204 said:


> He beat Tank Abbott, Paul Vareleans, and Oleg Taktarov in the same night which I believe is the greatest UFC tournament win of all time.
> 
> Severn also has wins over Shamrock, Griffin, Sims. *Horn and Miletich couldn't beat him.*
> 
> ...


yeah, that's right he "fought" horn and millitich each to a draw. back then they called it a "gentlemen's agreement" ( i got this from the horses mouth)

250lb severn paid 170lb millitich to not punch him in the face.

he has been involved in more "worked" matches (not in the ufc) than anyone who ever fought in the ufc.

....oh, kimo and kimbo beat tank too and Gracie didn't compete in the ufc anymore because he wouldn't except the rule changes (time limits).


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## John8204 (May 13, 2010)

oldfan said:


> yeah, that's right he "fought" horn and millitich each to a draw. back then they called it a "gentlemen's agreement" ( i got this from the horses mouth)
> 
> 250lb severn paid 170lb millitich to not punch him in the face.
> 
> ...


So he didn't want to get punched in the face by a submission wrestler. Maybe it had something to do with him fighting 10-12 times a year and he didn't want to get a medical suspension. It's not like he's ever asked a "striker" to not punch him in the face.

As for Kimo and Kimbo, well Kimbo was post wrestling(and likely drugs) Tank when he was broken down. Kimo has a win over Sakuraba and he actually knocked Gracie out of UFC 3. Severn beat Tank Abbott during his prime when he had only lost a grueling fight to Oleg Taktarov, and Severn beat Taktarov won won a UFC tournament and Varleans who made the finals of another.

Severns Taktarov/Abott/Varleans > 

Gracies Jimmerson/Shamrock/Gordeau
Gracies Ichihara/Delucia/Pardoel/Smith
Jennums Howard
Gracies Van Clief/Hackeny/Severn
Severn Charles/Taktarov/Beneteau
Taktarovs Beneteau/Macias/Abott
Ruas Cureton/Pardoel/Varleans
Fryes Ramirez/Adkins/Goodridge
Colemans Horenstein/Goodridge/Frye
Colemans Sanchez/Johnston
Fryes Goodridge/Hall/Abbott


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## oldfan (Mar 14, 2010)

> It's not like he's ever asked a "striker" to not punch him in the face.


Would you honestly believe that? that it was a one time thing?

We all believe what we want to. I believe that in mma history Dan severns name deserves to be right up there with Paul varlens Cal Wersham, Dusty Rhodes and Rick Flair.


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## Barrym (Nov 19, 2006)

I'll list mine as those who made MMA the most exciting for me personally

Royce Gracie
Chuck Liddell
Randy Couture
Kazushi Sakuraba
Wanderlei Silva
Emilianenko Fedor
Mauricio 'Shogun' Rua
BJ Penn
George St.Pierre
Anderson Silva

As I say,not a list of the greatest,but of those who made me sit up and pay attention,there are so many more,for a longer list I'd also include Cro Cop,Rampage,Ricardo Arona,Overeem,Nick Diaz,Jeff Joslin,Takanori Gomi and many more besides.


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## John8204 (May 13, 2010)

oldfan said:


> Would you honestly believe that? that it was a one time thing?


Well I think this stuff before we had the standard set of MMA rules we have today. 

Do I like this no striking in the face...no

Do I understand the reasoning behind it...yeah 

1. You are talking about an era where for guys to make a living they can't afford a medical suspension. This was when Severn fought 9-12 times a year.

2. This is during the era where they are making up the rules as they go along.

I certainly don't think Severn made all the guys he fought agree to this, otherwise he wouldn't have been knocked out by Joop Kasteel or he wouldn't have won many of his fights by TKO.


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## oldfan (Mar 14, 2010)

Barrym said:


> I'll list mine as those who made MMA the most exciting for me personally
> 
> Royce Gracie
> Chuck Liddell
> ...


I like this list. Honestly it's easier for me to list the ones That I don't think are great.



John8204 said:


> Well I think this stuff before we had the standard set of MMA rules we have today.
> 
> Do I like this no striking in the face...no
> 
> ...


 You're right. It was a different time. I don't think there were med suspensions but they were barely making a living and the rules were different at each event.


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## Toxic (Mar 1, 2007)

John8204 said:


> So he didn't want to get punched in the face by a submission wrestler. Maybe it had something to do with him fighting 10-12 times a year and he didn't want to get a medical suspension. It's not like he's ever asked a "striker" to not punch him in the face.
> 
> As for Kimo and Kimbo, well Kimbo was post wrestling(and likely drugs) Tank when he was broken down. Kimo has a win over Sakuraba and he actually knocked Gracie out of UFC 3. Severn beat Tank Abbott during his prime when he had only lost a grueling fight to Oleg Taktarov, and Severn beat Taktarov won won a UFC tournament and Varleans who made the finals of another.
> 
> ...


Sorry but I just highlighted the real toughest tournament Taktarov was a bad mofo but Tank sucked, when will people realize Tank didn't have some prime and then deteriorate like Chuck, Tank was beloved because he would go out swing for the fences and win or lose it was over quick. Don't mistake the fact Tank was popular with anything more than just that cause he always sucked.


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## John8204 (May 13, 2010)

Toxic said:


> Sorry but I just highlighted the real toughest tournament Taktarov was a bad mofo but Tank sucked, when will people realize Tank didn't have some prime and then deteriorate like Chuck, Tank was beloved because he would go out swing for the fences and win or lose it was over quick. Don't mistake the fact Tank was popular with anything more than just that cause he always sucked.


Still better than the 1-7 Morti Horenstein. I get that people feel like Tank's a joke and a punchline but he still managed to make it to the end of two tournaments. And that's why his road was the most impressive because he didn't have the easy first or second round fight he took on one guy that made it to the finals, one guy that made it to the finals twice, and one guy that won the whole thing. 

But I will say this I love your taste, Coleman/Frye is perhaps my favorite Coleman fight and a big reason Frye should be a hall of famer.


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## kantowrestler (Jun 6, 2009)

Yeah but like many early UFC legends, they are screwed over by Dana White!


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