Lowkick.com Mass Debate: The Greatest Of All Time Results
Following the HUGE debate about my GOAT poll I asked you, the members of Lowkick, to provide me with your take on who is the greatest of all time. The arguments came flooding in, and along with some staff quarrels, I’ve put together some of the coolest points of view. Check out the results below:
Mike Drahota says: ‘The Spider Knows Best’
My pick for the greatest fighter of all time has to be Anderson Silva. I don’t think he fought the best competition ever, but in finishing the likes of Dan Henderson and Vitor Belfort, he made it look easy. No one will ever match his fluid blend of Muay Thai and Jiujitsu. He was rarely if ever in trouble, and he busts out moves that make professionals look extremely silly. You just never know how the Spider’s going to get you, only that it’s going to happen.
David Saucier knows: ‘Its A Hot Debate’
The greatest of all time otherwise known as the GOAT has always been a hot debate, and even the criteria for the GOAT can not be agreed upon by all the same problem exist in the pound for pound debate. Do we go strictly by the numbers, do we go by once achievements, grade of competition, performance/abilities, do we go for pioneers? To me this debate comes down to two people Fedor, and A. Silva. Although I was tempted to go off the popular path and go with my dark horse Frank Shamrock. One thing that bothers me about the HW division, and the higher weight classes in general is that the heavier the weight classes the less technique and well rounded fighters you will find within the division. In another words bigger guys can get away with relying on power to over come their lack in technique and overall skills that smaller guys need to focus on more in order to maximize the full benefit of that skill or martial art. So with that in mind I look to the smaller guys as having more talent. Anderson Silva In my opinion is the current GOAT he holds a very respectable record from his days in Pride, as well as KOTC, and other smaller orgs. Looking past the record I go by the eye test, I have constantly seen Silva make very good and well rounded fighters look like they never fought a day in their lives, and sometimes I feel like im watching a scene out of the matrix when I watch him fight. He knocks out guys with ease, accuracy of sniper out of WW II, with butal strikes from his bony knees, elbows, and his hands. . He has not lost in since his debut in the UFC, and only one man who fell on a needle of magic juice made him look human who he later destroyed in a rematch. Given what Silva has done at the same age that Fedor retired at makes it more incredible in my eyes. If Fedor picks fighting back up and has the same success till he is 40 then I might reconsider.
Bryan Fontez: ‘100% Fedor’
In my opinion Fedor Emelianenko is the most ferocious and tenacious fighter ever seen in MMA. No man has ever displayed the kind of killer instinct he possessed in his prime. With the speed of a lightweight, the power of a heavyweight, a titanium chin, hands of steel, a will of Iron, and a gaze that would give the devil the chills. Fedor defeated you before you even got into the ring with him.Pit all the very best in history against each other in their primes, and I still say Fedor finds a way to get his hand raised in brutal fashion.
Evan Holober: ‘Don’t Jump The Gun’
To start things off, I don’t think “The greatest off all-time” moniker should be used quite yet in mixed martial arts. The sport is but a baby compared to the other major leagues in the world, and we are just over a decade into the sport being legitimized on a mass level. However, if I were going to give credence to the greatest so far its Anderson Silva. He’s decimated his division in the modern era of mixed martial arts, and he’s done it just a bit longer than Georges St. Pierre (who in my opinion is right behind him). Anderson’s division may not be on the level of welterweight or light-heavyweight, but his domination in it is more impressive than Fedor’s at heavyweight (which is the weakest division out of the original 5 now, let alone 5 years ago) or Georges’s run against monsters at 170. If Anderson loses, or retires within a fight or two and St. Pierre continues to win for 3 or 4 more years, Georges will surpass him in accomplishments and therefore be “greater” on a competitor level. But until that happens, Anderson is Sugar Ray Robinson of MMA.
Jose Aldo and Jon Jones will be in this conversation if their level of dominance continues for the next 4+ years. Yes, both of them.
Rory Kernaghan: ‘Off The Beaten Path’
There seems to be a common trend here, Fedor and Silva seem to be the choice pick-mainly due to their huge skillset and records. For me though, it’s about more than that, to be the GOAT you have to transcend the sport. In my eyes, the greatest fighter ever is Kazushi Sakuraba, ‘Saku’ changed the game of MMA forever. He proved that a Gracie could be beaten on the ground, dominated even. In the Pride Openweight GP 2000 Sakuraba fought for 90 minutes with Jiu-Jitsu and UFC/MMA Hall Of Famer; Royce Gracie. Gracie’s corner threw in the towel after six 15 minute rounds, with Gracie almost unable to walk. Saku is a hero to me, although his career has gone on too long, he shows the heart and will to continue-which epitamises MMA for me. His controbution to the world of MMA is far superior to that of modern day stars by a long way.
Enjoylife321: George St Pierre-A proven champion inside and outside the cage.
At 24-2-0 GSP will go down as the best mixed martial artist in history. GSP has defeated the likes of BJ Penn, Nick Diaz, Sean Sherk, Matt 
Hughes. GSP has finished more than half of his opponents by either KO or submission victory, seven of his opponents being finished in the first round. While noone is disputing the greats of Royce Gracie, Fedor Emelianenko & Anderson Silva, it’s GSP’s humility and respect for opponents and overcoming adversity through injury that is most impressive. GSP has also avenged his only two losses.
MMAgym said: ‘What About Velasquez?’
I think Cain gets overlooked a lot because he is early in his career. but his record is great, considering he is in the heavyweight division where any head strike can be a finisher, not to mention the guy is a small heavyweight and the division is far superior to when Fedor fought!
Kieth Farrell: ‘The Facts Don’t Lie’
It used to be Fedor and was for a long time but Anderson Silva has taken his spot as the G.O.A.T.Fedor may have been unbeaten for 10 years but I think Anderson’s 16 wins streak in the UFC is even more impressive, facing non-stop killers, especially the last couple of years.I also think finishing is a big part of it. Fedor’s biggest wins, Nog and Fedor were all-time great performances but not finishes even though he is a strong finisher himself but all of Anderson’s best wins are by finishes, from every position.I just think the fact that Anderson is older and has a longer career than Fedor did but is showing greater longevity, not slowing down at the end, is a big factor.It is just hard to ignore that Fedor got brutally beaten 3 times in a row and with that, even though it was at his end, I struggle to put him in front of Silva.
Thanks to you guys for an awesome debate, sorry I couldn’t use every point of view-but theres always next time. To finish check out the Mass Debate pt I awards and stay tuned to Lowkick!
The ‘Homer Simpson Award’ for lazy comment goes to:
Jack N. Meoff: <Fedor Emelianenko>
The ‘BabyAds Award’ for best troll goes to:
Dropkickmurphy: James ‘Colossus’ Thompson
And finally, the ‘WTH did he just say Award’ for most incoherent comment goes to:
Gaul: imho Cain needs atlast 15 more win to compare Fedor
