MMA HOF

[Warner2BruceTD]

So let's say there was a Mixed Martial Arts Hall of Fame, and it was based on in ring/cage performance only like the other sports HOF's (forget drawing power)....

For example, these type of guys would be locks...

Dan Severn
Fedor
Royce Gracie
Ken Shamrock
Mark Coleman
Sakuraba
Anderson Silva
GSP
Matt Hughes
Chuck Liddell
Randy Couture
Dan Henderson
BJ Penn
Rickson Gracie
Cro Cop
Big Nog
Shogun

...you get the idea (feel free to add the obvious guys I overlooked).

How would you feel about the following fighters? I think some are and some are not, but I think you can make solid arguments in either direction:

Josh Barnett
Rich Franklin
Shiya Aoki
Alistair Overeem
Frank Mir
Evan Tanner
Vitor Belfort
Gomi
Kid Yamamoto
Urijah Faber

 

[EmpireWF]

Other obvious - FRANK SHAMROCK


No on Franklin.

Aoki, I'd say no now. Who knows in another 5 years.

Overeem, not yet.

Mir, I could see the case for his historic wins over Big Nog.

Gomi, yes. Dominant lightweight for a chunk of time.

 

[Warner2BruceTD]

Forgetting Frank was a troll job, but you beat rob to it lol.

 

[Warner2BruceTD]

I know it's a young sport and most of the first gen guys are still actually fighting in a lot of cases, but i'm surprised there hasn't been a Hall of Fame of some sort concocted.

The UFC HOF is obviously stupid for many reason (Mask lol), and Meltzer briefly had one going but it was a weird deal based somewhat on drawing power and he dropped it after a year or two and has never mentioned it again.

 

[EmpireWF]

You're welcome rob.


How about Miletich & Pulver.

 

[Liquidrob]

I don't think Dan Severn should get in, doesnt seem HOF worthy to me

Have to do my research, Frye might be one, even over Dan, Dan just didnt do it for me

Not even sure about Cro Cop, had a great run but failed against the 2 best in Fedor and Nog

Josh Barnett - Possible, but 3 failed tests hurt him, maybe if he wins the UFC title in this new era, he had chances but always came up short against Cro Cop
Rich Franklin - No, weak MW era
Shiya Aoki - On the fence
Alistair Overeem - If he wins the title he will complete a major run and be an all time great combat athlete
Frank Mir - Um, probably not
Evan Tanner - No
Vitor Belfort - No, all chances, failed to much
Gomi - Yes, one of the best LW runs ever
Kid Yamamoto - Nope
Urijah Faber - Nope

 

[Liquidrob]

LOL, didnt even see Frank missing, read Ken and just thought I read both

Bas is always in interesting case, I think he is in

Wand is also in easily

 

[Warner2BruceTD]

Pulver is another good one to debate.

How about Cyborg (the sorta female one)?

 

[Kuzzy Powers]

Of course theres no criteria for this but it'd be impossible for me to put Jens Pulver in any kind of HOF.

 

[Liquidrob]

I am a Rickson fan, but he probably wouldnt get in a MMA HOF, BJJ HOF easily, he took a lot of showcase fights and never really went for it, even without losses, he didnt put it on the line like Royce and Renzo

 

[Bmore]

Rampage?

He's had some huge fights in his Pride and UFC days and beat some HOF's.

Does he get the snub like Cris Carter?!

I think his battles with Wandi, was one of the biggest rivalries ever.

 

[Liquidrob]

Rampage is another, he unified the belts, good call

 

[Warner2BruceTD]

I am a Rickson fan, but he probably wouldnt get in a MMA HOF, BJJ HOF easily, he took a lot of showcase fights and never really went for it, even without losses, he didnt put it on the line like Royce and Renzo

I see guys like him, Severn, even Ken to an extent as pioneers.

Frye is a lock, he went like 5 years with only one loss to peak Coleman, and had wins over a bunch of stars of the era.

Wandy obviously.

Rampage.

Bas too, for sure.

How do you guys feel about some of the other Pancrase guys? Does the idea of the occassional work turn you off? We kinda know in 2012 which was which.

 

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

No Gary Goodridge?

F-.

 

[Liquidrob]

Because of the nature of MMA, it started as an open weight sport, you wont have many lighter weights, it's going to be a lot of 200 lbs + guys because thats what the old days were

Plus the era's, Ken and Bas have a lot of hype because of Pancrase which was MMA but nothing like todays sport, the Pride era with there dominate LHWs and the UFC have there dominate LHWs than guys like Rampage bridging that gap

For the smaller guys you might need to look at Mach, he started off the P4P stuff

 

[Warner2BruceTD]

Minoru Suzuki and Funaki are the Pancrase guys i'm talking about, obviously.

They definitely did jobs now & then, so idk. It was a different time, they were just doing business, wasn't really frowned upon in those days.

 

[Liquidrob]

I see guys like him, Severn, even Ken to an extent as pioneers.

Frye is a lock, he went like 5 years with only one loss to peak Coleman, and had wins over a bunch of stars of the era.

Wandy obviously.

Rampage.

Bas too, for sure.

How do you guys feel about some of the other Pancrase guys? Does the idea of the occassional work turn you off? We kinda know in 2012 which was which.

I think the Pancrase days dont help the Japanese guys, Ken, Bas and Frank made there names in Pancrase, Ken and Bas more, but the guys they were beating didnt step outside of Pancrase much except maybe guys like Kondo, Bas didnt either but still won the UFC HW title when he came out

Funaki is the best from those guys, but people dont see him as a MMA pioneer, more of a Pancrasee pioneer, guys like Suzuki were good also, but they didnt have or do what Ken, Frank and Bas did afterward

 

[Steel Mamba]

How is Sakuraba a lock? He'd only be a lock if it was based on star power and what he meant to Japanese MMA.

Cro Cop is pretty iffy as well.

 

[Liquidrob]

easy groan is easy

 

[Steel Mamba]

easy groan is easy

Why? How am I going to put someone in the HOF who was never even #1 in their division? Doesn't make any sense to me.