Favourite Mixed Martial Artist/Fighter

[Obdurate]

I know there's an MMA thread but I think it's better to have more threads, that way it isn't just one big ass thread about a subject. But maybe that's just me.

Anyway, just trying to get more combat sport conversations going, so who are your favourite MMA fighters? And why?

 

[porterjack]

gsp coz he is canadian

 

[dkwrtw]

Matt Lindland because he is an olympic silver medalist and a fellow Oregonian

Dan Henderson because he is fearless, scoffs at the idea of weight classes and just won another world title at age 40

Ben Askren because he is the best wrestler in MMA today, and utilizes wrestling techniques that you NEVER see done in MMA

Chael Sonnen because he has the best takedowns I've ever seen

Randy Couture because I LOVE his style, at his best his ability to fight in the clinch was second to none


Can you tell I have a wrestling background?

 

[Darrell]

GSP has always been my favorite. That guy is a tremendous athlete, and a class act in the octagon. I refuse to give the UFC a dime of my money, but Georges St. Pierre is a class act.

 

[retro]

dk is gonna kill me.... Brock

GSP has always been my favorite. That guy is a tremendous athlete, and a class act in the octagon. I refuse to give the UFC a dime of my money, but Georges St. Pierre is a class act.

I can't freaking stand GSP... you say he's a class act, and I say he's an arrogant little prick. :24:

 

[dkwrtw]

dk is gonna kill me.... Brock



I can't freaking stand GSP... you say he's a class act, and I say he's an arrogant little prick. :24:

lol I'm no Bork fan but there are many things I respect about him, such as the fact that he didn't fuck around in the bush leagues like Bobby Lashley, he wanted to be the best and immediately fought the best, and when he got smashed by the best he didn't call it quits, he set out to get the belt back, I respect all of that.



About GSP, I've heard from people who've met him that he's very rude to fans.

 

[Darrell]

That's a shame that you have heard that, I have never met him, so I have no frame of reference.

 

[dkwrtw]

I think GSP is a world class athlete and martial artist but I don't think he has a fighter's mentality.

 

[Obdurate]

Matt Lindland because he is an olympic silver medalist and a fellow Oregonian

Dan Henderson because he is fearless, scoffs at the idea of weight classes and just won another world title at age 40

Ben Askren because he is the best wrestler in MMA today, and utilizes wrestling techniques that you NEVER see done in MMA

Chael Sonnen because he has the best takedowns I've ever seen

Randy Couture because I LOVE his style, at his best his ability to fight in the clinch was second to none


Can you tell I have a wrestling background?

Haha I could never tell. As I was reading it I was thinking, "I'm going to ask if there's a wrestling background going on."

The only one in your list that I would consider for a Top Fighter list is Henderson, for the very reason you said. He scoffs at the idea of weight classes:

Sonnen isn't a favourite of mine, but I do like him... BUT P4P best trash talker in the game, bar none. It's poetry. I saw you had a quote of his in your sig, one of my favourite moments is "I think a black belt from the Nogueira Brothers is kind of like getting a toy in your happy meal." For the record, I love the Nogs, but this is just funny as hell, and clever.

I'm going to try to narrow mine down but it's hard because there are so many fighters that can make the cut:

Nick Diaz - My favourite, because he's entertaining. He fights, he's a BJJ guy who goes in there and punches.

Katsunori Kikuno - Another thrilling fighter. Interesting style, with a different stance, plus he fights you with a creepy as hell smile on his face.

Kazushi Sakuraba - Way way way past his prime, but one of my favourite fighters ever. A legend.

Shogun - Violent, arguably the greatest LHW of all time. But sadly, injuries have made him very inconsistent the last while.

Alexander Sarnavskiy - I think he's a good prospect with a fun style.

Fedor Emelianenko - Legend. Always goes for the fucking kill, regardless. Fears nothing.

Gegard Mousasi - I don't get the hate on him. The way he fights isn't exactly good with the AMERICAN style of judging, but he's still very talented.

Shinya Aoki - Sometimes a piss poor attitude, but a submission whiz.

Kazuki Miyata - SLAMS! GERMAN SUPLEXES!

Megumi Fuji - In my eyes she's still undefeated. Got robbed. Another submission whiz.

Genki Sudo - I throw hiim in here even though he's retired, because he's probably the most entertaining fighter to ever fight. Big spins, crazy combos, eccentric attitude with a positive mentality. "We are all one."

I think those are my favourite right now.. some honourable mentions because I'm bad for that:
The Mongolian Wolf, Minowaman, Takanori Gomi, Hatsu Hioki, Rampage, Big Nog, Melvin Mahoef. Magomed Shikhshabekov, Mamed Khalidov, Hideo Tokoro. Then a bunch of people who look promising but I haven't seen many fights.

Not a whole lot of people with a wrestling base, so we're different, haha

 

[Panacea]

Not for any reason but his crazy appearance, awesome name, and life story; Jens Pulver

 

[dkwrtw]

Haha I could never tell. As I was reading it I was thinking, "I'm going to ask if there's a wrestling background going on."

The only one in your list that I would consider for a Top Fighter list is Henderson, for the very reason you said. He scoffs at the idea of weight classes:

Sonnen isn't a favourite of mine, but I do like him... BUT P4P best trash talker in the game, bar none. It's poetry. I saw you had a quote of his in your sig, one of my favourite moments is "I think a black belt from the Nogueira Brothers is kind of like getting a toy in your happy meal." For the record, I love the Nogs, but this is just funny as hell, and clever.

I'm going to try to narrow mine down but it's hard because there are so many fighters that can make the cut:

Nick Diaz - My favourite, because he's entertaining. He fights, he's a BJJ guy who goes in there and punches.

Katsunori Kikuno - Another thrilling fighter. Interesting style, with a different stance, plus he fights you with a creepy as hell smile on his face.

Kazushi Sakuraba - Way way way past his prime, but one of my favourite fighters ever. A legend.

Shogun - Violent, arguably the greatest LHW of all time. But sadly, injuries have made him very inconsistent the last while.

Alexander Sarnavskiy - I think he's a good prospect with a fun style.

Fedor Emelianenko - Legend. Always goes for the fucking kill, regardless. Fears nothing.

Gegard Mousasi - I don't get the hate on him. The way he fights isn't exactly good with the AMERICAN style of judging, but he's still very talented.

Shinya Aoki - Sometimes a piss poor attitude, but a submission whiz.

Kazuki Miyata - SLAMS! GERMAN SUPLEXES!

Megumi Fuji - In my eyes she's still undefeated. Got robbed. Another submission whiz.

Genki Sudo - I throw hiim in here even though he's retired, because he's probably the most entertaining fighter to ever fight. Big spins, crazy combos, eccentric attitude with a positive mentality. "We are all one."

I think those are my favourite right now.. some honourable mentions because I'm bad for that:
The Mongolian Wolf, Minowaman, Takanori Gomi, Hatsu Hioki, Rampage, Big Nog, Melvin Mahoef. Magomed Shikhshabekov, Mamed Khalidov. Then a bunch of people who look promising but I haven't seen many fights.

Not a whole lot of people with a wrestling base, so we're different, haha

A few more to add to my list:


Kazushi Sakuraba for the same reasons I love Hendo, he may be Japanese but as far as I'm concerned Saku is a REAL AMERICAN

Michael Bisping because he's IMO a funny guy, and makes up for his lack of punching power with grit and determination

Katsuyori Shibata, this man personifies the "Undersized Japanese Tomato Can" to go straight from pro wrestling to fighting the likes of Gracie, Mayhem, Sakuraba, Minowa, Akiyama and Ishii is just insane, I wish this guy would fight more often

Rousimar Palhares, is IMO easily the most violent BJJ based fighter in the sport, he means business on the ground and is looking to cripple limbs with his submissions, he is truly a despicable human being and I love him for it

Shinya Aoki because he's a violent little shit, and I needed at least one guard puller on my list :24:

 

[dkwrtw]

Not for any reason but his crazy appearance, awesome name, and life story; Jens Pulver

Jens will be fighting this month

 

[Obdurate]

Katsuyori Shibata, this man personifies the "Undersized Japanese Tomato Can" to go straight from pro wrestling to fighting the likes of Gracie, Mayhem, Sakuraba, Minowa, Akiyama and Ishii is just insane, I wish this guy would fight more often

Haha word. Another guy I like who I felt was fed to the wolves is Dong-Sik Yoon. The guy has an IMPRESSIVE Judo background, and loss more than he won in MMA (I'm using past tense 'cuz he hasnt' had a fight since Dream 12). This is most of his career, in order:

Sakuraba, Makoto Takimoto, Rampage, Murilo Bustamente, Melvin Manhoef, Zelg Galesic, Fabio Silva, Shungo Oyama, Gegard Mousasi

So he fights a legend, then okay a not so great guy, but then fucking Rampage, then Bustament. He goes 0-4, then fights Manhoef (who, even though he doesn't have a ground game... is still scary as hell), and then he wins against Galesic who isn't great but has a couple good wins, then Fabio Silva (meh whatever), then he keeps fighting kinda weak competition with Oyama but then HERE YOU GO, FIGHT MOUSASI, IN JAPAN, where the rules are different and Mousasi excels. Despite a few easy fights, he hasn't had a very easy career. I like him though.

Rousimar Palhares, is IMO easily the most violent BJJ based fighter in the sport, he means business on the ground and is looking to cripple limbs with his submissions, he is truly a despicable human being and I love him for it

Yeah!

 

[dkwrtw]

Rousimar has fucking POWERFUL takedowns too, I love to see a good double let, slam or suplex. I HATE single leg takedowns though, that looks like desperation to me, instead of lifting someone off the ground and slamming them down, or driving through them it looks like you're clinging on to their leg trying desperately to get them to the ground lol

Single Legs are only acceptable when you can pull them off WITH STYLE like Sakuraba or Minowaman.