Issue 134
November 2015
It’s an argument as old as the sport, but after two decades of action FO investigates which champion is truly the best titan to ever compete in MMA
Fedor Emelianenko was long considered the leading fighter in MMA’s marquee division, but since the turn of the decade a crop of new contenders has emerged to mount a challenge for his greatest of all time (GOAT) crown. The established order of the heavyweight hierarchy has been shaken, but must the old guard now bow to the new elite?
Back when Japanese promotion Pride closed in 2007, there was a definitive ‘big three’ topping the list of all-time heavyweight greats, thanks to their long, successful careers. First, there was Mirko Cro Cop – a kickboxer with a list of KO victims longer than Jon Jones’ jab. Then there was Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira – a former champion with 19 wins via tapout, including one over the organization’s aforementioned 2005 grand prix winner. Finally, and most lauded of them all, was the Russian, Emelianenko. He was then six years into an unbeaten run that included dominant victories over his two biggest rivals.
But time waits for no man. Soon enough Cro Cop began to fade, and suffered several defeats in the UFC. Then Nogueira lost his luster as an unstoppable comeback king after he too was stopped several times in the Octagon. And even Fedor eventually crumbled to three straight defeats in Strikeforce.
The fighters that emerged from the rubble represented a new generation of big men, with the skill and athleticism needed to compliment their size. Junior dos Santos, Brock Lesnar and a reborn Frank Mir were among the names that rose to prominence. But by 2015, two stood out above them all: current world champion Fabricio Werdum, and the recently-dethroned Cain Velasquez.
Every ruler in the fight game risks being usurped eventually, and Fedor has reigned as heavyweight MMA monarch for a long time. But can either of these pretenders claim his title as the true GOAT? Fighters Only investigates...
Striking
Emelianenko - Score 7
Wild but effective. He could pound people from top position or knock them silly on the feet.
Werdum - Score 6
Much improved in the last few years, but he still lacks the one-punch KO power of his rivals.
Velasquez - Score 8
Just ask former champion Junior dos Santos how it feels to go punch-for-punch with Cain.
Grappling
Emelianenko - Score 9
Deadly in the clinch and on the mat. Fedor’s 16 submission wins tell their own story.
Werdum - Score 10
Tapping Fedor, Nogueira and Cain makes him the greatest ever heavyweight submission specialist.
Velasquez - Score 9
His outstanding wrestling is relentless and as difficult to stop as a runaway freight train.
Durability
Emelianenko - Score 9
In his prime in Pride he survived hellacious punches and being suplexed onto his head to win.
Werdum - Score 9
Took a licking from both Cain and Mark Hunt, but kept on ticking to twice claim UFC gold.
Velasquez - Score 7
Shown signs he can fight through adversity, but his two losses have come via deflating stoppages.
Wins
Emelianenko - Score 9
Dominated his two biggest rivals in their prime, and has wins over four former UFC champions.
Werdum - Score 9
His triumphant victories over the two other men in this list are the hallmarks of a great career.
Velasquez - Score 9
No rival can match the dominance displayed in each of the 13 wins he’s delivered so far.
Legacy
Emelianenko - Score 10
His run of nine years and 28 fights unbeaten will probably never be equalled.
Werdum - Score 7
He’s finally cemented his place among the greats by winning the UFC belt, but he’s yet to defend it.
Velasquez - Score 6
Injuries have held him back, while the two-time champ also lost the UFC belt in his two biggest fights.
The Verdict
Emelianenko 44
Werdum 41
Velasquez 38
Though he suffered some losses towards the end of his career, nothing has surpassed Fedor’s domination of the sport for almost an entire decade. However, with Werdum and Velasquez set to rematch, either could strengthen their case in the coming months and beyond.
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