Issue 093

October 2012

Mauro Ranallo

Former Pride and current Strikeforce commentator

YES

I definitely believe he’s the greatest heavyweight of all time. Even though I debated with Dana White about Fedor being the best fighter of all time, I think Anderson Silva has since taken that title. But Fedor should definitely be remembered for what he was. During his peak, Pride was the premier organization. It was home to a prime Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Mirko ‘Cro Cop’ Filipovic, Josh Barnett and so on. It was the land of the heavyweights, and Fedor put together an incredible win streak. Sure, there were a few ‘freak show’ fights along the way, but you think about the fights with Nogueira, being dropped on his head by Kevin Randleman, beating Mark Coleman just after his grand prix win, defeating Cro Cop at his own game in what many considered the most important heavyweight fight of the time. The fact he didn’t compete in the UFC means there will always be question marks, but if he would have fought in the UFC in 2000 he would have destroyed everybody. In his prime, there was no one who could beat him. That, I don’t think, can even be argued.

Anthony Pettis

Former WEC lightweight champion, 15-2

NO

There are so many great fighters in MMA, so I’m not sure if you can say he’s the greatest fighter of all time, or even the greatest heavyweight of all time. I will definitely say he’s up there as one of the best to have ever competed in the sport. But there are so many good fighters in the sport right now and so many good fighters coming into the sport. It’s so hard to call one guy the absolute best. You have guys like Junior Dos Santos and Cain Velasquez right now. They’re competing at a whole different level to what Fedor did. The heavyweight division is better right now than it has ever been. But I definitely have a lot of respect for Fedor as a fighter. And if he’s truly done competing, he’s going to be missed.

What you had to say on the matter ...

NO

“In the Pride days maybe but after Pride he did not compete and win against any top fighters who are in the UFC today.”

@R_POURHANA

YES

“Yes! Beat the best heavyweights in the world at a time when the HW divsion was imo at its best. Beat them at their own game too! Yes!”

@LOUISECALLER

YES

“Of course he was, he was undefeated at the highest level at the time for years and on more brutal rules.”

@DEED285

NO

“Fedor is not the best HW ever due to key losses towards the end of his career and never fighting in the @ufc.”

@MAJESTICEJJ