The Skillful 10 (in progress)
1- Fedor Emelianenko
Record questions and the fading relevance of Pride aside, Fedor gets this spot for still having probably the most robust adaptation of a single master-class specialization (in his case, World-Championship Sambo) to MMA. Because of his skill, icy composure and well-roundedness he's pretty much incapable of going into a fight looking like the underdog. Look for his dominance to re-assert itself big time when he taps out Tim Sylvia.
2- Georges St. Pierre
More startling and awe-inspiring than GSP's well-balanced repertoire is the underlying maleability that allowed him to become a genuine triple threat in standup, wrestling and submissions. GSP learns and improves visibly between fights, and is capable of executing on any gameplan that exploits a hole in his opponent's game. Once characterized by his crisp boxing and highly effective kicks, he's re-emerged of late as a practitioner of the wrestler/boxer style being pioneered by a number of UFC frontrunners.
Fanboy Award: Best Wrestling in an MMA Application
3- BJ Penn
Like Fedor, BJ Penn fights a well-rounded style that is drastically adapted from background in a single master-class discipline (Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu). The more well-rounded of the two, with arguably best-in-class hands and an unorthodox defensive wrestling style, he misses the top spot for not possessing Fedor's robustness in the ring. While frequently fighting above his ideal size (not a problem for Fedor), BJ has still not exhibited the Tom Brady winning touch that Fedor brings to the ring. On a good day he's potentially the best in the world, but thus far his record has indicated something of a hot-cold fighter when it's been time to reproduce results over again and for the distance.
Fanboy Award: Best BJJ in an MMA Application
4- Anderson Silva
It really killed me not putting Anderson higher, but in terms of skill he just doesn't have the well-roundedness of my top three. He's easily the best striker in MMA today, but I just get this feeling when I watch him fight that someone burlier and less interesting will drag him to the mat and beat a decision or a GnP stoppage out of him sometime. Still, it gives me great happiness to be proven wrong about him time and time again, and for the moment it looks like clear sailing ahead for The Spider at 185 lbs.
Fanboy Award: Best Muay-Thai in an MMA Application
Fanboy Award: Also, Best Pure Striking in MMA
5- Urijah Faber
If Fedor's will to win were a discipline, Urijah would be a specialist in it. Where GSP shines for his ability to learn and execute, Urijah is known for improvisational brilliance. Like BJ Penn and Fedor Emelianenko on this list, Urijah carries the distinction of being incredibly composed and focused in a scramble situation, and nearly always "doing the right thing" in an off-balance melee against the cage wall. Combine this with his natural athleticism, and you have a fighter who's never better than when he's completely winging it, and trusting his own talents to prevail wherever the chips land.
6- Demian Maia
7- Lyoto Machida
8- Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
9- Gray Maynard
10- Norifumi Yamamoto
Record questions and the fading relevance of Pride aside, Fedor gets this spot for still having probably the most robust adaptation of a single master-class specialization (in his case, World-Championship Sambo) to MMA. Because of his skill, icy composure and well-roundedness he's pretty much incapable of going into a fight looking like the underdog. Look for his dominance to re-assert itself big time when he taps out Tim Sylvia.
2- Georges St. Pierre
More startling and awe-inspiring than GSP's well-balanced repertoire is the underlying maleability that allowed him to become a genuine triple threat in standup, wrestling and submissions. GSP learns and improves visibly between fights, and is capable of executing on any gameplan that exploits a hole in his opponent's game. Once characterized by his crisp boxing and highly effective kicks, he's re-emerged of late as a practitioner of the wrestler/boxer style being pioneered by a number of UFC frontrunners.
Fanboy Award: Best Wrestling in an MMA Application
3- BJ Penn
Like Fedor, BJ Penn fights a well-rounded style that is drastically adapted from background in a single master-class discipline (Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu). The more well-rounded of the two, with arguably best-in-class hands and an unorthodox defensive wrestling style, he misses the top spot for not possessing Fedor's robustness in the ring. While frequently fighting above his ideal size (not a problem for Fedor), BJ has still not exhibited the Tom Brady winning touch that Fedor brings to the ring. On a good day he's potentially the best in the world, but thus far his record has indicated something of a hot-cold fighter when it's been time to reproduce results over again and for the distance.
Fanboy Award: Best BJJ in an MMA Application
4- Anderson Silva
It really killed me not putting Anderson higher, but in terms of skill he just doesn't have the well-roundedness of my top three. He's easily the best striker in MMA today, but I just get this feeling when I watch him fight that someone burlier and less interesting will drag him to the mat and beat a decision or a GnP stoppage out of him sometime. Still, it gives me great happiness to be proven wrong about him time and time again, and for the moment it looks like clear sailing ahead for The Spider at 185 lbs.
Fanboy Award: Best Muay-Thai in an MMA Application
Fanboy Award: Also, Best Pure Striking in MMA
5- Urijah Faber
If Fedor's will to win were a discipline, Urijah would be a specialist in it. Where GSP shines for his ability to learn and execute, Urijah is known for improvisational brilliance. Like BJ Penn and Fedor Emelianenko on this list, Urijah carries the distinction of being incredibly composed and focused in a scramble situation, and nearly always "doing the right thing" in an off-balance melee against the cage wall. Combine this with his natural athleticism, and you have a fighter who's never better than when he's completely winging it, and trusting his own talents to prevail wherever the chips land.
6- Demian Maia
7- Lyoto Machida
8- Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
9- Gray Maynard
10- Norifumi Yamamoto
posted by Liam at
3:53 PM
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