A single fighter who holds the best resume in the MMA history has long been a topic of debate among fans and forums alike. Some believe this is simply a fable – a myth that litters the internet with incessant deliberation and cruel memes. When you consider the evolution of the sport, the number of organizations, and the sheer number of competitors across nearly three decades – it becomes not a matter of if, but how much MMA math is being used as the primary method of analysis. This “Uncrowned King” series does not intend to supply a concrete answer to this eternal question, rather it relies on data obtained using a mathematical-based analysis. Keep in mind we are not discussing who the GOAT(s) is/are – we are simply looking at the guys who consistently fought, were competitive with, and beat the best over a sustained period of time. The goal is to observe just what makes these fighters extraordinary – as well as stimulate the conversation about these athletes in a different way. Like any argument of who is or has “the best of” anything, selecting specific criteria is important in determining the best candidates. The following is the criteria and system I have developed for rating MMA fighters with the best resumé. I will use this framework to rank these fighters based on points awarded. The system I’ve created is based on my own opinion of what it means to carry such a distinction and is subject to change as we go through this process.
Basic Criteria For Consideration
1. This fighter must have at least 30 professional fights on their record and have 10+ years of professional competition 2. This fighter must have competed against other highly ranked (top 15) competitors on a regular basis 3. This fighter must have won at least 60 percent of their fights (winning is important, but there is wiggle room here) 4. This fighter must have fought in a major MMA organization – PRIDE, UFC, WEC, or Strikeforce 5. This fighter can be retired or active 6. Their opponents will be judged by their ranking AT THE TIME of these specific fights 7. These fighter selections will be ranked relative to the strength of their own divisions (whether a division is considered “weak” or “strong” is irrelevant)
Points System
1. Fight against opponent ranked 11-15 = 1 point 2. Win against opponent ranked 11-15 = 1.5 points 3. Finish against opponent ranked 11-15 = 2 points
4. Fight against opponent ranked 6-10 = 2 points 5. Win against opponent ranked 6-10 = 3 points 6. Finish against opponent ranked 6-10 = 4 points
7. Fight against opponent ranked 1-5 = 3 points 8. Win against opponent ranked 1-5 = 4.5 points 9. Finish against opponent ranked 1-5 = 6 points
10. Challenging for a belt = 4 points 11. Winning the belt = 6 points 12. Finishing the champion = 8 points 13. Fighting up or down a weight class = Bonus of 0.5 points
Each win that the particular combatant has against a top 15 opponent is documented and scored based on the opponent, weight class, and fight result. The points are then awarded for each contest. Once I have gone through each relevant fight, I add up all of the points. The fighters are given a final score, which are then ranked amongst the others. Keep in mind that I will NOT be covering losses, only wins against ranked opponents. In theory, the fighter with the highest score would have the best resume in MMA. The rankings of each fighter at the time of each contest will be taken from Fight Matrix Historical Rankings.
In the first part I published on Hendo, I covered all of his ranked wins while fighting in PRIDE. That included adding both welterweight and middleweight championship belts to Dan’s resume. In the second part, we will talk about Hendo’s success in the UFC and Strikeforce.
Event: UFC 93
Opponent: Rich Franklin
Result: Win // Split Decision
Opponent’s Rank: 10 (Light Heavyweight – 205 lbs)
Score: 3 points
On this night, we saw the long-anticipated bout between Dan Henderson and Rich Franklin take place. In a fast paced entertaining match up, Hendo used his wrestling advantage to take Rich down at least once in each round. With Franklin working back to his feet multiple times, he was able to land clean on Hendo many times – the left body kick being his most effective strike. Despite his efforts, Dan had some success of his own on the feet, and was able to get the split decision win.
Event: UFC 100
Opponent: Michael Bisping
Opponent’s Ranking: 11 (Middleweight – 185 lbs)
Result: Win // KO (punch)
Score: 2.5 points (0.5 bonus points given for moving down in weight)
UFC 100 became a legendary night for the H-Bomb hero we all know and love. During season 9 of The Ultimate Fighter opposite brash Englishman Michael Bisping, the two developed a vicious rivalry. Eager to put “The Count” to rest (pun intended), Hendo was aggressive early. In the second round Bisping started landing more frequently, although the observation of many was that he was circling towards to power side of Henderson. That proved to be his undoing, as he carefully placed his head right onto the path of Hendo’s most dangerous punch. Dan knocked him out cold, and landed his signature leaping superman punch to the head of an unconscious Bisping. Mario Yamasaki stepped in to save him, and The Count would remain out for minutes. It was and still remains to be one of the most brutal knockouts in UFC history, which made Henderson glad to have “shut him up”.
Hendo faced Renato “Babalu” Sobral in a fight that would lead to a title shot for Dan. After a brief feeling out process, Hendo landed a left hook and right hand that got Babalu’s attention. He shot for a takedown and there was a chaotic scramble that had Hendo spinning 360 degrees on his own leg, and ended with Henderson knocking Babalu out with some vicious ground and pound strikes.
In a bout that saw Henderson getting dropped by Feijao early in the first round, the fight would become largely a wrestling battle in the second frame. The two came out trading heavy in the third, with Hendo landing a beautifully violent right hand. Feijao landed face first on the canvas, and you can guess what happens next. With this win, Hendo wins a world title in a second major MMA organization.
Event: Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Henderson
Opponent: Fedor “The Last Emperor” Emelianenko
Opponent’s Ranking: 7 (Heavyweight)
Result: Win // TKO (punches)
Score: 4.5 points (0.5 bonus points given for moving up in weight)
We all know what a win over The Last Emperor does for a fighter’s career and legacy. This was a short but chaotic affair. Hendo had Fedor rocked early with a left hook. After a bit of time in the clinch, Fedor dropped Henderson with a huge, bludgeoning right hand. As Fedor went in for the kill, Dan escaped to Fedor’s back and snuck in a short right uppercut for the ages, knocking him unconscious. That’s a middleweight knocking out a heavyweight.
Although both of these men had their own respective runs in PRIDE, surprisingly these two never met before this matchup. This was a war for the ages. Hendo would drop Shogun in the opening frame, and do so again in the second. As Shogun survived and the fight wore on, he would display his legendary durability by putting it on Dan late in the 4th and 5th rounds, nearly stopping him multiple times. However that would prove to be inadequate, as Hendo would walk away with a well earned unanimous decision that night.
Three years later, these two absolute legends clashed again in a rematch. In yet another timeless battle, it was Shogun hurting Dan early and getting the better of him. Defending a takedown in the third round left Rua’s head exposed, just enough for Hendo to deliver a sneaky right hook. Dan unleashed hell on Shogun, finishing him within seconds.
Conclusion
Total Points: 64
In closing, we can see why Dan Henderson is always talked about amongst hardcore fans as the having the best resume in MMA. Even without the UFC belt that eluded him later in his career, he was still the champion in two major organizations across two weight divisions. Including his losses, he fought a murderer’s row of opponents throughout his entire career. Not only did he display great skill and power, but he also exhibited a legendary toughness and durability that has immortalized him.
Hendo is one of the most revered fighters in the history of MMA. The reason he is listed first here is not only because of the sheer depth of competition from the very beginning of his career – but also the number of weight classes he competed in. Known early on as “Decision Dan”, Hendo used his Greco-Roman Wrestling credentials to take his opponent down to land ground and pound (and sometimes win close decisions). Just three years into his career, he had already beaten the likes of Carlos Newton, Big Nog, Gilbert Yvel, and Babalu over the course of two tournaments. Throughout his historic career, Hendo dropped his patented “H-Bomb” on many victims. His wrestling along with his power and durability carried him to some impressive feats: he is a former PRIDE Welterweight and Middleweight Champion, a former Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion, and is the second fighter to hold a belt in two weight classes at the same time. He also challenged for the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship one time, the UFC Middleweight Championship 2x, and the Strikeforce Middleweight Championship once.
Scoring the Best Resume
I have created a simple point-based system to help determine the highest ranked fighter. The system I created is simply too much information for this article so if you’d like to see exactly how I came up with these results, you can see the criteria here.
Best Wins: Fedor, Big Nog, Wanderlei Silva, Shogun Rua x2, Rafael “Feijao” Cavalcante, Michael Bisping, Renato “Babalu” Sobral, Renzo Gracie
His Wins
His defeat of Big Nog in 2000 was great – however, Nogueira had yet to rise to the legend he would later become in PRIDE against guys like Gary Goodridge, Mark Coleman and Heath Herring. Dan’s career ended just like it began – littered with top quality opponents. I will be omitting the three tournaments Hendo fought in early in his career, because they were openweight (and not in major organizations). In just his fourth pro fight he faced The Ronin himself, Carlos Newton. Let’s take a look at all of Henderson’s top wins. When looking at Hendo’s top wins, lets keep in mind that there are some notable differences between PRIDE FC and the UFC. The Middleweight division in the UFC had a weight limit of 199 pounds pre-UFC 33, and a limit of 185 pounds post-UFC 33. The same weight class in PRIDE had a limit of 205 pounds (what we now know as Light Heavyweight). For the purposes of scoring, we will consider 205 pounds to be Dan’s “home”, as he won two of his three belts there and that’s where his most sustained run of success was.
Event: UFC 17
Opponent: Carlos Newton
Opponent’s Ranking: 15 (Middleweight – 199 lbs)
Result: Win // Split Decision
Score: 1.5 points
After getting rocked early by a right hook, Henderson recovered and put Carlos on his back several times. Although he had to survive Newton’s own takedowns and submission attempts from the bottom, Hendo took home a split decision win after this back and forth affair.
Event: PRIDE 13
Opponent: Renzo Gracie
Opponent’s Ranking: 4 (Middleweight – 205 lbs)
Result: Win // KO (punch)
Score: 6 points
Dan’s next significant win was none other than Renzo Gracie – he had wins over Otsuka and Maurice Smith, and was the number 4 ranked Middleweight at the time. After stuffing a few early takedown attempts from Renzo, Henderson landed a powerful right uppercut as Gracie was shooting in. After two more unanswered strikes on the ground, the fight was stopped.
Event: PRIDE Final Conflict 2003
Opponent: Murilo Bustamante
Opponent’s Ranking: 10 (Middleweight – 205 lbs)
Result: Win // TKO (Punches)
Score: 4 points
Let’s be real here. Murilo was undoubtedly one of the best Middleweights on the planet for a long time. He stopped Dave Menne to win the UFC Middleweight belt at UFC 35, and defended that belt against Matt Lindland at UFC 37. At the time Hendo fought him, he was ranked at both 185 pounds and 205 pounds. This contest turned out to be a short one. After missing on a right hand, Hendo sprawled on a takedown attempt and landed a left knee to Bustamante’s face. He followed up with a barrage of punches and the fight was over in less than a minute.
Event: PRIDE 28
Opponent: Kazuhiro Nakamura
Opponent’s Ranking: 10 (Middleweight – 205 lbs)
Result: Win // TKO (Shoulder Injury)
Score: 2 points
Known for his flashy entrances to the ring, PRIDE Judoka Kazuhiro Nakamura was Hendo’s next opponent. After taking a right hand from Dan early on, Kaz shot in for a single leg. Moments later Hendo can be seen on the ground kneeing Nakamura in the head from top position, and the fight is stopped moments later. It appears as though Dan was pulling Kaz’s upper body towards him when throwing the knees, likely to generate more power. Within seconds, the fight was stopped due to an injury to Nakamura’s left shoulder.
Event: PRIDE Shockwave 2004
Opponent: Yuki Kondo
Opponent’s Ranking: 8 (Middleweight – 205 lbs)
Result: Win // Split Decision
Score: 3 points
Hendo then faced the experienced Kenpo practitioner and Japanese Gangster, Yuki Kondo. After being taken down and dominated on the ground for much of the first two rounds, Hendo came back to out strike and out grapple Fudoshin in the third frame. He ended the fight in side control and was declared the winner via controversial split decision.
Score: 9 points (0.5 bonus points given in each for moving down in weight)
I grouped Chonan and Akihiro together because Dan beat them both on the same night for the 2005 PRIDE Welterweight Grand Prix. In the fight against Chonan to open his night, Henderson landed two right hands in the first exchange of the opening round to knock the karateka down. He didn’t have to follow up for long, as the referee stopped the fight at just 22 seconds into the fight.
After beating Ryo in the first round, Hendo went on to face Akihiro Gono. In the early moments of the fight, Dan dropped Gono with a jab. They spent most of the remaining time exchanging on the feet, which led to Henderson landing multiple Wanderlei-style left hook-right hook combinations. He dropped Gono against the corner ropes, and the fight was stopped at 7:58 of the first round.
Event: PRIDE Shockwave 2005
Opponent: Murilo Bustamante
Opponent’s Rank: 3 (Welterweight – 183 lbs)
Result: Win // Split Decision
Score: 5 points (0.5 bonus points given for moving down in weight)
Dan faced Bustamante for the second time at PRIDE Shockwave on New Year’s Eve in 2005. This time, the stakes were higher: The winner of this fight would not only win the PRIDE Welterweight Grand Prix, they would also become the PRIDE Welterweight Champion. More competitive than their first fight and much longer, the early parts of the fight were spent with the combatants exchanging takedowns and submission attempts. After multiple striking exchanges and several guillotine attempts by Henderson, both guys were exhausted at the sound of the final bell. Based on the damage done by Hendo over three rounds, the judges awarded him the decision. The score given to Dan here is based on the fact that while he did challenge for the undisputed belt, Murilo was not the belt holder and essentially the fight was for the debuting Welterweight Championship. At the time there was no PRIDE Welterweight Champion, Hendo would be the only champion in that division before the UFC bought out PRIDE FC.
Event: PRIDE 32
Opponent: Vitor Belfort
Opponent’s Rank: 10 (Middleweight – 205 lbs)
Result: Win // Unanimous Decision
Score: 3
After a disappointing loss to Misaki in a rematch that prevented Dan from exiting the first round of the 2006 PRIDE Welterweight Grand Prix, he faced Vitor Belfort. After a brief exchange on the feet early, Hendo was able to take Belfort down and control top position for the majority of the round. In the second, Vitor curiously pulled guard. Henderson capitalized on this by pounding away at Vitor’s skull for the entire round. While the third round look similar to the first two, the Phenom swept Hendo from half guard and was able to gain top position. Henderson was able to escape this a minute later, as he obtained side control off of a scramble and landed some heavy shots. Dan Henderson came away with the unanimous decision win.
Event: PRIDE 33
Opponent: Wanderlei Silva
Opponent’s Rank: 3 (Middleweight – 205 lbs)
Result: Win // KO (punches)
Score: 8 points
After beating Vitor Belfort at PRIDE 32, the very next event saw Hendo dethrone the reigning PRIDE Middleweight champion: The Axe Murderer, Wanderlei Silva. Wandy had held the Middleweight belt since 2001, defending it four times and winning the 2003 PRIDE Middleweight Grand Prix during his run. At Middleweight Silva was virtually unbeatable, so you can understand why he was expected to continue his reign of terror against Henderson. Dan, however, had other plans. After a quick takedown, Silva spent the first several minutes of the fight controlling top position in Dan’s full guard. Wandy ended the round by stunning Dan. Henderson was able to secure a takedown in the second, controlling Wanderlei and doing some heavy damage from inside the guard. In the third, Hendo failed on a takedown attempt and then eventually landed a huge left hook, which put Wandy completely out. Hendo landed his famous superman shot, and the fight was stopped.
The first article I wrote on Fedor reviewed his wins over the likes of Heath Herring, Big Nog twice, Mark Coleman, Kevin Randleman, and Semmy Schilt. Of all his seven ranked wins during that time period, he finished four of those guys. In his early years of capturing a championship and defending it, he had established himself as a dominant force in PRIDE. The wins I will discuss in this article will display just how much of a destroyer he was, and why he sparked so many fiery discussions about potential matchups that never came to fruition. Let’s take a look at the second half of his legendary PRIDE run.
Fedor’s ranked wins: 2005 to 2009
Event: PRIDE Final Conflict 2005
Opponent: Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic
Opponent Ranking: 4
Result: Win // Unanimous Decision
Score: 4.5 points
Cro Cop was ranked at number four going into this fight, Any fan with a brain knew Cro Cop was the second best guy at heavyweight, and had the biggest chance of dethroning The Last Emperor. He was widely viewed as the best striker in the division. With improving ground skills, Cro Cop put together a 7-fight winning streak over a 13 month period over the likes of Aleks Emelianenko, Barnett, Coleman and Randleman (revenge!). This all culminated into a massive train of excitement that took the MMA world by storm, this fight being billed as the biggest heavyweight fight in MMA. Alas, it was. Although Fedor was only a moderate favorite, the champ was still being hailed as the number one pound-for-pound fighter in the world, and most die hard fans expected him to be an utterly dominating force against Mirko. To some extent, they were right. Fedor won decisively – although it wasn’t as definitive as a lot of us expected, Fedor proved he was the better man that night. Fedor’s gameplan was simple: move forward and make Cro Cop uncomfortable, clinch, get a takedown, finish him on the ground. Although Mirko made this a competitive fight, Fedor was largely able to execute what he wanted to. Cro Cop looked good in the opening frame, and was able to land a lot of strikes, forcing Fedor to reach and miss. At the end of the first, Cro Cop already looked tired, and that would prove to be his downfall. Fedor controlled the second and third rounds, Taking Mirko down at will and landing short shots on the ground. There were brief moments for Cro Cop in both rounds but ultimately, once he was taken down, he was unable to get to his feet. Fedor defended his belt, once again.
Event: PRIDE 32
Opponent: Mark Coleman
Opponent Ranking: 4
Result: Win // Armbar
Score: 6 points
At this point, Fedor has fought nearly everyone there is to fight in the PRIDE Heavyweight division. He is 12-0 in PRIDE, coming off the massive win over Cro Cop, and destruction of Zulu. Mark Coleman really showed his age in this fight, fighting the best heavyweight on the planet in a non-title bout. Another thing he showed in this fight was an iron chin, as he absorbed a lot of heavy shots from Fedor in the opening frame, when he failed to take the Russian down. In the second round, Fedor stuffs Coleman’s first shot, but as Mark pressures him, he is able to secure a double leg and get Fedor down. Working in open guard, Fedor transitions to an armbar and submits Coleman just one minute into the second round. Another stoppage win for The Last Emperor.
Event: PRIDE Shockwave 2006
Opponent: Mark Hunt
Opponent Ranking: 7
Result: Win // Kimura
Score: 4 points
In the 2000s, Mark Hunt was known for being a dangerous kickboxer who had power in virtually every strike he threw. As he transitioned to MMA, his ground game improved, but it was always a big hole in his game. However, you wouldn’t have known by watching his showdown with Fedor. In this particular matchup, in which we saw oddsmakers make Fedor a -650 favorite over Hunt, we saw not just one reversal from him on the ground, but two. The second time Hunt reversed Fedor, he passed to mount, and tried for an americana keylock. Fedor escaped and with Hunt exhausted from so much grappling, Hunt is taken down and finished by a Fedor kimura from half guard. The champ was tested, but his winning streak moves to 22 straight overall, and a 23 fight unbeaten streak if you include the no contest against Big Nog.
Event: Affliction: Banned
Opponent: Tim Sylvia
Opponent Ranking: 8
Result: Win // Rear-Naked Choke
Score: 4 points
There were a few guys that we all wanted to see Fedor fight during his historic run. Randy Couture, Frank Mir, and Brock Lesnar come to mind. Tim Sylvia is another guy we all thought could present some stylistic challenges to Fedor, although Tim was never quite the dominant force Fedor was, even in his prime. In fact, Sylvia expressed a desire to fight Fedor while he was in the UFC, and was even granted a release from the UFC in 2008, citing low pay and an inability to fight Fedor. While Sylvia wasn’t really known as a ground fighter, his size and length matched up well against Fedor standing up. Additionally, with his experience as a two-time UFC champion, Sylvia had proven himself with wins over Arlovski (x2), Wes Sims, Gan McGee, Monson, Telligman and Ricco Rodriguez. By the time he fought Fedor he was 32 years old, just one year and three fights removed from being the UFC Heavyweight Champion, and had gone 1-2 in his last four, His losses being to Big Nog and Couture. Fedor and Sylvia met in July of 2008. From the sound of the opening bell, Fedor immediately closed the distance and clinched. He then landed a few punches that stunned Sylvia, followed by a sequence of lead uppercut-right hook combinations that dropped him. Fedor jumped on Sylvia and finished him with a rear-naked choke.
Event: Affliction: Day Of Reckoning
Opponent: Andrei Arlovski
Opponent Ranking: 5
Result: Win // KO
Score: 6 points
Although Arlovski was pretty well removed from his UFC championship run, he was still absolutely at the peak of his abilities, and was coming off a five fight win streak including victories over Werdum, Rothwell and Nelson. Fedor, coming off the demolition of Sylvia, proved to his critics (even Dana White) that not only was he still the dominant force that he was in Pride, but that he was still a world championship level fighter at the top of his game. Arlovski had a skill set that matched up well with The Emperor: a former UFC Heavyweight champion who could knock anyone out, and had the ground skills to counter Fedor or avoid being taken down. Although Fedor came in as a moderate favorite, Arlovski controlled the opening minutes using low kicks and straight punches. Fedor did have trouble closing the distance and whiffed on a good number of hooks, but he was able to land a few decent shots of his own. Arlovski landed a beautiful overhand right that stunned Fedor momentarily, and followed it up with a front kick that pushed Fedor backwards towards the corner of the ring. Andrei smelled blood, and went in for the kill. As he left his feet to throw a flying knee, Fedor crashed into him with a MASSIVE right hand that landed right on the button. Arlovski fell to the canvas, lifeless. Despite being out struck for most of the round, The Emperor found a way to get the job done.
Event: Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Rogers
Opponent: Brett Rogers
Opponent Ranking: 7
Result: Win // KO
Score: 4 points
Brett Rogers was coming off of his own knockout of Andrei Arlovski, which was a HUGE upset at the time. Rogers came into Strikeforce with a few good wins and an undefeated record, and a win over fellow prospect Ron Humphrey catapulted him into a fight with Andrei Arlovski. Rogers was largely untested, and inexperienced. Nonetheless, Brett was able to hurt Andrei in the early moments of the fight, and swarm him with a furious pattern of left and right hooks until Arlovski collapsed. Despite the result of that fight, Rogers was a heavy underdog going into his fight with Fedor, and was understandably not expected to do well at all against the former PRIDE champ. Rogers opens the fight with some solid jabs, one of which seems to have an effect on Fedor’s nose. Fedor again has trouble closing the distance, but he is able to land a few good shots. He takes down Rogers, who pops right back up, as Fedor lands a big shot and gets another takedown. Ultimately Fedor would end the round on top after being reversed. At the start of the second round, looking towards a tiring Rogers, Fedor pushes the pace up against the cage. Once they separate, Fedor lands a heatseeker right hand on the chin as Rogers comes in to throw his own left hook. Within seconds, the fight is stopped.
That covers all of Fedor’s ranked wins. Unfortunately he never joined the UFC and later in his career, went back to fight in Japan, then made his US return fighting for Bellator. While he did pick up some solid wins there, none of the heavyweights he beat were ranked in the top 15.
The stoic finisher. The Heavyweight King. The stone cold killer. The Last Emperor. Known for his striped sweater and aloof demeanor, Fedor Emelianenko has mystified MMA fans and analysts all over the globe for the better part of 25 years. Like a lot of guys I will cover in this series – Fedor started fighting top guys early in his career. Fedor was accomplished in both Sambo and Judo before transitioning to MMA – which he joined in order to achieve better financial stability. He was a Master of Sport in both arts (as well as a Black Belt in Judo), was an International gold medalist in Sambo, and had won multiple bronze medals in both National and International competitions in Europe and Russia. Fedor Emelianenko is widely regarded as one of the greatest MMA fighters of all time – a distinction no other heavyweight can be agreed upon consistently. He is revered for his skills and outward display of budo, possessing a skill set that would rival ANY active Heavyweight today. His ability to fight through adversity and come back to win is extraordinary, and is one of the reasons he is so widely respected. Matched only by his sheer aggression in pursuit of a finish, all of these attributes encompass an individual as humble as he is terrifying.
Scoring the Best Resume
This article is part of my “Uncrowned King” series. In these works, I will use a mathematical approach to analyzing the resume of some of the best fighters in MMA history. I will only be covering wins over ranked opponents during a given fighter’s career, so no losses or unranked wins will be counted. Every ranked win will be given a score that, together, will become a collective sum for that particular fighter. For this series of articles, I will be using a specific set of criteria that you can look at here.
Organizations: PRIDE, Strikeforce, RINGS
Weight Class: Heavyweight
Years Active: 2000-2023
MMA Record: 40-7-1 (NC)
Win Percentage: 83%
Finishing Rate: 78% (16 KOs, 15 submissions)
Best Wins: Andrei Arlovski, Mirko Cro Cop, Ricardo Arona, Mark Coleman, Mark Hunt, Renato “Babalu” Sobral, Antonio “Big Nog” Nogueira x2, Semmy Schilt, Heath Herring, Kevin Randleman, Tim Sylvia, Matt Lindland, Pedro Rizzo, Frank Mir
The Basics
Fedor Emelianenko has been criticized over the last two decades (both reasonably and unreasonably) due to some of the names on his resume. He has also been hammered by MMA fans because of the fact that he never fought in the UFC. I can understand these criticisms, however – despite these lingering blemishes, Fedor fought, and beat, some of the very best of his time. His wins in RINGS will be omitted from this article simply because RINGS has not historically been considered a major organization. Although it is worth noting that Fedor had wins over Ricardo Arona and Babalu prior to his run in PRIDE.
His Wins
When Fedor made his Japanese MMA debut in 2002, he was a rising talent. He was known as a formidable groundfighter who wasn’t afraid to exchange big shots. He also had the power to hurt, and even stop bigger heavyweights. his fights in RINGS helped him develop his own style leading up to his fight against Semmy Schilt at PRIDE 22. According to historical rankings, Schilt has the number one heavyweight in the world at this time. I personally wouldn’t have had him at number one, nor do I think many others. I’d say that would probably be Igor Vovchanchyn or Mark Coleman. However, I do still believe that Schilt was a top 5 guy when he fought Fedor, so I’d score this one the same way regardless.
Event: PRIDE 21
Opponent: Semmy Schilt
Opponent Ranking: 1
Result: Win // Unanimous Decision
Score: 4.5 points
Being that Semmy had nearly a foot on Fedor in height and around the same in reach, there was no reason for Fedor to stand up with the experienced striker. Seconds into the opening frame, Schilt was taken down by an exploding Fedor. This was the story of the entire fight, with Fedor maintaining top control over the taller man. At multiple points in every round Fedor had an armbar – but never got it fully locked in, as Semmy was able to escape each time. Emelianenko was able to do some solid damage, but Schilt proved himself to be capable defensively on the ground, tying Fedor up. Regardless, Fedor was able to control the entire bout, winning by unanimous decision.
Event: PRIDE 23
Opponent: Heath Herring
Opponent Ranking: 11
Result: Win // TKO (Doctor Stoppage)
Score: 2 points
This fight was a title elimator, with the winner Although Heath was ranked at number 11 coming into this fight, I think he was much better than that ranking would suggest. He had recently lost a title fight to Big Nog, but rattled off two straight wins over Kochkine and Vovchanchyn. Although he was well known for his ground game, he developed improved striking over the years. When he met Fedor at PRIDE 23, none of that mattered. Herring was dominated so thoroughly that within three minutes of the opening bell, the cageside physician was coming in to check the swelling on Heath’s right eye. Heath opened the fight with a teep, which was met by an immediate takedown for Fedor. While Herring briefly attempted a kneebar and eventually reversed position after Fedor lost back control, Fedor spent virtually the entire first round pummeling Heath from top – full guard, half guard, side control. The swelling on Heath’s right eye proved to be too much for the doctor to allow, as the fight was stopped in between the first and second round.
Event: PRIDE 25
Opponent: Antonio “Big Nog” Nogueira
Opponent Ranking: 1 (Champion)
Result: Win // Unanimous Decision
Score: 6 points
When Fedor met Antonio Nogueira at PRIDE 25 in March of 2003, Big Nog was already becoming a legendary fighter himself. He was 7-0 in the organization with six stoppages, the PRIDE Heavyweight Champion, the number one heavyweight on the planet, and the number one pound for pound fighter in the world. Nogueira had also won 12 fights in a row, dating back to February of 2000. He was known for his mastery of Jiu Jitsu and array of ground techniques, his durability, and extraordinary ability to come back and win fights he seemingly had no business winning. He was coming off recent wins over Dan Henderson and Semmy Schilt, and looking to defend his heavyweight belt. In walks Fedor Emelianenko. Although Fedor was seen as a legitimate threat by hardcore fans, most people thought he would have to keep the fight standing to have the best shot at taking out Big Nog. Yeah, that didn’t happen. The opening bell saw Fedor gliding across the ring throwing his patented right hand, and shooting his hips straight into a takedown. All of the first round was spent on the ground, with Fedor landing good shots on Nogueira, and avoiding any submission threats. Although Big Nog was the comeback king, the remainder of the fight looked just like the first round, and this was not a contest Nogueira would come back to win. Fedor mystified and shocked the world as he not only defended all of Antonio’s submission attempts effectively – he seemed to intentionally leave his limbs in certain danger, seemingly dismissive and in defiance of the skills Nogueira was bringing to the table. That was the first time we’ve ever saw Nogueira defeated this way – Fedor landed crushing blow after crushing blow time and time again from full guard, half guard and side control. He was awarded a unanimous decision victory and walked away the PRIDE Heavyweight Champion. A new era was upon us.
Event: PRIDE Total Elimination 2003
Opponent: Gary Goodridge
Opponent Ranking: 8
Result: Win // TKO (soccer kicks and punches)
Score: 4
Although Big Daddy had only amassed a 9-8 PRIDE record at the time he fought Fedor, he was a dangerous opponent for any heavyweight to face. Long removed from his days fighting in the UFC and winning a championship in the IVC, Goodridge was a striker who could hurt you on the feet, and a grappler that could finish you on the ground. Between 2001-2007 he went 12-3-1 with his only losses being to Big Nog, Herring, and The Last Emperor himself. Leading up to the Fedor fight he was unbeaten in his last five, with a draw against Ebenezer Fontes Braga in a special rules fight. As soon as the opening bell rang, Fedor charged across the ring and landed a left hook that stunned Gary. As Gary backed up, Fedor unleashed a barrage of left and right hooks that had Goodridge covering up. As he covered up, Fedor landed uppercuts to the body and head that led to a clinch and throw from Fedor. As Gary landed on his back, Fedor pummeled him with shots from open guard and side control, finishing him off with a soccer kick and a few hard punches. The ref stepped in after just 1 minute and 9 seconds of the very first round.
Event: PRIDE Total Elimination 2004
Opponent: Mark Coleman
Opponent Ranking: 9
Result: Win // Submission (armbar)
Score: 4 points
Mark Coleman was an accomplished fighter coming into Pride Total Elimination 2004. He was already a former two-time UFC Heavyweight Champion, having won both the UFC 10 and UFC 11 tournaments, as well as the inaugural UFC heavyweight championship at UFC 12 against Dan Severn. However, Coleman didn’t care about any of that. He just wanted to go in there and show the world he is still a top fighter, and beating Fedor is the way do just that. With Coleman’s losing streak on the way out of the UFC a distant memory, the recent PRIDE Openweight Grand Prix winner is ready to face the The Last Emperor. Fedor himself, coming off the victory over Goodridge (and Japanese Pro Wrestler Yuji Nagata), is looking to claim victory over the legend. Fedor is taken down by Coleman in the opening seconds, and there is a scramble as Mark is able to take Fedor’s back and briefly obtain a semi-rear naked chokehold over Fedor’s chin. After Coleman is able to land some shots from the back position, Fedor reverses him. After another Hammer takedown leads to a high guard transition to armbar for Fedor, forcing Coleman to tap at 2 minutes and 11 seconds of the very first round.
Event: PRIDE Critical Conflict 2004
Opponent: Kevin Randleman
Opponent Ranking: 5
Result: Win // Submission (kimura)
Score: 4 points
We’re going to do things a little differently for this fight. I looked up the ranking for Kevin Randleman coming into the fight against Fedor. The fight was in June of 2004, and the closest ranking to that was updated for April of 2004. Kevin Randleman was noticeably absent from this list, due to his move from heavyweight to middleweight, then back up to heavyweight. Before “The Monster” fought Fedor, he had recent losses to Sakuraba and Rampage Jackson at middleweight. After those losses, Randleman moved up to fight Mirko Cro Cop, who was expected to win the 2004 PRIDE Heavyweight Grand Prix. In the opening round, Randleman landed the famous left hook heard around the world, and finished Cro Cop on the ground. Cro Cop was ranked as the number 5 heavyweight at the time. He was a wrecking ball bulldozing his way through the PRIDE ranks, knocking out almost everyone in his path. His only loss at the time was against Nogueira, and he was largely seen by fans and critics as a serious threat to Fedor’s throne. When Randleman stopped Mirko in the first round of their matchup, he shocked the world and claimed one of the biggest victories in MMA heavyweight history. For that reason, I am giving Kevin the ranking of number 10 here, as I think it’s only fair. I don’t want to give him a higher ranking than that, because I don’t want to overvalue his skills based on the sole win over Cro Cop. Unfortunately Fedor is a completely different fighter, and the glory Kevin soaked in from that victory didn’t last long. Although Kevin was coming off of a HUGE upset, Fedor was still considered the big favorite in this matchup, and to win the entire PRIDE Heavyweight Grand Prix. Randleman stunned us all in the opening minute when he got a MASSIVE suplex on Fedor, landing in side control. Fedor would prove to be tough to keep down, as he turned into a brief guillotine attempt, and used it to get on top and submit Randleman with a kimura from north-south position. Fedor needed less than two minutes to dispatch of the guy that just finished Mirko Cro Cop.
Event: PRIDE Shockwave 2004
Opponent: Antonio Nogueira
Opponent Ranking: 2
Result: Win // Unanimous Decision
Score: 4.5 points
It’s PRIDE Shockwave 2004, to decide both the Heavyweight Grand Prix winner, and the unified PRIDE Heavyweight Champion. Four months prior, Big Nog and Fedor met in their second matchup and what was supposed to be the Grand Prix final. However, that fight ended just a few minutes into the opening stanza when an accidental headbutt opened a massive gash on Fedor’s forehead. After 12 minutes of deliberation, the fight was deemed a no contest. In December of the same year, these two fought for the third time. Fedor was coming off wins over Randleman and Ogawa. Big Nog was coming off big wins over Herring and Kharitonov, and hadn’t lost a fight since Fedor took his championship belt in March of 2003. Nogueira, noticeably smaller and leaner in this fight, wanted to be the faster man and have some success on the feet before taking Fedor to the ground. His boxing was certainly improved by this point, and although he was becoming more well rounded, we all knew where he wanted the fight to go. All of these factors proved futile, as the mystery man Fedor came in a much improved version of himself. Although the second fight looked much like the first one (while it lasted), their trilogy matchup played out much differently. Fedor showed us a lot more patience and ring IQ in this fight. There was a lot more action on the feet, with Fedor exhibiting better footwork and landing the more powerful shots. Big Nog had moments in the striking but appeared a bit gunshy, likely from being taken down and damaged in both of their previous fights. When Fedor did take Nogueira down, it was easy, and he would instantly let Big Nog back up. Although Fedor had slowed down considerably in the third round, he was so dominant in the first two rounds that he was awarded the unanimous decision.
