It's embarrassing how Wanderlei's been downgraded. He had the best run in the history of MMA and it was built on surgical knees and elbows, along with berserker punches and kicks. He even fought CroCop to a draw.
Pele also belongs on this list.
The fact that Toney never threw a punch in mma eliminates him.
best striking in mma has to be Anderson
MMA:
1. Wandy
2. Cro Cop
3. Rampage Jackson
4. Mark Hunt
5. Dan Henderson
6. Gilbert Yvel
7. Bob Schrijber
8. Gary Goodridge
9. Tank Abbott
10. Cris Cyborg Justino
Boxing:
1. Mike Tyson
2. Sonny Liston
3. George Foreman
4. Joe Frazier
5. Rocky Marciano
6. Marvelous Marvin Hagler
7. Roberto Duran
8. Jack Dempsey
9. Joe Louis
10. Emile Griffith
BreakALegAndy! -If you have McGregor on your list you are automatically a douche bag.
If you don't have mcgregor in your list of top mma strikers you are a hater or an idiot. Actually you're probably both
MrHughes1991 -All time great? Mcgregor? LOLBreakALegAndy! -If you have McGregor on your list you are automatically a douche bag.
If you don't have mcgregor in your list of top mma strikers you are a hater or an idiot. Actually you're probably both
Conor "I got 2 pieced to death by a Diaz" Mcgregor! All time MMA striking god!
As much as I detest the guy, cant argue with Connor's ability and accomplishments in terms of putting the FW champ who is also an all time great striker and the LW champ down with such accurately placed punches and doing them in. He still has a ways to go in terms of striking up more wrestlers and defending his belt with his striking game though.
As for the list:
Anderson
Aldo
Machida
Crocop
Wand
Shogun
Chuck
Rampage
BJ
Lawler
Cruz
The Diaz bros
Gomi
Sakurai
Jens
Rizzo
DJ
Reem
Hendo
Fedor
Pele
Pettis
Guys that need a bit more time:
TJ
Garbrandt
Wonderboy
And yes, I meant to say Conor would be on the list. Like I said, he has a ways to go in terms of title defenses (ie: taking on all comers without being selective) and you also cant argue he had a very manipulated path to both titles but cant argue with his striking abilities. Its easily amongst the best we've seen so far.
I would also add RDA. Both Pettis and RDA are slept on now but cant argue with what they accomplished and how good they were at it. Pettis was a game changer in some ways with his kicking abilities....and that's not really focusing on the matrix kick.
There are likely no MMA fighters past or present who could have done what Anderson did to Leben, Forrest, Bonnar, Okami and Rich twice.
When he decimated those guys they were all top 10 (and possibly top 5) in their division with the exception of Bonnar who had never been finished, not even by Bones.
For a period, Anderson was the most effective striker we have ever seen in MMA.
People of course are also sleeping on Sakurai. Gomi may get a bit more nod due to being more recent but Sakurai was one of the best fighters of the early era and most rounded. He had punches, kicks, knees and combos as well as GNP.
And Frank Shamrock as well. One of the early technical kickboxers. Maurice didn't have much of a reign but was a game changer so....
209'd@170 - There are likely no MMA fighters past or present who could have done what Anderson did to Leben, Forrest, Bonnar, Okami and Rich twice.
When he decimated those guys they were all top 10 (and possibly top 5) in their division with the exception of Bonnar who had never been finished, not even by Bones.
For a period, Anderson was the most effective striker we have ever seen in MMA.
Conor decimated Aldo, Alvarez and Mendes. Poirier was also ranked top 5 maybe at the time. Yes, Mendes had no camp but Conors knee was also screwed.
And although I think Nate was also injured in the 2nd fight, nobody has pieced Nate up like Conor did both fights early on. And calm down, Nate turning it back on Conor was one of my all time fav moments but that level of opposition in terms of striking is better than the list above. Don't forget what Andy did to Vitor though and Hendo. No one has beat down Hendo like that. Many have hurt him but no one has taken him out like that. Andy did end up tapping him but Hendo was rocked first.
Also, don't forget Anderson's pre UFC career. Most people still do. He beat Sakurai (handing him his first career loss), flying kneed Newton, the up elbow on Frykland....
BreakALegAndy! -If you have McGregor on your list you are automatically a douche bag.
McGregor KOd Chad Mendes, KOd the great Jose Aldo, KOd Eddie Alvarez, beat up Max Holloway, destroyed Dustin Porrier, and outstruck Nate Diaz.
Hype notwithstanding, he belongs there on resume alone.
Wasa-B -Mate I agree totally that Conor is a great striker too and that is an impressive list!209'd@170 - There are likely no MMA fighters past or present who could have done what Anderson did to Leben, Forrest, Bonnar, Okami and Rich twice.
When he decimated those guys they were all top 10 (and possibly top 5) in their division with the exception of Bonnar who had never been finished, not even by Bones.
For a period, Anderson was the most effective striker we have ever seen in MMA.
Conor decimated Aldo, Alvarez and Mendes. Poirier was also ranked top 5 maybe at the time. Yes, Mendes had no camp but Conors knee was also screwed.
And although I think Nate was also injured in the 2nd fight, nobody has pieced Nate up like Conor did both fights early on. And calm down, Nate turning it back on Conor was one of my all time fav moments but that level of opposition in terms of striking is better than the list above. Don't forget what Andy did to Vitor though and Hendo. No one has beat down Hendo like that. Many have hurt him but no one has taken him out like that. Andy did end up tapping him but Hendo was rocked first.
What made me give it to Anderson though, is the fact that great striking is also about avoiding damage.
Anderson barely got touched in those fights whereas Conor got cracked (and showed a great chin) in all the fights you mentioned.
That was the difference for me.
Wasa-B - Also, don't forget Anderson's pre UFC career. Most people still do. He beat Sakurai (handing him his first career loss), flying kneed Newton, the up elbow on Frykland....That elbow was unbelievable. Also Conor's wins over Buchingar and Brimage were awesome and he didn't get touched in those.
209'd@170 -Wasa-B - Also, don't forget Anderson's pre UFC career. Most people still do. He beat Sakurai (handing him his first career loss), flying kneed Newton, the up elbow on Frykland....That elbow was unbelievable. Also Conor's wins over Buchingar and Brimage were awesome and he didn't get touched in those.
Machida's back-to-back KO wins over Thiago Silva and Rashad Evans were simply a work of art. I don't think he got hit cleanly in either fight.
No Pete Spratt nor Melvin Manhoef love?
I think McGregor belongs there on resume alone. Nate Diaz is just one of those guys that McGregor will always have problems with in MMA. Nate has the ability to absorb punishment and give it back later in the fight. McGregor just doesnt have the grappling to counter that and very few in MMA have the cardio that Nate does. Same goes for Anderson and Weidman, but of course if you see the first round of both fight it looks like Weidman got put through a meat grinder. Anyway here is my top 5 mma.
1. Anderson Silva
2. Mirko Crocop
3. Aldo
4. Edson Barbosa
5. Conor McGregor
multiculturaljoseph - Conor "I got 2 pieced to death by a Diaz" Mcgregor! All time MMA striking god!
And Anderson got knocked out by that guy who threw the stupid wheel kick.
We can all make stupid points points to discredit people.
Bas was a beast. It's too bad he was riddled with injuries by the time he started competing in the UFC. I always wanted to see him fight Wandy (in pride). Bas would have blew him up. Amazingly explosive striker and tough.
Glad someone gave props to Igor V. I remember watching that dude in the 90's. Complete Beast.
Hendo- His right was plain and simple one of the most feared weapons in the history of this game.
Oddly enough, no one mentioned Anthony Johnson. Has there been a more feared striker in MMA. His power in the light heavy weight division is second to none.
I don't know if any one mentioned Belfort....