BJTT-BigDaddy - The Lombard fight was definitely a poor showing, but also a bad matchup. Jake never quit and even had a tight choke in the closing moments. Not a career ruiner.I'm just not a Shields fan. I may or may not have been overplaying that loss to suit my bias.
TJGTT_Halichap - Pass the spliff, OP.I'll have some too. Second best?? Lol
The Power Double -LolBJTT-BigDaddy - The Lombard fight was definitely a poor showing, but also a bad matchup. Jake never quit and even had a tight choke in the closing moments. Not a career ruiner.I'm just not a Shields fan. I may or may not have been overplaying that loss to suit my bias.
Just on that how viciously do you think Condit beats Shields in a rematch? Which round does the ref start thinking 'fuck if I don't stop this soon Jake will have no face left'
Maybe Palhares
but not Shields
Idk man like it's tough to compare legacies when u just list names, condit although was a killer, wasn't the same condit as 2013-2014. So it really matters more how the other fighter was doing leading up to their fight with shields. Although he is a monster to deal with inside the cage. IMO def top 5 all time.
Remember Shields fight with Maia?
Amazing ground work, we've never seen anyone play in his guard like that. 
I thought he lost to Kampmann
I said on Inside MMA that I thought he was the best fighter P4P after he beat Henderson.
Second best WW of all time for sure.
Single most underrated and under appreciated fighter of all time. McKee is a distant second.
I represented him for a brief moment before his dad (RIP) assumed the role. That loss haunted me for a while.
On top of all else he is a solid dude, not fake.
Jake is the man
It's a shame he never fought Hughes or Sakuraba.
I think you effectively backed up your case OP.
I would put him at #3
Has not held a title in the UFC very difficult to say he is the best. Hughes was the best in his era. Shields is a different era IMO.
.
I don't know about #2, but definitely top 5.
RKing85 - I don't know about #2, but definitely top 5.
Not even close. As someone mention henderson was his biggest win and was injured
Nothing against Shields - who IMO, represents the rare combination of high level top game with high level submissions ...
... But the Hendo fight really said more about Hendo than it did Shields.
Hendo was fighting with a bad back. He was also messed up on medication that wasn't dialed in. So not only was he injured come fight time... he didn't have a full camp either.
Shields won a decision over a injured and gassed Hendo.
Granted, Hendo did take the fight. That is significant, and takes a little off any "excuses".
But After Hendo almost TKO'd Shields -- Jake basically had the rest of the fight to figure out how to put away a gassed and injured Hendo. He couldn't do it.
Again -- one of the best submission guys at his weight, with a smothering top game -- and he never even came close to finishing a gassed Hendo who was basically hanging on for life.
Again -- no disrespect to Jake Shields! Dude is a STUD!
But I don't like counting the Hendo fight as some major feather in Jake's cap; considering the circumstances, and the result.