Most underrated fighters in MMA history

Underground
61

Pro Ice - 


There are a lot of fighters that get love and recognition here but are relatively unknown to newer fans like Vovchanchyn, Pele, Ruas, Bustamante, Sakurai, Sato, Uno, Zinoviev



 



Like many have mentioned Mezger's very underrated great stand up decent ground. fought some of the very best and was a threat to beat everyone of them



 



So many underatted / under appreciated, here's a few others that I think really deserve mention



 



Tyoshi Kohsaka = One of the best resume's ever (Fedor, Couture, Rutten, F Shamrock list goes on) - great grappler - was in almost every fight



Masakatsu Funaki = JMMA pioneer  - did more for the sport than most realise - great ground subbmission game - how good he could've done in prime really a ?



Kiyoshi Tamura = Great grappling - First to defeat a Gracie (Gracie's accepted) - drew prime F Shamrock



Mitsuhiro Kanehara = One of the best fighters with a losing record - - great grappler - some very legit wins in his prime - tremendous heart - left everything in the ring



Kazuo Takahashi = Great resume - could hang with the very best - always came for war



Mamoru Yamaguchi = Pioneer first ever shooto 125 & 135 champion - very well rounded could ko or submit



Daisuke Nakamura = Incredible ground skills - 15 + armlock/bars subs 3 flying = most in mma competition i believe



Kazuo Misaki = Been mentioned - great resume - could hang with the best - always comes to FIGHT



Allan Goes = Great ground skills - intense - arguably beat 3 of the GOAT 



'Macaco' Jorge Patino = Vale Tudo legend - won a title 18 yrs into career - came to fight



Johill de Oliveira = V/T, Luta Livre legend - 1st to beat Pele - won 4-5 v/t tournaments - only 3 losses (Wallid, Pele) before accident in Pride and eye injury



Vitor Ribeirio 'Shaolin' - Shooto champion - one of the best 155ers for years - incredible ground game



Marcus Aurelio = 21-10 w 18 finishes - one of the best 155ers at one point- half loses are arguable - never finshed in 30 + fights



Alexander Nogueira 'Pequeno' = Great resume - arguably the best 140lb in the world for years - arguably the best guillotine ever in 'mma'



Volk Han = Incredible grappling - proved he could hang with the best in mma at 40 yrs old



Mikhail Avetisyan = Russian mma pioneer - won 1st 32 man tourny - one of the best leg lockers ever



Amar Suloev = Great striking great throws - could hang with the very best



Mikhail Illoukhine = Great grappler - won 4-5 no rules tournaments



Dave Menne = UFC champion - great resume - could hang with the best - always came to fight - tremendous heart



Carlos Newton = Mentioned - UFC champion - great ground game - fought and beat some of the very best in his prime



Ronald Juhn - Stephan Palling - Ray Cooper - Falinko Vitale are some Hawaiians that deserve mention these guys all fought some of the best in the world and where all threats to beat anyone of them in their prime - all warriors



 



Didn't mean to go overboard, guys just keep coming to mind


awesome list. i know it's probably getting old but i hope you don't mind getting voted up again ;)

62

Thanks man

 

 On my list I have Mikhail Avetisyan and Mikhail Illoukhine descrptions swapped

 

Illoukhine = Russian mma pioner - won first 32 man tourny - one of best leg lockers ever in 'mma

Avetisyan = Great grappler - won 4-5 no rules tournaments - aguably beat Vovchanchyn 

 

 Edited: Have to add Yuki Kondo and Masanori Suda

63

Pro Ice - 


There are a lot of fighters that get love and recognition here but are relatively unknown to newer fans like Vovchanchyn, Pele, Ruas, Bustamante, Sakurai, Sato, Uno, Zinoviev



 



Like many have mentioned Mezger's very underrated great stand up decent ground. fought some of the very best and was a threat to beat everyone of them



 



So many underatted / under appreciated, here's a few others that I think really deserve mention



 



Tyoshi Kohsaka = One of the best resume's ever (Fedor, Couture, Rutten, F Shamrock list goes on) - great grappler - was in almost every fight



Masakatsu Funaki = JMMA pioneer  - did more for the sport than most realise - great ground subbmission game - how good he could've done in prime really a ?



Kiyoshi Tamura = Great grappling - First to defeat a Gracie (Gracie's accepted) - drew prime F Shamrock



Mitsuhiro Kanehara = One of the best fighters with a losing record - - great grappler - some very legit wins in his prime - tremendous heart - left everything in the ring



Kazuo Takahashi = Great resume - could hang with the very best - always came for war



Mamoru Yamaguchi = Pioneer first ever shooto 125 & 135 champion - very well rounded could ko or submit



Daisuke Nakamura = Incredible ground skills - 15 + armlock/bars subs 3 flying = most in mma competition i believe



Kazuo Misaki = Been mentioned - great resume - could hang with the best - always comes to FIGHT



Allan Goes = Great ground skills - intense - arguably beat 3 of the GOAT 



'Macaco' Jorge Patino = Vale Tudo legend - won a title 18 yrs into career - came to fight



Johill de Oliveira = V/T, Luta Livre legend - 1st to beat Pele - won 4-5 v/t tournaments - only 3 losses (Wallid, Pele) before accident in Pride and eye injury



Vitor Ribeirio 'Shaolin' - Shooto champion - one of the best 155ers for years - incredible ground game



Marcus Aurelio = 21-10 w 18 finishes - one of the best 155ers at one point- half loses are arguable - never finshed in 30 + fights



Alexander Nogueira 'Pequeno' = Great resume - arguably the best 140lb in the world for years - arguably the best guillotine ever in 'mma'



Volk Han = Incredible grappling - proved he could hang with the best in mma at 40 yrs old



Mikhail Avetisyan = Russian mma pioneer - won 1st 32 man tourny - one of the best leg lockers ever



Amar Suloev = Great striking great throws - could hang with the very best



Mikhail Illoukhine = Great grappler - won 4-5 no rules tournaments



Dave Menne = UFC champion - great resume - could hang with the best - always came to fight - tremendous heart



Carlos Newton = Mentioned - UFC champion - great ground game - fought and beat some of the very best in his prime



Ronald Juhn - Stephan Palling - Ray Cooper - Falinko Vitale are some Hawaiians that deserve mention these guys all fought some of the best in the world and where all threats to beat anyone of them in their prime - all warriors



 



Didn't mean to go overboard, guys just keep coming to mind


great list!

64
Pro Ice -

There are a lot of fighters that get love and recognition here but are relatively unknown to newer fans like Vovchanchyn, Pele, Ruas, Bustamante, Sakurai, Sato, Uno, Zinoviev

 

Like many have mentioned Mezger's very underrated great stand up decent ground. fought some of the very best and was a threat to beat everyone of them

 

So many underatted / under appreciated, here's a few others that I think really deserve mention

 

Tyoshi Kohsaka = One of the best resume's ever (Fedor, Couture, Rutten, F Shamrock list goes on) - great grappler - was in almost every fight

Masakatsu Funaki = JMMA pioneer  - did more for the sport than most realise - great ground subbmission game - how good he could've done in prime really a ?

Kiyoshi Tamura = Great grappling - First to defeat a Gracie (Gracie's accepted) - drew prime F Shamrock

Mitsuhiro Kanehara = One of the best fighters with a losing record - - great grappler - some very legit wins in his prime - tremendous heart - left everything in the ring

Kazuo Takahashi = Great resume - could hang with the very best - always came for war

Mamoru Yamaguchi = Pioneer first ever shooto 125 & 135 champion - very well rounded could ko or submit

Daisuke Nakamura = Incredible ground skills - 15 + armlock/bars subs 3 flying = most in mma competition i believe

Kazuo Misaki = Been mentioned - great resume - could hang with the best - always comes to FIGHT

Allan Goes = Great ground skills - intense - arguably beat 3 of the GOAT 

'Macaco' Jorge Patino = Vale Tudo legend - won a title 18 yrs into career - came to fight

Johill de Oliveira = V/T, Luta Livre legend - 1st to beat Pele - won 4-5 v/t tournaments - only 3 losses (Wallid, Pele) before accident in Pride and eye injury

Vitor Ribeirio 'Shaolin' - Shooto champion - one of the best 155ers for years - incredible ground game

Marcus Aurelio = 21-10 w 18 finishes - one of the best 155ers at one point- half loses are arguable - never finshed in 30 + fights

Alexander Nogueira 'Pequeno' = Great resume - arguably the best 140lb in the world for years - arguably the best guillotine ever in 'mma'

Volk Han = Incredible grappling - proved he could hang with the best in mma at 40 yrs old

Mikhail Avetisyan = Russian mma pioneer - won 1st 32 man tourny - one of the best leg lockers ever

Amar Suloev = Great striking great throws - could hang with the very best

Mikhail Illoukhine = Great grappler - won 4-5 no rules tournaments

Dave Menne = UFC champion - great resume - could hang with the best - always came to fight - tremendous heart

Carlos Newton = Mentioned - UFC champion - great ground game - fought and beat some of the very best in his prime

Ronald Juhn - Stephan Palling - Ray Cooper - Falinko Vitale are some Hawaiians that deserve mention these guys all fought some of the best in the world and where all threats to beat anyone of them in their prime - all warriors

 

Didn't mean to go overboard, guys just keep coming to mind

Great post. Pro Ice is easily a top 3 poster on the underground. Phone Post

65

Zinoviev for sure, also Mezger Phone Post

66

I would say probably Mikey Burnett is the guy I think about when it comes to potential we never really got to see fully reached. Matt Serra seems to get horribly written off by a lot of people who seem to otherwise know quite a bit about the sport. Phone Post

67

Spencer Fisher
Jeremy Horn
Stephan Bonnar Phone Post

68

Frank Mir

69

Akira Shoji

Fujita was always a tough fight for anyone

Hideo Tokoro doesn't get the respect he deserves

And of course MATSUI!!! Phone Post

70

searched the thread and nobody has mentioned Lee Murray

i'd say he'd be a candidate for most underrated, or some such thing... KO'd tito in a street fight afterall...

took anderson silva to a decision also... even with a loss that's a feat i'd say most couldn't do...

71

Tom Lawlor - 

Akira Shoji

Fujita was always a tough fight for anyone

Hideo Tokoro doesn't get the respect he deserves

And of course MATSUI!!! Phone Post


yeah Fujita for sure should be on this list. his fight with ken shamrock is still one of my all time favorites.

72
Pro Ice -

There are a lot of fighters that get love and recognition here but are relatively unknown to newer fans like Vovchanchyn, Pele, Ruas, Bustamante, Sakurai, Sato, Uno, Zinoviev

 

Like many have mentioned Mezger's very underrated great stand up decent ground. fought some of the very best and was a threat to beat everyone of them

 

So many underatted / under appreciated, here's a few others that I think really deserve mention

 

Tyoshi Kohsaka = One of the best resume's ever (Fedor, Couture, Rutten, F Shamrock list goes on) - great grappler - was in almost every fight

Masakatsu Funaki = JMMA pioneer  - did more for the sport than most realise - great ground subbmission game - how good he could've done in prime really a ?

Kiyoshi Tamura = Great grappling - First to defeat a Gracie (Gracie's accepted) - drew prime F Shamrock

Mitsuhiro Kanehara = One of the best fighters with a losing record - - great grappler - some very legit wins in his prime - tremendous heart - left everything in the ring

Kazuo Takahashi = Great resume - could hang with the very best - always came for war

Mamoru Yamaguchi = Pioneer first ever shooto 125 & 135 champion - very well rounded could ko or submit

Daisuke Nakamura = Incredible ground skills - 15 + armlock/bars subs 3 flying = most in mma competition i believe

Kazuo Misaki = Been mentioned - great resume - could hang with the best - always comes to FIGHT

Allan Goes = Great ground skills - intense - arguably beat 3 of the GOAT 

'Macaco' Jorge Patino = Vale Tudo legend - won a title 18 yrs into career - came to fight

Johill de Oliveira = V/T, Luta Livre legend - 1st to beat Pele - won 4-5 v/t tournaments - only 3 losses (Wallid, Pele) before accident in Pride and eye injury

Vitor Ribeirio 'Shaolin' - Shooto champion - one of the best 155ers for years - incredible ground game

Marcus Aurelio = 21-10 w 18 finishes - one of the best 155ers at one point- half loses are arguable - never finshed in 30 + fights

Alexander Nogueira 'Pequeno' = Great resume - arguably the best 140lb in the world for years - arguably the best guillotine ever in 'mma'

Volk Han = Incredible grappling - proved he could hang with the best in mma at 40 yrs old

Mikhail Avetisyan = Russian mma pioneer - won 1st 32 man tourny - one of the best leg lockers ever

Amar Suloev = Great striking great throws - could hang with the very best

Mikhail Illoukhine = Great grappler - won 4-5 no rules tournaments

Dave Menne = UFC champion - great resume - could hang with the best - always came to fight - tremendous heart

Carlos Newton = Mentioned - UFC champion - great ground game - fought and beat some of the very best in his prime

Ronald Juhn - Stephan Palling - Ray Cooper - Falinko Vitale are some Hawaiians that deserve mention these guys all fought some of the best in the world and where all threats to beat anyone of them in their prime - all warriors

 

Didn't mean to go overboard, guys just keep coming to mind

Great list. Kohsaka was ultra tough too, like in his fight with Mark Hunt. Carlos Newton definitely is underrated too. Phone Post

73
Bailx -
Tom Lawlor -  Akira Shoji

Fujita was always a tough fight for anyone

Hideo Tokoro doesn't get the respect he deserves

And of course MATSUI!!! Phone Post

yeah Fujita for sure should be on this list. his fight with ken shamrock is still one of my all time favorites.

Fujita was also the first person to have Fedor In serious trouble Phone Post

74

Ken shamrock and I'm being absolutely serious. In his prime roided up state no one can stop his ground and pound.
-first American pancrase champion
-first UFC super champ
-beat the crap put of Bas 3 times

There's an old video of Ken fighting in kick boxing as well. He was seriously legit Phone Post

75

Vladimir Matyushenko Phone Post

76

Dave Terrell Phone Post

77

Hendo Phone Post

78

2buff - 

Ken shamrock and I'm being absolutely serious. In his prime roided up state no one can stop his ground and pound.
-first American pancrase champion
-first UFC super champ
-beat the crap put of Bas 3 times

There's an old video of Ken fighting in kick boxing as well. He was seriously legit Phone Post


at one time he was my favorite fighter...

ultimate fighter kind of ruined that though (although after the loss to franklin he was essentially done... jump started franklins career though)...

remember the ULTIMATE Lion's Den PPV back in 99-00? I haven't seen it since then, I'm going to have to try and dig that up lol ;)

79
Bailx -
2buff -  Ken shamrock and I'm being absolutely serious. In his prime roided up state no one can stop his ground and pound.
-first American pancrase champion
-first UFC super champ
-beat the crap put of Bas 3 times

There's an old video of Ken fighting in kick boxing as well. He was seriously legit Phone Post

at one time he was my favorite fighter...

ultimate fighter kind of ruined that though (although after the loss to franklin he was essentially done... jump started franklins career though)...

remember the ULTIMATE Lion's Den PPV back in 99-00? I haven't seen it since then, I'm going to have to try and dig that up lol ;)

Jerry bohlander,guy mezger,frank shamrock, Pete Williams, ken shamrock. WHat fight team could beat these guys? These guys were simply the best at that time period! Phone Post

80

So I searched for "underrated fighter" and this was surprisingly the most recent result. Nope, no real reason for bumping it other than it occurs to me that Jake O'Brien is not just underrated, he's so underrated he never even gets mentioned. Ever. Didn't he only ever lose to Arlovski, Cain, Bones and Gegard? SOMEBODY TALK ABOUT JAKE O'BRIEN!!!