Former UFC LHW champ with 5 wins over 4 other legends: Wandy, Liddell, Igor Vovchanchyn and Hendo.
Compare that with:
* Chuck 5 wins over 3 legends Wandy, Tito and Couture. I guess theoretically you could count the younger inconsistent Vitor.
* Tito has wins over who? Vitor an old Ken Shammy and a young Wandy.
Rampage is definitely a legend and hall of famer in my book.
I don't think Rampage is retiring.
Rampage strikes me as a very emotional individual, and he doesn't hold back what he's thinking when he's thinking it. I legitimately believe that at this moment he believes he is going to retire, but ultimately cooler heads will prevail.
With that said, this also depends on Dana. If he takes this to heart and realizes Rampage is genuinely hurt and upset, than things will be smoothed over quickly. However, Dana could also take the "Fuck me? FUCK YOU" mentality and tell Rampage to go suck one....which I think Lorenzo will prevent him from doing even if he wishes to do.
I think Rampage will fight again but if he has fought his last fight... yes, legend for sure
Absolutely a legend.
IF he does retire...without a doubt.
he most definitely would have cemented it by beating lyoto, but now we may never know
Define 'Legend'.
He's got alot of losses, and while he had a good little run in the UFC, the loss to Forrest hurts alot because he just didn't seem to be into the fight at all.
jackangle - he most definitely would have cemented it by beating lyoto, but now we may never know
i am a big rampage fan but he wouldnt have beaten lyoto.
NarlyPersianDude -OneScoup - Former UFC LHW champ with 5 wins over 4 other legends: Wandy, Liddell, Igor Vovchanchyn and Hendo.
Compare that with:
* Chuck 5 wins over 3 legends Wandy, Tito and Couture. I guess theoretically you could count the younger inconsistent Vitor.
* Tito has wins over who? Vitor an old Ken Shammy and a young Wandy.
Rampage is definitely a legend and hall of famer in my book.
Smoothly written statement, but I dont agree with one thing. Did you actually watch Tito and Vitor fight? Tito was the one who got beat up. Vitor won that fight. DasRy.
Vitor did win that fight IMO.
I wouldn't call him a legend. He had a brief title run and never had a prolonged period of dominance. If he keeps fighting and is successfull he could be a legend, but just not yet imo.
Rampage's best wins are over Chuck 2x, Igor, Hendo, Arona, Wanderlei, Randleman, and Jardine (along with winning close and even controversial decisions over Busta, Ninja, and especially Lindland).
That is without question an all-time-great list of wins (even if you exclude the less-than-decisive ones).
He's been a perennial top-10/top-5 205-er since 2002 - and the #2 in Pride and then #1 in the UFC - and been one of the 5 greatest 205-ers in MMA history so far (and the only one who has wins over both the all-time top-2 in Chuck and Wanderlei). Overall, he's been one of the 20 greatest, most accomplished MMA fighters ever to this point.
So that should easily be enough to qualify as a "legend," as far as pure fighting accomplishments go.
By no means a legend, but a very good fighter. Its not so much the names you beat, but when you beat them. He isnt even a HOF'er in my eyes... I think our judging standard is a little too easy in this sport right now.
To be a legend, you need either a bunch of signiture fights, or a period of dominance. And remember, in every bigtime fight he has had, the guy he was fighting was the draw.
To be honest, I think he understands that even if he can get the title back, he wouldnt hold it long. He probably believes that he cant beat both Machida and Shogun, and then you still have Rashad, Couture (now), Thiago Silva and others to contend with. No gimmies!
LOL at believing any fighter will stick with their retirement, especially at Rampage's age.
LiftStrong - By no means a legend, but a very good fighter. Its not so much the names you beat, but when you beat them. He isnt even a HOF'er in my eyes... I think our judging standard is a little too easy in this sport right now.
To be a legend, you need either a bunch of signiture fights, or a period of dominance. And remember, in every bigtime fight he has had, the guy he was fighting was the draw.
Who cares who was the draw?
And who do you think is a legend? Couture, Tito, Chuck? I already made the case for him over Tito and being possibly favorably compared to Chuck. Remember Chuck & Tito held the belt in a dominant fashion when the sport was weak, I don't think that should factor in with today's deeper competition.
10thplanetzombie - Igor Vovchanchyn a legend WTF
he was an amazing fighter but com on
look at who hes fought compared to the others on the list
80% of his wins are over cans, he hasnt won any belts in MMA in a major promotion
Congratulations! You have just successfully completed your noob certification process.
Thank you for confirming to all longer-term followers of the sport that you are beyond doubt a TUF noob with no historical perspective and knowledge of MMA beyond the face value of the names you now see on fightfinder. You have thus put us all on fair notice that your opinion on any pre-TUF MMA subjects does not matter, is not worth our time, and should not be taken seriously at all.
We appreciate the time-saving disclosure - and the valuable insight into the altogether alien mindset of a TUF noob. Thank you for exposing to us conclusions that only a noob could even possibly make (for example, that Igor Vovchanchyn was not even a legend in MMA history) - which would otherwise be completely unthinkable and beyond our comprehension. It has truly been consciousness-expanding.
Lorenzo will clear this mess, like he always does.
LiftStrong - By no means a legend, but a very good fighter. Its not so much the names you beat, but when you beat them.
Uh, when Rampage beat those names like Chuck, Igor, Hendo, Arona, Wanderlei, Randleman, and Jardine - they were all actually still top fighters (even Wanderlei who, while in overall decline, had his stock temporarily back at a high right after his brutalizing of Jardine) - and every single one of those matchups was actually relevant at the highest level of contention.
So, exactly as you said - by the standard of "when you beat them" - Rampage without question beat top fighters when they were considered top fighters.
Name another 205-er in MMA history - besides Chuck, Wanderlei, Shogun, and maybe Tito - who has had as many impressive, top-level wins in the 205 division.
(Randy was a dominant 205 titleholder during his reign - but most of his best wins for his career have actually been at HW. And while Tito had a much longer title reign - Rampage has actually beaten better opponents overall, after the competition at 205 had already caught up in size, unlike during most of Tito's reign.)
The bottom line is that Rampage has one of the best list of wins for a 205-er in MMA history.
Lol@that gif
Great fighter, not a legend yet.
Whistleblower - What I meant by "when" you beat them is what kind of streak did you go on, and were you the undisputed king of your division for an extend period of time. If you dont have this kind of run of dominance, you have to be trancendent to the public and have a huge fan base. Rampage is popular, but doesnt have a a ton of fans, hence the comment about who was the draw in his fights.
Do you consider Shogun a legend right now? Because he has a better record and about the same fan base. He is one of my favorite fighters, but at this point wont go down as legend unless he does some more work.