Keep in mind, this is for martial artist not fighter.
The key distinction between fighter and martial artist is knowledge and mastery of various martial arts.
Off the top of my head
Look up their black belts. It’s quite impressive.
The guy you nominate should have black belts in other disciplines, can teach various self defense techniques other than sport fighting, and is an expert in various styles.
This list is bullshit without sensei seagal as an option.
You didn’t list a single Boxercise practitioner ts!
The King of Queens
Tony Jaa
Jigoro Kano
How many styles did he know?
Bruce Lee didn’t master any of the martial arts, only dabbled in them.
I always vote anyone but bruce lee
Let Ji
Cackie Jhan
It’s impossible to know that for sure as there have been many great martial artists that just developed their craft without anyone knowing about them.
As far as influence it would have to be Bruce Lee.
Superfoot Wallace.
No Jackie Chan?
Most of the guys in that list are TV martial artists who were traditional Japanese martial artists before that.
I’m not sure we should discount sport MMA fighters. I’ve trained at somewhere between 10-20 clubs over the years and bumped into everyone from every walk of life. The thing I can tell you is that the guys who have logged the longest hours have dabbled and have experience in all kinds of crazy shit. I’d even go so far as to say that EVERY guy who has been around long enough is a super well rounded martial artists. That’s obviously an exaggeration, but I’ll bet it’s 99% true.
So I’m not sure looking at roundedness is the way to go. I agree with you, it should be part of the main criteria, you can’t be the greatest martial artist without it, but I think it’s a trivial requirement… anyone that comes to mind when you think of “greatest martial artist ever” is almost automatically well rounded.
The only exception to that idea that I can think of is Jon Jones. I just don’t believe he’s a martial artist at all. I think he grew up in a family of athletes, he was a pretty good wrestler who became an extremely effective striker and submission grappler who knows how to use game planning, supreme cardio and aggression, and I think he’s probably the best ever AT THAT. But I’d be extremely surprised to find out that he knows anything about some of the TMA’s (not to oversell TMA’s).
So I’m going with Georges St Pierre. TMA upbringing, lifelong devotee to the martial arts lifestyle, constantly travelling to learn more. Incorporated GYMNASTICS as part of his martial arts training. Elite skills in every MMA category.
GSP. Lifetime spokesman/sage of the sport. That’s my vote. I probably sound like a fanboy… I’m not. I’m a fanboy of guys like Tai Tuivasa, but he wouldn’t even be in the top 500 for “greatest martial artist ever”
Don Draeger
