He was a 1st Razryad Grand Master in Sambo and a black belt and International Master of Sport in Judo before transitioning into MMA. He was a member of the Russian national Judo team for several years, but he eventually quit due to financial issues. Editor’s note: The views and opinions expressed below are those of the author. While Fedor Emelianenko and Stipe Miocic are considered the heavyweight GOATs, they’re not exactly considered among the contenders for MMA GOAT as a whole. That accolade goes to a certain few individuals.
Why is Fedor Emelianenko Regarded as the Heavyweight GOAT?
She is the first two-division champion in the UFC and the only fighter to defend two titles while holding both simultaneously. She holds wins over Ronda Rousey, Cris Cyborg, Valentina Shevchenko (x2), Miesha Tate, and Holly Holm. She currently boasts a 22-5 record. One just needs to look at his accolades, for starters. The Russian was most notably the PRIDE heavyweight champion, boasting a reign that lasted 1,663 days. Additionally, he has won the heavyweight title in a number of other organizations as well, in addition to amassing wins in organizations like Strikeforce, Bellator, and RIZIN. Antonio ‘Big Nog’ Nogueira”: Antonio Nogueira was the first PRIDE heavyweight champion in addition to being a UFC interim heavyweight champion. His resume speaks for itself, having faced a number of killers in their prime. RELATED:
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Final Thoughts
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Why is Fedor Emelianenko not the Heavyweight GOAT?
The win over Nogueira (another heavyweight GOAT contender) was especially impressive as he did it on the ground, which is the Brazilian’s realm. Even more impressive is the fact that he went so long without defeat in the heavyweight division of all divisions, where one punch is enough to turn the lights out. Fedor Emelianenko is a name that is synonymous with heavyweight mixed martial arts (MMA). The Russian fighter was an iconic figure in the sport for over two decades until his retirement, amassing an impressive record of 40 wins and only seven losses.
With two wins over Miesha Tate, along with wins over the likes of Alexis Davis, Cat Zingano, Julia Budd, and Liz Carmouche, Rousey has a very impressive resume despite her lack of striking skills. She retired with a 12-2 record. Fedor Emelianenko is regarded by some as the greatest heavyweight mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter of all time. He went undefeated for nearly a decade, and he had an impressive resume of knockout wins.
More than anything, however, is his resume and the names he’s beaten. Emelianenko went on an unprecedented 28-fight undefeated streak over nine years, taking out many of the greatest and top-ranked heavyweights along the way. Some of those names include Antonio ‘Big Nog’ Nogueira (x2), Mirko Cro Cop, Mark Hunt, and Andrei Arlovski.
Cris Cyborg: Cris Cyborg is another female GOAT contender. She is a former UFC women’s featherweight champion and the current Bellator women’s featherweight champion. She is also notably the only Grand Slam champion in MMA, having held titles in four organizations (UFC, Bellator, Strikeforce, and Invicta.)
via Bloodyelbow
Why Do People Say Stipe Miocic is the GOAT of Heavyweights?
Royce Gracie: Winner of the first two UFC tournaments in 1993 and 1994 and the pioneer of Brazilian jiu-jitsu in MMA as a whole. Gracie retired with a 15-2-3 record in MMA.
She holds wins over Holly Holm, Gina Carano, and Julia Budd and currently boasts a record of 26-2 (1NC). Her only defeat in the UFC came against Amanda Nunes. While he may not be on the Mt. Rushmore of MMA for most observers, Fedor certainly has a case for being the greatest heavyweight of all time and is considered by many to be so. Why is this the case?
Who is the Greatest Heavyweight MMA Fighter of All Time?
The only arguments against him are that he didn’t have the longevity or unbeaten streak that Fedor had in his prime. However, it can be argued that it didn’t matter as he was facing better competition on a consistent basis and has more impressive names on his resume as a whole. Overall, the debate over who is the greatest heavyweight of all time is subjective. However, he was plagued by injuries and ultimately had to cut his career short. His most notable wins include Antonio Nogueira, Brock Lesnar, Junior dos Santos (x2), and Antonio Silva (x2). He retired with a 14-3 record in MMA. He is only one of two fighters to win a world championship in MMA and kickboxing, while he has the most finishes in ZUFFA and PRIDE history (joint-tied with Wanderlei Silva). He retired with a 38-11-2 (1NC) record. Many fans and analysts consider Fedor the heavyweight greatest of all time (GOAT), but what sets him apart from other fighters? In this article, we will explore Fedor Emelianenko’s career, achievements, and impact on the sport to determine whether he truly deserves the title of heavyweight GOAT. Fedor Emelianenko is a legendary fighter who has been seen by many as the best heavyweight MMA fighter of all time. He was unbeaten for a decade and won over some of the greatest mixed martial arts fighters in the world. We’ve gone over two of the most prominent heavyweight names, Fedor Emelianenko and Stipe Miocic, as far as whom many believe to be the greatest heavyweight MMA fighter of all time. However, there are a few other contenders. All these factors, combined with the respect he has gained from his peers in the sport, are why “The Last Emperor” is regarded by many to be the heavyweight GOAT. He holds notable wins over the likes of Josh Barnett, Wanderlei Silva, and Mark Coleman and has faced some of the best fighters in both MMA and kickboxing, including names like Fedor, Antonio Nogueira, and Frank Mir.
Who is Considered the MMA GOAT?
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Who is Considered the Female MMA GOAT?
After moving to MMA, Emelianenko trained with a Japanese team called Rings and racked up twelve victories in a row. He even managed to beat a fellow Russian fighter named Satoshi Ishii in 2011 thanks to his ground-and-pound technique! He is considered by many to be the greatest MMA heavyweight of all time. He was unbeaten for a decade and fought many of the world’s top heavyweights. That said, Rousey deserves to be in the conversation simply because of how much of a trailblazer she was. After all, she was one-half of the very first women’s fight in the UFC and was undefeated from 2011 to 2015. Even her only two losses are against Holly Holm and Amanda Nunes, which is nothing to be ashamed of. He has also been a fighter for many different organizations, including Strikeforce and Bellator. His career has spanned 28 years and includes a record of 27 consecutive wins. He remains the longest-running heavyweight lineal champion in MMA history and is widely regarded as the best pound-for-pound fighter of all time. Fedor Emelianenko is one of the most enigmatic, predatory Russian warriors ever to step into a mixed martial arts cage. During his 10-year reign of ice cold dominance, he racked up a number of impressive victories. His incredibly accurate fighting tactics and exemplary battle skills made him one of the most famous fighters in the world. He has received numerous awards for his achievements and is loved by a large number of people all over the world. There’s also the fact that he never competed in the UFC to test himself against heavyweight fighters in the UFC, which is widely viewed as the most elite MMA organization in the world. UFC president Dana White claims he tried to sign Fedor to fight in 2009, only for it to not pan out. Mirko Cro Cop: Mirko Cro Cop is another heavyweight GOAT contender who competed in PRIDE, the UFC, K-1, RIZIN, and Bellator. His winning streak started in December 2000 and lasted for over 10 years. During that period, he beat four former UFC Champions, a Pride FC Champion, three K-1 Champions and several top ranked fighters. Ronda Rousey: Rousey was the UFC’s first-ever women’s bantamweight champion. Skill-wise, compared to today’s fighters, she doesn’t rank as high purely because the competition just got better.
The Russian heavyweight MMA fighter Fedor Emelianenko is the best-known name in the sport. He has won a number of MMA awards, including Submission/Beatdown of the Year, Knockout of the Year and Fight of the Decade. Having started his martial arts training at the age of 10 in judo and sambo classes, Fedor Emelianenko was able to achieve great results. He became a world champion in mixed martial arts and judo. Despite having to live in a communal apartment, Fedor trained hard and showed tremendous discipline. He started taking judo and sambo classes at the age of 11, then began to train with coach Vladimir Voronov. He graduated from high school in 1991 and then enrolled in a trade school. Jon Jones: The youngest champion (23 years old) in UFC history. Holds wins over Daniel Cormier, Glover Teixeira, Rashad Evans, Lyoto Machida, Quinton Jackson and Mauricio Rua. Undefeated in 15 UFC title fights and became a two-weight UFC champion after defeating Ciryl Gane to become the heavyweight champion in 2023. His career wasn’t without blemishes, though. That first loss, in 2000 to Tsuyoshi Kosaka, was somewhat controversial as it was caused by a cut that was not allowed in the event. Over his first 37 MMA fights, he beat every fighter he faced other than Fedor while avenging his loss to Dan Henderson in the process. He holds wins over the likes of Henderson, Bob Sapp, Mirko Cro Cop, Mark Coleman, Josh Barnett, Tim Sylvia, Fabricio Werdum, Randy Couture, and Semmy Schilt. He retired with a 34-10-1 (1NC) record.There’s also his longevity. He only retired in 2023 at the age of 46, and while he should have hung his gloves up sooner, he still left the sport with an impressive 40-7 (1NC) record.
1. He Was Unbeaten for 10 Years
Holds a 27-1 (1NC) record, with his only loss coming by way of disqualification, meaning he is yet to be truly defeated. However, his failed drug tests have been used as an argument against him being the GOAT.Throughout his career, he was known for knocking out the best in the world: Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic, Mark Coleman, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, and Andrei Arlovski. He was also a master of striking and ground work.Amanda Nunes: Amanda Nunes is the current UFC women’s bantamweight and featherweight champion and is widely regarded as the greatest women’s fighter of all time.He also broke the record of consecutive UFC heavyweight title defenses in a row with three, while he also has the most overall with four. Additionally, he has the joint-most wins in UFC heavyweight title fights (6) along with Randy Couture. He also boasts crisp boxing ability as he was a former Golden Gloves champion and can wrestle, too, being an NCAA Division 1 wrestler.
2. He Was a Master Practitioner of MMA
He was also a complete mixed martial artist, being able to strike with the best in the game as well as dominate on the ground and use his jiu-jitsu to full effect. Only 9 of his 40 wins came by decision, with 16 knockouts and 15 submission victories.“I’ve signed Brock Lesnar, who came from the WWE, James Toney from boxing – he’s a nut chasing me all over the place – Tito Ortiz, whom I hated, and he hated me. I signed him twice when we hated each other. I’ve kept Chuck Liddell, kept Matt Hughes, kept Rich Franklin, when they were all champions. Anderson Silva, I’ve dealt with all the crazy [expletive] with him. But I can’t sign Fedor? How is this possible that I can’t sign this guy? It’s not possible. These guys don’t want to fight the best in the world.”Georges St-Pierre: A former two-weight UFC champion who went undefeated from 2008 to 2013 as the welterweight king. The French-Canadian holds wins over Matt Hughes (x2), Carlos Condit, Nick Diaz, Jake Shields, BJ Penn (x2), and Josh Koscheck (x2), to name a few. Avenged both his losses in MMA and retired with a 26-2 record.Cain Velasquez: Cain Velasquez is a two-time UFC heavyweight champion and was arguably the most talented heavyweight of all time, being highly adept at all facets of MMA, particularly with his striking and wrestling.
3. He Was a World Class Fighter
Demetrious Johnson: Arguably the most skilled fighter in MMA today, Demetrious Johnson was the first UFC flyweight champion. He holds the record for most consecutive and overall title defenses in UFC history (11).Today, most MMA fans would argue that Stipe Miocic is the greatest heavyweight of all time over Fedor Emelianenko. He has the resume to back it up as he is a two-time UFC heavyweight champion who notably holds wins over the likes of Francis Ngannou, Junior dos Santos, Daniel Cormier (x2), Alistair Overeem, Fabricio Werdum, and Mark Hunt.He was a Russian fighter who hails from Rubizhne, Luhansk Oblast, Ukraine, where he was born in 1976. He is a product of a family that struggled financially.He currently competes at ONE Championship, where he is the organization’s flyweight champion. Johnson holds wins over Henry Cejudo, John Dodson (x2), Kyoji Horiguchi, and Joseph Benavidez (x2). He currently holds a 31-4-1 record in MMA.
4. He Was a Legend
He is also known for being an honest person and a good father to his children. He does not drink alcohol and he considers himself an Orthodox Russian person.He went on to win the Rings title, then became a fixture of Pride FC, where he continued his winning streak. He defeated notable names such as Ricardo Arona, Renato Sobral, Heath Herring, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Mark Coleman, Kevin Randleman, Tsuyoshi Kohsaka, Mirko Filipovic, Mark Hunt, Matt Lindland, Tim Sylvia and Andrei Arlovski.Speaking of his unbeaten run, it also came to an end after the Russian was TKO’d by Dan Henderson at a Strikeforce event. While Henderson is known for his explosive knockout power, he was also a natural middleweight. And so, it’s seen as a slight against Fedor’s legacy that as the greatest heavyweight of all time, his unbeaten run was snapped by an undersized opponent, as you see in the following video clip.His unbeaten streak was made possible by his incredible talent and ability to stay undefeated for long periods of time without any serious injuries or lapses in judgment. In a sport that is prone to occurrences and mental lapses, Emelianenko’s undefeated streak stands out as being the longest in MMA history.
