MMA Hall of Fame

[AA484]

Was thinking about this the other day. I know we have a UFC Hall already but I just wanted to garner opinions on who should be in a WON (Wrestling Observer)-type hall. I'm trying to work my way backwards since I believe it's more interesting to evaluate current performers.

I've worked back about a decade so far and here is who I have as locks:

GSP
Rousey
Conor
Jones
Anderson Silva
Lesnar

 

[Lord of The Curry]

Lesnar? Unless we're solely focusing on PPV buyrates, no fucking way.

 

[AA484]

Well, it's the Hall of Fame, so drawing power definitely plays a factor. I try to do evenly distribute drawing and skill. I'd definitely like to hear your input on how appropriate that is.

 

[Mickey Massuco]

I don't know, in other sports they don't consider drawing power a factor.

I wouldn't put Conor or Rousey in there either, if drawing power is not taken into account. Cris Cyborg would definitely be in there. So would BJ Penn.

 

[AA484]

Influence is maybe a better qualifier than drawing power. I guess I wanted to capture the PPV and business factor, which is essential to the sport.

 

[Just Call Me Dan]

Ronda Rousey would not be in your hall of fame? Why have one?

 

[Brocklock]

Yeah, I'd say Rousey is a lock for a HOF just for influence and notoriety. I don't think Women's MMA becomes as big or gets a spot in the UFC without her. I would also put Chuck, Randy, and Tito in a HOF records be damned. Fedor is in a HOF for me. Maybe Big Nog and Wanderlei too.

 

[KOAB]

Do people still try to argue Kimbo Slice for these things since the sport is still relatively young and he gets most of the credit for being a major influence as the guy to first get MMA on network TV and all the ratings he drew? Do they still put up Royce Gracie for his mystique built up in the early days of UFC and the explosion of a martial arts form most people knew nothing about? Do we forget the people who had great runs and meant a lot for their portion of MMA history just because they might've been exposed in the end and people just personally don't like them as if this is the baseball hall of fame?

 

[Mickey Massuco]

Yeah I'm kind of shocked that as far as in-competition performance goes, Big Nog and Wand would even be a question.

Ronda and Conor if you take into account their drawing power and influence, no doubt they belong in there. But in-cage, Ronda's run is really suspect in hindsight. Conor never defended a belt and didn't face a wrestler with a full training camp until his last fight where he got beat down the entire fight.

 

[Lord of The Curry]

Off the top of my head were I allowed to pick ten fighters my first-ballot nominations would be

Fedor
Anderson
GSP
Jones
Chuck
Matt Hughes
BJ
Aldo
Royce
Megumi Fujii

 

[AA484]

I'd probably have to have Tito or Saku in my first 10.

 

[HSJ]

Brock is absolutely a HOFer.

I’m a fan of having one or two big names a year and maybe sprinkle in a mid carder that had an impact. So I wouldn’t add the 10 biggest stars right away.