Greatest UFC fighter ever?

Who do you think is the greatest fighter in the history of the UFC based on just their fights in the UFC?

It's clearly Anderson. By far.

Can't argue with that.

Honorable Mention for GSP

Hughes had a pretty good run for a while too.

When I think of the best I gotta go with the first man to ever hold a title in two weight classes in the UFC, Randy Couture. No one else has been in more title fights during their tenure in the UFC, and lets not forget he knocked off two dominant champions to win those titles, neither time being a favorite to win either.

Royce Gracie, winner of UFC 1, UFC 2 and UFC 4 tournaments against much larger competition. Also holds the record for most subs in the UFC with 11.

My top five:

1. Randy Couture -- overcoming the odds time and time again and entertaining fights.

2. Anderson Silva -- most dominant champ ever.

3. Chuck Liddell -- awesome fights and dominant run.

4. GSP -- second most dominant champ ever.

5. Matt Hughes -- awesome fights and overcoming odds.

Anderson no doubt.

Anderson and then GSP

Its tough for me to not pick Randy. Just look at the list of guys he has beaten... Tito, Chuck, Vitor, Timmy, Gonzaga and list goes on and on. He was great.

People keep saying Randy Couture because look at the people he beat but also look at the people he lost to. Anderson Silva has never lost. Rampage didn't lose. Hughes and GSP are/were very dominant. Ryce Gracie achieved a lot and Chuck was great. I don't think you can say Couture is the greatest ever in the UFC. Actually, I think Randy is the most overated UFC figher ever. Yes he's great but people think way too highly of him.

So beating the two longest reigning Light Heavyweight Champions of all time, being the first guy to ever win both the Heavyweight Title and Light Heavyweight Title isn't as impressive as defending a title one time successfully before losing it to Forrest Griffin... Anderson Silva got three freebie fights against Thales Leites, Patrick Cote, and the second time he fought Rich Franklin...

Couture beat guys he was given almost NO chance against on several occasions. He was supposed to get whomped by Liddell the first time. Tito was supposed to show him he was too old to compete for the title anymore. Tim Sylvia was supposed to wreck him with superior Sprawl and Brawl. Gonzaga was supposed to be the best thing since sex and therefore rip the title away from Couture with ease. They all got upset by a 40+ year old underdog who nobody thought could fight at the highest level anymore.

Hughes and Liddell are not far behind on My list of best ever's in the UFC. The thing that poses a problem with either of them taking the spot at the top in My mind is that while they ruled their divisions respectively, they only competed in one weight class a piece. I'm not trying to take anything away from either of them, I'm just saying Couture achieved something that only BJ Penn has ever matched. He has consistently faced top competition and has turned out some of the greatest fights to date.

If anyone is overrated it's Anderson Silva. He competed at Light Heavyweight twice but the first time it was against someone who never even got close to cracking the top ten and who's only claim to fame was an eight second KO of Houston Alexander. The second time he was fed an opponent who's style was perfect for him in Forrest Griffin. So thats four "gimme" wins. I just don't buy it.

I don't care what the judges say, Rampage beat Griffin. If Couture was at his peak he'd lose to Brock, Machida, Anderson, Carwin and maybe Rampage. Chuck Liddell beat him 2-1 so if anything Chuck is higher on the list.

I say Hughes. A few years from now I'm sure that Anderson's, GSP's and Penn's careers will ecclipse Hughes's.

Anderson is a notch above Randy. Randy had his share of "freebes" too(as if Cote, Leites and Franklin are "easy fights" anyway) Freebes includes top ten fighters? Ya ok.

Anderson makes every fight look like a freebes.

Hughes.

Actually yeah they were Freebies, since Cote suffered a freak accident before anything had a chance to really happen. Leites spent more time laying on his back and running away than he did actually trying to fight... Come on, when you punch someone in the thigh twice while of you are standing up, it's pretty obvious theres no fight left in the guy. And taking Franklin out the second time in about three minutes more than it took the first time, especially in the same fashion makes for a freebie...

Franklin is not a freebee. You my friend are ignorant.

Greatest or most dominant? Greatest would be Anderson. No losses and no real close fights. Most dominant was Hughes. The list wasn't the most impressive, but the wins speak volumes. Regardless, both categories will belong to Anderson real soon and GSP may contend on both soon as well....

He is when his style matches up perfectly with Andersons and it shows two times. Don't get me wrong, I am a fan of Rich Franklin and have been for a long time. But he brought nothing new to the table the second time around, he got finished in much the same fashion the second time around, and he managed to only prolong the same result by a few minutes the second time around.

Gracie
Hughes
Anderson