Anderson Silva Says BJ Penn is the Greatest Mixed Martial Artist of All Time

http://www.mmaweekly.com/anderson-silva-says-bj-penn-is-the-greatest-mixed-martial-artist-of-all-time

UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva is widely considered the greatest mixed martial artist of all time.  But who does Silva consider the best?
He was asked that very question on a UFC 162: Silva vs. Weidman media conference call on Tuesday and his answer may surprise some.
“In my opinion, BJ Penn is No. 1,” said Silva.
Penn (16-9-2) is one of only two multi-division champions in UFC history. The former lightweight and welterweight titleholder routinely accepted fights outside of his weight class.  He’s competed as high as the heavyweight division against former light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida, and fought him to a decision.  Penn defeated Renzo and Rodrigo Gracie in the middleweight division.  Penn is currently contemplating a return to fighting in the 155-pound weight class.
Silva gave his top four mixed martial artists.  Following Penn came “Randy Couture, Chuck Liddell and Royce Gracie,” said Silva.
Couture (19-11) is the other multi-division champion in UFC history and the first to accomplish the feat.  The former three-time heavyweight champion and two-time light heavyweight titleholder competed in a record 15 UFC title fights.
Liddell (21- was known for his one-punch knockout power.  The former UFC light heavyweight champion holds the record for the most knockouts in the light heavyweight division and is second behind Silva in most knockouts in UFC history.
Gracie (14-2-3) is the godfather of the UFC.  The jiu-jitsu specialist won the UFC 1, 2, and 4 tournaments.  He holds the record for most submission wins in UFC history with 11, and was the first face of mixed martial arts.
Couture, Liddell and Gracie are all UFC Hall of Famers.  Penn is no doubt a future inductee.

Silva is a bad judge.

Penn is an all time great, he just might be the greatest of all time in fact.

GDPofDRC wrote:

Penn is an all time great, he just might be the greatest of all time in fact.

Not even top 5.

freakzilla wrote:

GDPofDRC wrote:

Penn is an all time great, he just might be the greatest of all time in fact.

Not even top 5.

I think if you just look at his peak, he is one of the GOAT. BJ highest level is about as good as it gets.

freakzilla wrote:

GDPofDRC wrote:

Penn is an all time great, he just might be the greatest of all time in fact.

Not even top 5.

Motivated BJ > GSP

The greatest? Probably not, but he's easily in the discussion of top 4-5 simply for his willingness to fight way above his natural weight class against some very good opponents and while he may not have always won those fights he was only ever really outclassed once. His problems were always work ethic related and never talent related. As far as most naturally gifted fighter to ever enter the sport he just may be that.

Not just me being a fanboy, talent wise you can't really ask for too much of a better overall MMArtist than BJ Penn. Excellent MMA boxing, great offensive and defensive wrestling, great offensive and defensive BJJ. When he's right, he also has speed, power, and durability. When he's right he can switch from patient and calculative to explosive and brutal.  Also, his flexibility was incredibly unique.

They didnt call him the prodigy for nothing. The guy was a black belt and BJJ world champion in his third year of training. He was a UFC champion in two divisions in his 3rd year of MMA. He was the only guy until Shogun to give Lyoto Machida a fight when even an undefeated Rich Franklin couldnt. Can you imagine BJ's record if he spent his whole career at LW? His only real losses there in my book is the second Edgar fight and maybe the first Jens Pulver fight.

BJ's problem was just putting in the time staying in a shape competitive with his a lot of times bigger WW opponents. BJ grew up wealthy and he inherited more money than any UFC fighter will make, that along with being a top paid MMA fighter.  The only time he had the hunger to get himself in top condition was when he felt embarrased after the second GSP fight..but he quickly lost that drive and now getting his ass kicked inst enough for him to really push himself to the next level physically.

It's why BJ is one of my favorite fighters. He's awesome at everything and he really fights for the love of the game. P4P, if you're using it correctly..you can certainly make a case for him as top 5. Either way, i think Anderson was making a personal favorite list rather than an actual P4P list.

Fedor, Anderson, GSP and Jon are all ahead of him easily then there are other fighters also. No top 5 for BJ.

freakzilla wrote:

Fedor, Anderson, GSP and Jon are all ahead of him easily then there are other fighters also. No top 5 for BJ.

I think if you only consider fighters at their peaks, no matter how long that peak was, it doesn't get any higher then BJ. He is as impressive a fighter as any I have seen.

OU wrote:

freakzilla wrote:

Fedor, Anderson, GSP and Jon are all ahead of him easily then there are other fighters also. No top 5 for BJ.

I think if you only consider fighters at their peaks, no matter how long that peak was, it doesn't get any higher then BJ. He is as impressive a fighter as any I have seen.

GOAT is based on whole career.

freakzilla wrote:

OU wrote:

freakzilla wrote:

Fedor, Anderson, GSP and Jon are all ahead of him easily then there are other fighters also. No top 5 for BJ.

I think if you only consider fighters at their peaks, no matter how long that peak was, it doesn't get any higher then BJ. He is as impressive a fighter as any I have seen.

GOAT is based on whole career.

More then one way to look at it. BJ Penn at his best is as good as it gets. When he was fighting at his highest level there is no one that has ever performed higher. Did he have the best career in the history of MMA? No. Was his best the best ever? Maybe.

IMO you are being too narrow minded on this subject.

OU wrote:

freakzilla wrote:

OU wrote:

freakzilla wrote:

Fedor, Anderson, GSP and Jon are all ahead of him easily then there are other fighters also. No top 5 for BJ.

I think if you only consider fighters at their peaks, no matter how long that peak was, it doesn't get any higher then BJ. He is as impressive a fighter as any I have seen.

GOAT is based on whole career.

More then one way to look at it. BJ Penn at his best is as good as it gets. When he was fighting at his highest level there is no one that has ever performed higher. Did he have the best career in the history of MMA? No. Was his best the best ever? Maybe.

IMO you are being too narrow minded on this subject.

So you would have him ahead of Fedor, Anderson, GSP, Jones and Chuck all-time?

He fought and beat the best of the best in divisions larger then his own and beat the fighters considered to be the best in his natural division before he was even in his prime.  If a great fighter wants to say BJ Penn is the best fighter he's ever seen, you don't have to agree with him, but recognize the validity of his observation when it has merit.  Penn has always been in the discussion as one of the greatest fighters of all time not because of the composition if his entire martial arts resume, but for how he was ale to perform when he was at his best.

freakzilla wrote:

OU wrote:

freakzilla wrote:

OU wrote:

freakzilla wrote:

Fedor, Anderson, GSP and Jon are all ahead of him easily then there are other fighters also. No top 5 for BJ.

I think if you only consider fighters at their peaks, no matter how long that peak was, it doesn't get any higher then BJ. He is as impressive a fighter as any I have seen.

GOAT is based on whole career.

More then one way to look at it. BJ Penn at his best is as good as it gets. When he was fighting at his highest level there is no one that has ever performed higher. Did he have the best career in the history of MMA? No. Was his best the best ever? Maybe.

IMO you are being too narrow minded on this subject.

So you would have him ahead of Fedor, Anderson, GSP, Jones and Chuck all-time?

IMO none of them have performed at a higher level then BJ Penn at his highest level. I'll give you my best comparison. BJ Penn might not have been the best TV series of all time. But some of the episodes were the best episodes ever. The series didn't always stay on track and didn't have the best ending. But damn was it entertaining during it's peak. Some of his seasons are as good as any season ever seen before.

OU wrote:

freakzilla wrote:

OU wrote:

freakzilla wrote:

OU wrote:

freakzilla wrote:

Fedor, Anderson, GSP and Jon are all ahead of him easily then there are other fighters also. No top 5 for BJ.

I think if you only consider fighters at their peaks, no matter how long that peak was, it doesn't get any higher then BJ. He is as impressive a fighter as any I have seen.

GOAT is based on whole career.

More then one way to look at it. BJ Penn at his best is as good as it gets. When he was fighting at his highest level there is no one that has ever performed higher. Did he have the best career in the history of MMA? No. Was his best the best ever? Maybe.

IMO you are being too narrow minded on this subject.

So you would have him ahead of Fedor, Anderson, GSP, Jones and Chuck all-time?

IMO none of them have performed at a higher level then BJ Penn at his highest level. I'll give you my best comparison. BJ Penn might not have been the best TV series of all time. But some of the episodes were the best episodes ever. The series didn't always stay on track and didn't have the best ending. But damn was it entertaining during it's peak. Some of his seasons are as good as any season ever seen before.

I will have to disagree with that.