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Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) is the real time ‘Never back down’. It is a combat wherein you need to excel in both ground and stand-up fighting which makes one ‘a complete fighter’.There are some who are the ‘the most complete’ and a class apart.Take them to the ground or let them be standing, they dazzle in both spheres.
I have enlisted the list of top 5 most complete MMA fighters of all time who bring a full-clad package and originality to the cage which will make you glued to the screen and pop out of your seat every time they strike or clinch.
They are the mind bogglers, the entertainers, the BEST. Want to know more? Read on...
5. Anderson Silva
Having a fight record of 34/6, Anderson ‘the Spider’ Silva had posed to be the unstoppable king. Let them be elite boxers, world class wrestlers; the Spider got them all in his web.
Defending his title 17 times, Silva has finished the game in both standing up with awesome striking and kicks and on the ground with triangle chokes.
This vicious Muaythai is adept at changing his stance from southpaw to orthodox and with clear moves thus bringing in excitement. He trains in Boxing, Wrestling, Judo, Taekwondo and even Capoeira. He is also a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ).
This middle-weight and light heavy-weight title holder of past has proven that the best strikers and grapplers need not be the most powerful as they need to be smart and accurate players.
4. Frankie Edgar
Frankie ‘The Answer’ Edgar is #2 in official Featherweight rankings of UFC and is also a former UFC Lightweight Champion.
This American is from a wrestling background who also trains in BJJ and boxing. Having a record of finishing four games by knockout and four by submissions, he depicts terrific stand-up skills and fatal wrestling.
His most used striking technique is the straight right hand with which he opens up with boxing and continues with hooks. He completely blends his striking with wrestling thus being able to go for a takedown. His exceptionally swift footwork, constant getting in and out of the range and solid punches with good single and double leg takedowns help him defeat much bigger fighters than himself.
Holding a record of 18-4-1, Frankie has defeated phenoms like BJ Penn and Gray Maynard in interesting bouts.
‘The Answer’ is a champion for many reasons including speed, his ability to flow from technique to technique, iron chin, recovery and never-quit attitude.
3. Fedor Emelianenko
Also known as ‘The Last Emperor’, is a Russian heavyweight fighter holding a record of 34/4.
Emelianenko has defeated four former UFC champions, one Pride FC champion, one former and two future K-1 champions, two former Olympic medalists and over eleven top-10 ranked fighters (two of them twice). Ending most of his fights in submissions and technical knockouts (TKO’s), Fedor shows his ability to be awesome in both standing and ground despite of not being the biggest guy in the heavyweight category.
He has a great base in Sambo which is almost a complete mixed martial art in itself with powerful striking and lethal grappling. He also trains in Judo, Muaythai, Boxing and Kickboxing. Lengthened Russian hooks, inside and outside hand traps, overhand jab, best clinching and and all of this combined with excellent bodywork and power made him amongst the most dangerous fighters. Never fearing takedowns, with his rapid head movements and bodywork; Fedor is also known for taking thunderous slams.
Being one of the greatest punchers and grapplers of all times, ‘The Last Emperor’ indeed brings a full package for his opponents.
2. Cain Velasquez
The American Heavyweight fighter is one of the greatest in UFC. He is a former UFC Heavyweight Champion who holds a record of 13-2 defeating champions like Junior Dos Santos, Brock Lesnar and Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva for the title.
Velasquez is an efficient striker combined with great accuracy and timely defense. He starts with a jab to maintain distance and then quickly bombards in with a right and closes up to hooks and uppercut which is astoundingly fast as far as his weight category is concerned.
Keeping his game to mostly striking and clinching while standing, this two-time NCAA All-American wrestler at Arizona State University uses chain wrestling and repeated attempts(takedown in every 70 seconds approximately) to take the opponent to the mat.
In 31 completed takedowns, Velasquez has achieved 30 times. This shows Cain’s swiftness, accuracy and fluidity in moving from striking and clinching in the standing game to takedown and then in a dominant position.
1. Georges St. Pierre
Yes, Georges ‘Batroc’ (from Captain America: The Winter Soldier) is a real-time, ranked #1 welterweight in the world by Sherdog and one of the most accomplished MMA fighters of all time.
Georges St. Pierre popularly known as GSP or ‘Rush’ has derived this nickname as a result of defeating his opponents in the first round itself. He attained his first UFC gold at the age of 25 with just four years of being a professional.
Coming from a Karate background, GSP believes in all round training and thus trains in gymnastics (for flexibility and strength), wrestling, boxing along with holding black belts in both Kyokushin karate and BJJ. He is technical and disciplined in all his games.
This two-time Welterweight Champion of the World (UFC) is at his best in both striking and takedowns. In his 27 fights, ‘Rush’ has landed 57 percent of successful strikes in standing and 35 percent in ground with 74 percent of successful takedowns.
Rush has a record of 25-2 wherein 8 are knockouts and 5 are submission wins against the top fighters of the world including BJ Penn, Nick Diaz, Matt Hughes and Carlos Condit. He is indeed a complete package.
