Prime Fedor would’ve been UFC champ with 10+ defenses

[Baby Jay Penn]

If Fedor had gone to UFC in 2007, he would have had some wins like he had against former UFC HW champions Sylvia and Arlovski in Affliction, and maybe then he would have lost to Cain (e.g.).

However he would be the HW goat anyway because he would have lost after his prime and to the new generation of fighters.

 

[bartleby929]

He owned Tim Sylvia and Arlovski when they were in their primes and UFC contenders/former champs. He would have gotten knocked out by the Cain that knocked out Big Nog.

 

[smiles mma]

Facts shit he'd probably have like 15 defenses lol these millennials who never saw fedor fight in his prime make me laugh
View attachment 752945

i feel like you don't know what millennial means.
most is the people on this forum and people that watched pride era are millennials.

 

[BFoe]

If you think about... without Fedor in Pride their champion before folding would have been Crocop or Nog, both signed with UFC so not only getting champ vs champ at 185 and 205 we would have laid to rest which organization had the better champion at heavyweight too... Also, all the guys he lost to in Strikeforce and Bellator are former UFC fighters...

It’s kind of a mixed bag. The guys he beat in Bellator were also former UFC fighters, plus his wins over Monson and Rizzo. Judging late-career Fedor is kind of tough.

 

[Usurper123]

But he also didn’t fight a lot of those top pride hw’s either. It’s tougher when you fight the most logical contender in every fight.

Fedor was amazing and he’d obviously be favorite against everyone. Just not sure he beats cro cop, nog, Sergei, Barnett, arlovski, randy, werdum, ubereem, etc all in succession. We’ll never know.

He did fight Cro Cop, Nog 3x and arlovski. Ubereem came in later, at that time he was a light heavyweight so he wasn't really on the map at that time. Not seeing him fight Barnett was a huge loss to the fight community, I believe it was scheduled and Barnett either popped hot or got injured, I don't recall. Fedor was injured a lot and the amount of time he was champ was a little exagerated as he fought maybe once a year once he was champ. That said if he had been in the UFC in 2002-2006 There would have been a really good chance that he would have been champ.

 

[kflo]

He did fight Cro Cop, Nog 3x and arlovski. Ubereem came in later, at that time he was a light heavyweight so he wasn't really on the map at that time. Not seeing him fight Barnett was a huge loss to the fight community, I believe it was scheduled and Barnett either popped hot or got injured, I don't recall. Fedor was injured a lot and the amount of time he was champ was a little exagerated as he fought maybe once a year once he was champ. That said if he had been in the UFC in 2002-2006 There would have been a really good chance that he would have been champ.

Look he was the best fighter. He’d be favored against everyone. I’m just saying it’s hard to beat the top contender every fight year after year without slipping.

and yeah, Barnett popped.

 

[VIPERdude]

View attachment 752933

You are saying PRIME Fedor would been champion in the UFC HW division. Ok

PRIME Fedor was at his peak between 2004 and 2007 in PRIDE.
Fedor defeated the likes of prime big Nog , Cro Cop, and a jacked to the tits Mark Coleman. ALL who were respectfully one dimensional fighters although great at that one dimension. The reason Fedor was so dominant at that time was because he was good at everything. A complete ENOUGH fighter to hang with those wrestlers, BJJ black belts and strikers.
Prime Fedor also fought some freak fights against 390 pound ZULU....7'2 HONG MAN CHOI....and guys who were great but smaller like Matt Lindland.

Fedor started to show a little decline in 2008 when he fought Andrei Arlovski a legit test and a former UFC HW champion and Fedor was actually losing the fight until Arlovski backed Fedor into the corner leaped into the air with a flying knee (I believe) and got caught with a solid punch knocking Arlovski out cold.

So, if "Prime" Fedor was in the UFC in 2004 he would been fighting either the young submission killer that was Frank Mir or Prime Andrei Arlovski who was much faster and dynamic than when he fought Fedor years later when he was no longer in the UFC.

I liked Fedor, would he have become UFC HW champion in his prime? I think saying he wouldnt would be absolutely ridiculous and I almost would put money on it that he would beat UFC Arlovski, Frank Mir, or UFC Tim Sylvia (he destroyed post UFC Sylvia) but would I bet on Fedor having had that many title defenses? No.

I think Prime Fedor would have MAYBE beaten Randy Couture in 2007 but I DO NOT think Fedor would have beaten Big Nog at that time in his career or even Shane Carwin. At that time 2008-2009 Fedor was nearly beat by Brett Rogers he def lost that first round. His power never changed but Fedor started to decline. Brock at that time would have likely been able to wrestle him like Big Foot Silva and do the same thing to him.
I dont think Fedor would have beaten Cain or JDS.

Fedor would not have defended the belt 10 times. Would he have become champion? I wouldnt bet against that it was at the time most certainly possible.

 

[bartleby929]

Fedor ducked Ubereem too.

Hilarious to say Arlovski wasn't in his prime when he fought fedor. He got paid over a million to fight fedor - that is why he "wasn't in the ufc anymore"

 

[CinemaKingdom]

I mean the toughest HWs in the ufc at the time were Arlovski, Mir, Sylvia and Couture. We saw how 3 of those played out; they didn't even last 1 round combined. Couture was getting dropped by zombie Nog, Fedor would have sent his head out into space.

 

[Grenades]

Remember, Fedor haters are not actually MMA fans- they are desperate UFC fangirls.

If you are not a fan of Fedor, you are not a fan of MMA.
It is really that simple.

Never poped for roids.
Never talked shit.
Always professional and friendly.
Always brought it in a fight.

I literally don't give two fucks about a "Fedor critic's" opinion, as they have shown that they are braindead by definition.

Fedor is cool. His fans are unbearable.

 

[BFoe]

You are saying PRIME Fedor would been champion in the UFC HW division. Ok

PRIME Fedor was at his peak between 2004 and 2007 in PRIDE.
Fedor defeated the likes of prime big Nog , Cro Cop, and a jacked to the tits Mark Coleman. ALL who were respectfully one dimensional fighters although great at that one dimension. The reason Fedor was so dominant at that time was because he was good at everything. A complete ENOUGH fighter to hang with those wrestlers, BJJ black belts and strikers.
Prime Fedor also fought some freak fights against 390 pound ZULU....7'2 HONG MAN CHOI....and guys who were great but smaller like Matt Lindland.

Fedor started to show a little decline in 2008 when he fought Andrei Arlovski a legit test and a former UFC HW champion and Fedor was actually losing the fight until Arlovski backed Fedor into the corner leaped into the air with a flying knee (I believe) and got caught with a solid punch knocking Arlovski out cold.

So, if "Prime" Fedor was in the UFC in 2004 he would been fighting either the young submission killer that was Frank Mir or Prime Andrei Arlovski who was much faster and dynamic than when he fought Fedor years later when he was no longer in the UFC.

I liked Fedor, would he have become UFC HW champion in his prime? I think saying he wouldnt would be absolutely ridiculous and I almost would put money on it that he would beat UFC Arlovski, Frank Mir, or UFC Tim Sylvia (he destroyed post UFC Sylvia) but would I bet on Fedor having had that many title defenses? No.

I think Prime Fedor would have MAYBE beaten Randy Couture in 2007 but I DO NOT think Fedor would have beaten Big Nog at that time in his career or even Shane Carwin. At that time 2008-2009 Fedor was nearly beat by Brett Rogers he def lost that first round. His power never changed but Fedor started to decline. Brock at that time would have likely been able to wrestle him like Big Foot Silva and do the same thing to him.
I dont think Fedor would have beaten Cain or JDS.

Fedor would not have defended the belt 10 times. Would he have become champion? I wouldnt bet against that it was at the time most certainly possible.

Out of curiosity, what would Nog have brought to the table to beat Fedor in ‘07 that he couldn’t bring the other times that they fought? Fedor was still an excellent grappler in ‘07 and a much better striker than Nog.

And since we’re on a forum and all, a couple other quick opinions:
-Fedor won the first round against Rogers IMO
-It seems a little weird to say “post-UFC Sylvia.” Sylvia was in the UFC in the fight just prior. I guess it’s technically correct since the Affliction fight came after, but still kinda odd to say.

 

[VIPERdude]

Out of curiosity, what would Nog have brought to the table to beat Fedor in ‘07 that he couldn’t bring the other times that they fought? Fedor was still an excellent grappler in ‘07 and a much better striker than Nog.

And since we’re on a forum and all, a couple other quick opinions:
-Fedor won the first round against Rogers IMO
-It seems a little weird to say “post-UFC Sylvia.” Sylvia was in the UFC in the fight just prior. I guess it’s technically correct since the Affliction fight came after, but still kinda odd to say.

Well everyone has a dif opinion on a dif time in a fighters career. You may very well have a point that Big Nog may not have had anything new for Fedor in 07. I just look at the fact Sylvia got caught so quickly in their fight in 2009 to really see if Tim who left the UFC off the loss to Big Nog and a decision win over Brandon Vera and before that losing to Randy Couture who came out of retirement and demolished the man. Sylvia had not much left in the tank becoming out of shape having been KOed be Ray Mercer (a former boxer that took his shot in MMA as you likely know already) Fedor in 2007 again had his next real test against Arlovski he was losing and still had crazy power and today still has power which is the last to go as you age they say.
Big Nog had a nice win streak from 06 to 08 beating Josh Barnett, Herring and Sylvia (sending him out of the UFC). Then Nog lost to Mir and then came back in 2009 to beat the guy in Randy Couture who many bealived would have been the guy to beat Fedor. SO YOU may be right Big nog may not have had much else for Fedor other than Fedor in that time wasnt the same Fedor.

As far as Fedor winning round 1 against Brett I have to completely disagree with Fedor winning that round when I saw it but again its really how you decide to score it. Back then judges looked at fights in all kinds of weird ways. On paper Rogers out landed Fedor 14 to 4 in round 1. We know they dont go by fight metrics still to this day so to see if my memory wasnt as shitty as todays judging I had to look up a round play by play.
Turns out it was a hard round to score.

"Round 1: Fedor is cut right on the noise right of the bat from a jab by Rodgers. Fedor swings wildly with both hands and misses short. Fedor cracks Rogers with a right hand and throws him effortlessly to the mat. Rogers is game as he quickly gets to his feet and clinches with Fedor against the fence. Fedor’s nose is a mess. He’s breathing from his mouth and wiping his nose. Rogers gets off the fence and gets mauled by a Fedor right hand. Fedor unloads with haymakers are pushes the off-balanced Rogers down. Rogers tees off with punches from the top and Fedor is busted wide open. Blood is pouring from the face of Fedor. Emelianenko goes for an armbar and Rogers has none of it. Fedor takes the top position and looks for an arm triangle. Rogers escapes. Great opening round, but Fedor’s face is jacked."

I gave it to Rogers, lots did, you could have I wouldnt have an issue.

 

[Rudeboyben84]

I count 8 title fights between 2002 and when Lesnar arrives. We saw what bigfoot did to an older Fedor. My feeling is Lesnar does the same. Even if he beat Lesnar Cain was next up.

Id give him a title win and 7 defences before Brock took him down and flattened his head. Possibly 8 defences before Cain dethroned him.

If he was to do 10 defences were now imagining he would have been more active and we don’t know who it would have been against.

unless you think he could have gone to UFC and win earlier when he was green.

We saw early he struggles with Arona. In 2000 Couture lost to Barnett. Barnett might have outgrappled Fedor back then.

Biggest Fedor fan going buy 10 defences is a stretch.

 

[LilNicky95]

Prime Fedor would get knocked out in the first round by Derek Lewis

A new level of stupidity.

 

[LilNicky95]

theres like 5 - 7more hw fighters who have better quality wins than him lmfao... cain and jds would brutaly damage him if he didnt duck the ufc.. hell even kongo and shane carwin would beat him back then..

 

[moreorless87]

Yeah, he did look lost against Rogers and Hendo while being pressed against the cage. But Randy was alreay 46 in 2007 though and he literally lost by KO against Brock Lesnar. Not ground and pound but he actually went down for a punch, the GnP was extra. It's hard not to see Fedor land that punch too in 2007 in a 5 round fight but with a lot more power.

Rogers kept him there a bit but then again he had a tone of size on his side and wasn't able to actually do much from that position. I just think the Nog fight shows you the problem he'd have with Fedor, there would be no "safe" space for him and his opponent would have a hell of a lot more finishing ability wherever the fight went.

If Fedor had signed in 2007 most likely Sylvia and Arlovski do not leave as there probably wouldn't be anyone offering them big money the way Affliction did at least until Strikeforce starts to take off 2-3 years latter.

 

[orca]

just posting facts