Igor Vovchanchyn the unsung GOAT....?

[mkt]

I mean, you can say that...

But in reality, we have no idea if Igor could have fought effectively at 170. At best, we saw Igor as a good, not great 205er.

There's no saying Igor wasn't as juiced up as Coleman either, unfortunately.

I don't like posting like this, as I'm a huge Igor fan, but it's clearly the truth...

Wait, Russian athletes and PEDs? Has that ever happened before?

 

[Kowboy On Sherdog]

Legend and Pioneer. If you want to show some friends old school MMA. Show them Igor. The guy doesn't disappoint.

 

[SuperNerd]

Wait, Russian athletes and PEDs? Has that ever happened before?

Systematic government funded cheaters, but Fedor and Igor's honor is too great. Bushido, and stuff.

 

[LoneStalker]

Igor's the fucking man.
Legend.

 

[executionermma]

GOAT of fighters to never compete at UFC/Bellator

But not HW GOAT, that's belong to Fedor so far.

 

[LoneStalker]

Yeah but when you have like 80 MMA fights you are bound to have a few losses.

Mikhail stuck his chin in Igor's eye. That would make anyone tap out of fear of going blind.

Telligman was a very good all around fighter that matched up well with Igor. No shame in that. When you have that many fights there will be some losses.

Igor beat Kerr 2x.
Beat Goodridge 2x
Beat Carlos Barreto in a close fight
Submitted V Overeem
Beat Sakuraba
Beat Bobish
Beat Dirty Bob
Beat Yvel

He also won at least 9 tournaments and was a finalist in others. Best Tournament fighter ever.

His absolute prime was 1995 to 2000.

His record was 46-3-1 after he beat Kerr the second time.

Absolute fucking legend

Impressive, really.
Man, but watching that video, duuuude Paul Varelans will be always remembered but the incredible spankings he took in almost every fight. The punishment he suffered against Igor and Marco Ruas was enough to clean the sins of two generations. Poor guy.

 

[porcodio]

One thing for sure he is one of the guy i wouldnt fight even for money.

 

[Wicked_1]

Igor was a badass for sure. Not goat, but def top 10 if not 5 heavyweighat.

 

[MrFeeny]

Didn't know Igor retired so young. He's still only 44. Prime age for the UFC HW division.

Igor vs Stipe 2018

 

[Hoop]

or a valid discussion on a sports forum?

No, no, no. I think you've read me wrong on this. If folk want to discuss it - cool. Nobody is forcing me to read it.

I mean what the fuck is up with hating on GOAT discussion? This is MMA, guys fight each other and we get to say who's better.

Not hating on it, it's more the cluster fuck of opinions that come together on the debate of who is the GOAT. I'm sure everybody has a different set of criteria that needs to be met for someone to be eligible in the GOAT discussion. There's never any objectivity in the debate and it usually turns into slandering fighters for various reasons; 'that fighter was on PEDs' 'He fought in a weak division' 'That guy was a decision machine' 'That fighter had no striking/grappling'

It's a never ending debate and especially about such a complex sport that is MMA, which is rapidly evolving. I've read some good presentations on a certain fighter and why he's the GOAT, but then there's the openly biased opinions of others.

The tedium of the debate lies in the almost hysterical way folk get when they're vouching for their GOAT or someone disagrees with them/takes a shot at them and it turns into the cluster fuck I mentioned. That seems to be the majority of they way those debates go on. People getting so flushed about an imaginary title.

 

[Psychedelic]

His daughter / wife who posts on sherdog definitely thinks so.

@IngaVovchanchyn

 

[dmwalking]

All those losses you listed came after the guy had about 50 MMA fights and 60 kickboxing fights.

He started in 1995 and was technically past his prime around 2001 or 2002 due to mileage and injuries.

You say half of those guys suck? Imagine flying to a shady tournament in the 90's with no film of any of your opponents. Back then you had no idea what your opponent(s) even looked like or about his strengths and weaknesses. There was no drug testing and the rules were very limited and dangerous. Sometimes having to fight 3 or 4 times in one night.

I find it incredible that this little 5'8 striker was able to emerge the king in at least 9 tournaments around the world under those conditions. He was also a finalist in other tournaments.

Sure, some of them may have been cans but to go on a 39 fight unbeaten streak is still extremely impressive. He still managed to beat many big names despite arriving too early in the sport.

He was already slowing down around 2001 or 2002 when the HW division was really growing. He peaked just a little too early and had too much mileage and hand injuries. The man threw punches so hard his hands were destroyed.

He may not be the overall MMA GOAT but i do believe he is the GOAT of NHB and the GOAT of the 90's.

Amen. Igor bless.

 

[My2Cents]

Igor is such a beast. First time I saw him fight he won a tournament i Russia beating Paul Varelans the polar bear in the final. Paul was almost twice his hight and before Paul he beat 2 other giants I believe. Much respect for him. He was one of the hardest hitters in pride

 

[JRY82]

I agree Igor is definitely a legend,people don't realize how scary he was and his impressive record( even with the late losses let alone in his prime)also someone I wouldn't want an altercation with

 

[JRY82]

Paul Varelans was an awful fighter.

Vovchanchyn literally has no marquee wins to speak of.

He didn't retire because he was "past his prime", he retired because he got exposed & didn't know how to improve nor cut weight.

His run was fun but that's all it was.

wow, last Sundays card was your first time watching mma huh, this is the noobish shit I've ever heard lol, mma fans suck

 

[Pancake Sprawl]

You could call it a disease.. or a valid discussion on a sports forum?

I mean what the fuck is up with hating on GOAT discussion? This is MMA, guys fight each other and we get to say who's better.

Igor was great but not at the level of Fedor/GSP so i'd disagree TS.

Igor's personal skill level might not be up to Fedor/GSP levels, but do you think GSP could beat Brock Lesnar?

because that's basically what Igor did when he smashed Mark Kerr.

Igor is roughly the size of GSP, just a lot fatter.

Mark Kerr was roughly the size of Brock Lesnar with very similar skill sets.

do i think Igor could beat GSP? prime for prime? he has a chance, but i'd favor GSP.

but do i think GSP could ever smash HWs like Igor? not a chance.

 

[Pancake Sprawl]

Igor is such a beast. First time I saw him fight he won a tournament i Russia beating Paul Varelans the polar bear in the final. Paul was almost twice his hight and before Paul he beat 2 other giants I believe. Much respect for him. He was one of the hardest hitters in pride

yes, i remember that too. Fred "The Mauler" Floyd was his first fight i think, he was a 6'5 +330lb black dude. he then fought John Dixon i believe who was 6'2 and 270lbs or so, and then at the end he fought "Final Boss" Paul Varelans.

i remember that tournament because Igor was so small and pale, he didn't look like he was gonna stand a chance vs Fred Floyd who looked like a nose tackle from the NFL. it was funny because he was so much smaller than his opponents he literally was jumping up to punch Varelans in the face.

 

[dmwalking]

Paul Varelans was an awful fighter.

Vovchanchyn literally has no marquee wins to speak of.

He didn't retire because he was "past his prime", he retired because he got exposed & didn't know how to improve nor cut weight.

His run was fun but that's all it was.

He beat Mark Kerr when Mark was invincible. I count it.

 

[beastman]

If strikes to the back of the head and soccer kicks are legal, hard to go against NHB Igor.

 

[Glove]

In one night Igor Vonchanchyon (205 Pounds) ended up beating three men who outweigh him by 70 plus pounds or more.

IVC 1 Combat In Kiev (1996)

Fred Floyd 380 Pounds
Paul Varelans 310 Pounds
John Dixson 275 Pounds