Who were your first favorite fighters?

[laleggenda27]

Royce for obvious reasons. Watching him beat bigger guys changed the way most people thought about fighting. Especially his fights against Dan Severn and Kimo.

 

[Spounman]

BJ Penn, Robbie Lawler, Frank Mir, Don Frye, Frank Shamrock, Phil Baroni, Bas Rutten, Mark Coleman, Evan Tanner
Then I started following Pride guys like Fedor, Hendo, and Vanderlei, and WEC guys like Carlos Condit

 

[Van Daz]

BJ Penn was my favorite fighter for a long time

I can see why. He could bend himself around & tap people out. Very dangerous on the ground. When he ran out of the ring after the Uno quick fight, that was very memorable.

 

[Local Plata]

Royce, obviously. Then later Vitor. Then in the 'golden' era when Pride and UFC were both putting on excellent events, guys like Chuck, Wandy, Igor. Post TUF era guys like Aldo and Frankie. Now, I'm not sure if I have a 'favorite' but I'll mention Volkanovski.

I feel like longer ago it was easier to have a 'favorite' because there were less cards, so your 'favorite' could be fighting on like half of them. Nowadays there are so many events and so many fighters to watch it's easier to have like a stable of guys you like and follow more closely without necessarily picking a favorite.

 

[Ares Black]

I can see why. He could bend himself around & tap people out. Very dangerous on the ground. When he ran out of the ring after the Uno quick fight, that was very memorable.

His handspeed and his chin were nuts too, and his takedown defense was otherworldly.

 

[Ares Black]

BJ Penn, Robbie Lawler, Frank Mir, Don Frye, Frank Shamrock, Phil Baroni, Bas Rutten, Mark Coleman, Evan Tanner
Then I started following Pride guys like Fedor, Hendo, and Vanderlei, and WEC guys like Carlos Condit

Oh yeah Frank Mir too

 

[Marko Polo]

Huge Lauzon fan. He's incapable of having a boring fight.

Yeah thinking of Lauzon’s fights makes me feel really nostalgic and a little bit sad honestly. MMA felt a lot more exciting back then

 

[Bobby Boulders]

Motherfucking Tank Abbott was my first favorite. He isn't today, that title belongs to the great Enson Inoue, has for decades, but Tank is still up there. I appreciate a guy who isn't there to "compete," he's there to swing hammers and collect heads, and doesn't give AF if someone takes home his.

 

[Ares Black]

Yeah thinking of Lauzon’s fights makes me feel really nostalgic and a little bit sad honestly. MMA felt a lot more exciting back then

 

[ultra321]

Sakuraba
Wanderlei
Mikro Cro Cop
Chuck
Machida
Cyborg
Hendo
Randy
Rampage

There were so many greats

 

[Psychojoe86]

First ever was karo parisyan

Next was nick diaz

Eventually lyoto machida (fav ever)

 

[Kb7]

Penn, GSP, Yamamoto, Liddell.