Fallen MMA fighters
Date: 2010-03-15 00:00:00
Source: http://www.411mania.com/MMA/columns/132658/The-411...
Submitted By: MMAFightsDump
From Wanderlei Silva, Tim Sylvia and Chuck Liddell to Ken Shamrock, Jens Pulver and even Josh Barnett, the 411 MMA writers think that these fighters have fallen from grace! Check out the full column to see which fighters made the list and why! Welcome: Welcome back to the MMA Top 5! What we are going to is take a topic each week and all the writers here on 411 MMA will have the ability to give us their Top 5 on said topic, plus up to three honorable mentions. At the end, based on where all of these topics rank on people's list, we will create an overall Top 5 list. It's highly non-official and final, like WAMMA. And now… BIGGEST FALLS FROM GRACE! Scott Kuczkowski HONORABLE MENTIONS Ken Shamrock - I'm not so sure he's ever been considered "great", but going 3-8 in his last 11 fights makes him eligible for this list. 5. Tito Ortiz - From 2000 to 2003, Tito was the most dominant Light Heavyweight in the UFC (and maybe the planet). A loss to Couture and then Liddell saw him lose his title and then lose his swagger. He was able to score notable wins over Belfort and Griffin afterwards, but lost again to Liddell, Machida, a rematch with Griffin, and drew with Evans. His next bout with Liddell might be considered winnable, but he's fallen far from his peak in 2003 when he was handing out bouquets in Pride. 4. Chuck Liddell - Most people thought Chuck was the man to beat until he ran into "Rampage" Jackson's fist…twice. The second loss to Jackson cost him his title and sent Chuck into a downward spiral from which he hasn't been able to recover. 1-4 since 2007, his only win was over Wnaderlei Silva, who was lucky to not accompany him on this list. Frankly, I think the sport has just passed The Iceman by and he's now stuck being a power-striker with a weak chin. 3. Brandon Vera - I remember Vera hyping himself up and professing his plans to hold both the Heavyweight and Light Heavyweight Titles simultaneously. Man, I wish I had a pound of whatever he was smoking when he said that. Back to back losses at Heavyweight clued him into what everyone else already knew: he needed to drop to Light Heavyweight. Since the drop he's gone an under whelming 3-2 and will most likely lose to up and comer Jon Jones in his next fight. Frankly, I think the year he sat out disputing his contract ruined him and he's never recovered. 2. Mark Coleman - After winning the 2000 Open Weight Grand Prix, Mark Coleman was billed (by Pride at least) as the #1 Heavyweight in the world. Since that point, he's gone 5-6 and lost three of his last four fights. Granted, he did have a 2+ year hiatus between his loss to Fedor and his loss to Shogun, but I don't think Mark would have been much better without the break in action. His last match against Couture saw him hesitant and slow to pull the trigger, earning his release from the UFC. Coleman has stated he plans to continue fighting, but I think it's time he walked away. 1. Tim Sylvia - Sylvia spent much of 2006 atop the UFC Heavyweight division. This was his second time holding the belt, and after edging out both Arlovski and Monson to retain the title, few challengers were available to test Big Tim. Then Randy Couture decided to come out of retirement and his whole world fell apart. Couture mauled Sylvia for 5 rounds and took his title, causing Sylvia to blame a back injury during his post fight interview and earn the derision of the fans. His next fight saw him win an unimpressive decision against Brandon Vera and then get submitted by Noguiera. Next he lost in 36 seconds to Fedor and then in 9 seconds to Ray Mercer. He was able to get a win since then against a guy with only seven fights since then, but the damage is done. I don't really feel Sylvia has fallen that far so much as I think he's finally been exposed as a talentless clod who used his size to bully opponents. Jonathan Solomon HONORABLE MENTIONS Royce Gracie: May 2006 Through June 2007 (1-1) - Not counting his fights after the first Sakuraba fight, Gracie's last two MMA fights were not impressive. He was dominated by Matt Hughes (on the ground, no less) and then tested positive for anabolic steroids after he defeated Sakuraba in Los Angeles. Tito Ortiz: From December 2006 Through Today (0-3-1) - Yes, the last man Tito Ortiz defeated was Ken Shamrock. Throw in all the arguing with Zuffa and he has not won a fight since 2006. Ortiz was considered one of the best fighters in the world at the beginning of the decade. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira: December 2008 Through Today (1-2) - Sure, it's only two losses but Nogueira looked old and slow in both. 5. Wanderlei Silva: September 2006 Through June 2009 (1-5) - Make no mistake, people still love Wanderlei Silva. He remains one of the most entertaining fighters on the planet. However, as you can see, his fight record is just not on par with the legend that has been Silva. He ended his historic PRIDE career (in which he was either the best or second best fighter) with consecutive knock out losses to Cro Cop and Dan Henderson. He made his return to the UFC in a losing effort against Chuck Liddell (it was an awesome fight, regardless). Next, he got back on his feet by knocking out Keith Jardine (at the time, his first KO in nearly two years since Fujita). He suffered consecutive losses again when he fought Rampage (KO) and Rich Franklin (decision). Silva has made the move to middleweight and defeated Michael Bisping in February of this year. Since New Year's Eve in 2005, Silva has wins against four fighters (Arona, Fujita, Jardine and Bisping). 4. Matt Hughes: November 2006 Through June 2008 (1-3) - Hughes was a cornerstone of the UFC's welterweight division since winning the belt in 2001. He lost it in 2004 and regained it months later. He was on this second title run when after four fights, he ran into Georges St. Pierre again. Their first meeting ended with Hughes submitting the young Canadian. Not again. In November 2006 at UFC 65, GSP took Hughes to school and took his belt, too. Hughes came back to defeat Chris Lytle by decision and earned himself a third title shot. At UFC 79 in December 2007, GSP dominated Hughes in a fight that made Hughes look old and slow. Hughes came back to fight Thiago Alves and was beaten badly and knocked out. Through this run, Hughes has looked like anything besides the dominant champion he was in the early and mid-2000s. 3. Jens Pulver: September 2006 Through Today (1-7) - Ironically, Pulver's fight career began to plummet when he returned to the UFC. In his first fight for the promotion since beating BJ Penn years ago, he was knocked out by Joe Lauzon in a total upset. Since then, he has looked competitive just twice. He defeated Cub Swanson with a quick guillotine choke and took Urijah Faber the distance in a losing effort. Since the epic WEC 34 fight, he has either been knocked out or submitted in the first round, four times. 2. Chuck Liddell: May 2007 Through Today (1-4) - Before UFC 71 in May 2007, Liddell was considered the top superstar in the sport, period. Then he ran into Rampage Jackson, again. On a show that received tons of coverage on ESPN, Rampage knocked out Chuck before the first two minutes were up. That was a sight to see since UFC fans had not seen him lose since June 2003 (against Babalu). His next fight, he shockingly lost to Keith Jardine via split decision. Then in a highly anticipated dream fight, Chuck bested Wanderlei Silva via decision (in large part, thanks to a third round takedown). People believed Chuck was back on the saddle, but they were wrong. He was next knocked out by Rashad Evans and then by Shogun Rua in his most recent fight. Chuck has gone from the #1 fighter to a middle of the road guy, fighting Tito Ortiz after the upcoming TUF 11 season. 1. Mirko Cro Cop: May 2007 Through Today (4-3, 1 NC) - You look at the record alone and it's not awful. However, Cro Cop has gone from potential UFC championship contender to a possible scrub. The most famous upset (arguably) in modern UFC history saw Gabriel Gonzaga kick Cro Cop's head off on Spike TV in May 2007, ruining the eventual dream fight between Randy Couture and Cro Cop. The Croatian followed up that loss with a decision loss to Cheick Kongo before returning to Japan. While in Japan, Cro Cop went 2-0 with the No Contest, defeating Tatsuya Mizuno and Hong Man Choi. He fought Alistair Overeem by that fight was called off due to groin strikes. Cro Cop returned to the UFC after the Hong Man Choi fight and viciously beat Mostapha Al-turk (his most impressive win in years) . However, in his next fight, he ended up verbally submitting from strikes and lost to Junior dos Santos. Cro Cop's most recent fight was a not-so-inspiring win over Anthony Perosh (on short notice). Cro Cop use to be considered as feared a fighter as any other, no longer. Larry Csonka HONORABLE MENTIONS Josh Barnett - From being the #2 heavyweight in the world to a guy that is running off to Japan because he doesn't want to fight his latest steroid failure. Mirko Cro Cop: April 2007 Through Today (4-3-1) - Once one of the scariest guys in the sport, he is just another heavyweight these day. 5. Tito Ortiz: December 2006 Through Today (0-3-1) - I will not deny that Tito can sell a fight, he can talk with the best of them. But as a fighter, Tito has fallen off and is no longer a top competitor. 4. Chuck Liddell: May 2007 through Today (1-4) - This one huts a lot of MMA fans to discuss, because Chuck is THEIR guy. But Rampage KO'd him, he lost the fight to Jardine where he just didn't look like Chuck, Rashad KO'd him and Rua finished him. Sure he beat Wandy, but since 2007 the Iceman just hasn't been the same. 3. Wanderlei Silva: September 2006 Through June 2009 (1-5) - Wanderlei Silva is widely regarded as one of if not the best fighter in PRIDE History. That is certainly something that can never betaken away from him. But no one can deny that his career has been on a slide ever since Cro Cop kicked his head off in 2006. Vicious KOs from Jackson and Henderson have taken their toll on him. Maybe the drop to middleweight will help, but Wandy went from one of the most dangerous fighter in the sport to a guy you pray doesn't get KOd, mostly because we don't want him to become a vegetable. 2. Ken Shamrock: 2000 Through Today (3-9) - Some don't like to admit it now, but Ken Shamrock got a lot of people interested in MMA. But as the sport evolved, and Ken stayed being Ken, and his wins have been against no one. Killed Kimo, Sam Adkins really and Ross Clifton. He lost to ROBERT BERRY I round one, Tito three times, it just goes on and on. To top it off, after the Clifton win, he got popped for steroids. What a fall… 1. Jens Pulver: September 2006 through Today (1-7) - The recent loss at WEC 47 completes what I feel is the biggest fall. Pulver is considered a legend by many, and when he returned to the UFC is 2006, many fans were excited to see LIL EVIL back. But a surprising KO loss to Joe Lauzon and submission loss to BJ Penn quickly cooled the heat that he had. Pulver then went to the WEC, and was set to fight at featherweight, where he was undefeated. He destroyed Cub Swanson and lost a was to Urijah Faber, but was looking to do well. But then first round losses to Garcia, Faber, Grispi and Now Vasquez look to have ended the run of Jens Pulver on a very sour note. I hope that Jens is done, because I think most of us want to remember the good times, which is becoming harder to do with each loss. Samer Kadi HONORABLE MENTIONS Josh Barnett - From the # 2 ranked heavyweight in the world on the verge of the biggest fight of his career, to a steroid freak that no promotion wants… way to go. 5. Wanderlei Silva: Late 2006 Through Today - Wanderlei Silva dominated the PRIDE 205 lbs scene for years, with one brutal knockout after the other. After entering the 2006 Open Weight Grand Prix, Wanderlei got his head decapitated by Mirko Cro Cop. A few months later, he surrendered his title to a Dan Henderson left hook. He then picked up a third straight defeat, this time at the hands of Chuck Liddell. Since then, his UFC record has been a mixed bag, with losses to Rich Franklin and Quinton Jackson and wins over Keith Jardine and Michael Bisping. Silva is now attempting to rejuvenate his career at middleweight, where he was victorious on his debut. 4. Chuck Liddell: Early 2007 Through Today - Like Silva, a string of highlight reel knockouts helped Liddell become the most feared light heavyweight on the planet. However, a knockout loss to Rampage Jackson at UFC 71 put an end to The Iceman's domination over the division. After dropping a stunning upset loss to Keith Jardine, Liddell seemed to have righted the ship with his win over Wanderlei Silva. But two back-to-back knockouts at the hands of Rashad Evans and Shogun Rua forced UFC president Dana White to retire his once untouchable golden boy. That didn't last however, and Chuck is now attempting to revive his career when he takes on his longtime rival Tito Ortiz (or Rich Franklin, depending on the accuracy of recent reports). 3. Takanori Gomi: Late 2006 Through Today - Gomi's fall from grace may not have been as brutal as the one suffered by Silva or Liddell, but it is much more inexplicable. While the light heavyweight pair's losses could be attributed to age (in MMA terms), shot chins, declining reflexes, and fighting elite competition, Gomi has no such luxuries. After tearing through the PRIDE lightweight scene, Gomi would suffer a shocking upset at the hands of Marcus Aurelio. While he would later avenge that loss, Gomi was never the same afterwards. A submission defeat to Nick Diaz was later overturned by the commission, but Gomi's downfall was evident. Back to back losses to Sergey Golyaev (who?) and Saturo Kitaoka did little to help his case. Hopefully, his UFC run will mark a return to form for "The Fire Ball Kid". 2. Tim Sylvia: 2007 Through Today - In early 2007, Tim Sylvia was the top heavyweight in the UFC but was struggling to get fans on his side. In an attempt to earn Sylvia some much-needed star power, the UFC brought back Randy Couture, a retired 43-year-old hall of famer. The rest, as they say, is history. Following a 25-minute beatdown at the hands of "The Natural", Sylvia picked up a less than inspired win over Brandon Vera. An interim title shot would end in agony for "The Maine-iac", as he submitted to a Minotauro Nogueira Guillotine choke. Sylvia's next two bouts lasted a grand total of 45 seconds as he got choked out by the greatest heavyweight on the planet and knocked out by a 48 year old washed up boxer who got choked out by Kimbo Slice… You can't make this stuff up. 1. Mirko Cro Cop: 2007 Through Today - After winning the 2006 PRIDE Open Weight Grand Prix, Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic became arguably the most feared heavyweight on the planet. His legendary left high kick was considered the greatest weapon in MMA. In a monumental move, the UFC managed to snatch him from PRIDE (the signing occurred before PRIDE's buyout), and the world was ready for Cro Cop to decapitate the UFC heavyweight division. A under whelming win on his debut against Eddie Sanchez was followed by one of the most shocking upsets in MMA history, as Gabriel Gonzaga confused the script by taking Cro Cop's head right off. Another upset loss to Cheick Kongo would follow, and Cro Cop found himself out of the UFC. Since then, he has defeated three cans in less than stellar fashion, was lucky to get a no contest against Alistair Overeem and was destroyed by Junior Dos Santos. Daniel Bonnizzio 5. Jens Pulver: September 2006 through Today (1-7) - Nobody has failed to keep up with the current crowd of fighters worse than Jens Pulver. His return to the UFC in 2006 was supposed to herald great things. Instead, he was KO'd by Joe Lauzon, and followed that up by being choked out by BJ Penn. After a drop to featherweight and a brutal submission over Cub Swanson (where I thought he was going to take Cub's head off) he lost a decision to Urjiah Faber, was stopped by Leonard Garcia, submitted by Faber, submitted by Josh Grispi, and submitted by Javier Vazquez. That is a wicked nasty slide and one that I don't think is possible to recover from. 4. Tito Ortiz: December 2006 through Today (0-3-1) - Let it be known I am not, nor was I ever a fan of Tito Ortiz. After he beat Ken Shamrock for the third time, he was matched against Chuck Liddell. Chuck managed to beat the piss out of him yet again. He then went on to draw with Rashad Evans, lost to Machida, then lost to Griffin. Before that string off losses, the last time he beat someone not named Ken was Forrest Griffin in April 2006. Before that, the last time he actually stopped someone in a fight (not named Ken) was against Elvis Sinosic in January of 2001. That is nearly nine years ago. His downward spiral may have started long before 2006 but that year was when it really hit him hard. 3. Tim Sylvia: March 2007 through Today (2-4) - While there are people who have had worse records than Timmeh, the fact is he went on a serious slump following his infamous loss to Randy Couture. After being owned by Randy Couture for nearly half an hour, he won a less-than-inspired decision over Brandon Vera, then proceeded to be choked out by Rodrigo Nogueira after owning the fight for two rounds, was choked out by Fedor in half a minute, then suffered the famous KO from Ray Mercer in less than ten seconds. Sure he managed to get the win over Jason Riley (who?) but it is a far cry from the time he ruled the UFC. 2. Wanderlei Silva: September 2006 through February 2010 (1-5) - Silva was once thought of as the single baddest man to ever fight at 205 pounds. He tore through his competition like butter and never lost a fight under pure PRIDE rules. Then, he decided to partake in the 2006 Openweight GP. He got KO'd by Mirko Cro Cop in stunning fashion, and followed that up by getting KO'd by Dan Henderson to lose his Middleweight Championship. After joining the UFC he lost his debut to Chuck Liddell, proceeded to open his gift-wrapped win over Jardine, then was straight murdered by Rampage before losing the decision to Rich Franklin in their 'special' fight. He managed to right his ship in his UFC 110 bout with Michael Bisping, and that gives great hope to longtime fans of the Axe Murderer but for this stretch of time, he was really touch and go there. 1. Chuck Liddell: May 2007 through Today (1-4) - Before his bout with Rampage Jackson, Chuck was the greatest Light Heavyweight on the planet. He was defending his championship for the fifth time after stopping Couture, Babalu, Jeremy Horn and Tito Ortiz (who himself was considered a top Light Heavyweight). Instead of seeing Chuck get his revenge for their PRIDE match a few years before, we instead got to see Rampage proceed to left hook the champion into unconsciousness, the punch which many say finally broke Chuck's jaw. Since then he lost a decision to Keith Jardine, managed a decision win over an equally-down on their luck Wanderlei Silva, then was KO'd twice in a row by Rashad Evans and Shogun. If Chuck can't win his next match, the once-FEARED Iceman is going to have to hang them up. WHO HAS HAD THE BIGGEST FALL FROM GRACE? T4. Jens Pulver – 9pts. T4. Wanderlei Silva – 9pts. 3. Mirko Cro Cop – 10 pts. 2. Tim Sylvia – 12pts. 1. Chuck Liddell – 15pts.
