Sherdog’s Top 10: Greatest MMA Grapplers

Welcome again folks, this time to Sherdog's list of the 10 greatest grapplers in MMA history. This was compiled as an average of many different Sherdog contributors' lists, and I will note where my own views deviated considerably. Personally though, the appeal of any such lists isn't the exact ordering, or who was included versus excluded, but the actual discussion below each entry. Anyone can come up with a list with no further commentary and it's no more “right” than another. However, the best such lists have entertaining and informative explanations, which is a goal I hope to accomplish.

A word about criteria: My main measure for this list was greatness for one’s era and how long that era lasted. I believe the majority of other contributors used a similar rubric. Ranking historical fighters based on who would beat whom doesn’t make sense, since the sport as a whole keeps improving and evolving. Nevertheless, fighters from earlier eras may be penalized for competitive their division was or was not. There were fewer skilled grapplers in 1990s MMA when compared to even the 00s, let alone today.

This was one of the most open-ended and subjective of all top 10 lists we've done so far, which was reflected in the wide range of different choices. There were well over 20 fighters named, and an incredible five who received first-place votes, both records for this series. Thus, it will be no surprise if your own choices deviate considerably, as almost every list here was unique.

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