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Worthy Alternatives

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira: Arguably no competitor in MMA history has fought with the same heart and courage as “Minotauro” Nogueira. Come-from-behind wins against the likes of Mirko Filipovic, Bob Sapp and Tim Sylvia were among his most memorable moments. Few fighters command as much affection and respect among his peers as the legendary Brazilian.

Bas Rutten: Undefeated in the final 22 bouts of his career, “El Guapo” found a successful formula mixing kickboxing with an evolved ground game. Unfortunately, his body broke down before he could compete on the biggest of stages. Still, the Dutch-American remains one of the sport’s greatest ambassadors with a magnetic charisma and charming wit.

Chuck Liddell: A Mohawk might seem strange carved into a mountain, but Liddell deserves credit as one of the sport’s elite fighters and most important figures. Liddell’s peak as a fighter coincided perfectly with the UFC’s rise as a promotion. Fans learned what MMA was at a time when “The Iceman” was knocking out opponents left and right.

Dan Henderson: Over the course of a remarkable 15-year career, Henderson has fought arguably the most impressive lineup of opponents in MMA history. With a rugged style and willingness to battle anyone, Henderson has demonstrated an innate toughness few can match.

Frank Shamrock: Undefeated in the UFC, Shamrock reached his peak as a fighter at a point when there was limited money in the sport. While that naturally leads to many “what ifs,” Shamrock’s UFC, WEC and Strikeforce title wins are impressive enough on their own. Shamrock also was the key player in turning San Jose, Calif., into one of MMA’s hottest and most unlikely hotbeds.

Georges St. Pierre: The youngest fighter in consideration, GSP, at the age of 31, has already built one of the most impressive legacies in the history of the sport. In the cage, he has wins over just about every top fighter in his weight class. Outside the cage, he is one of the sport’s most popular stars and a national icon in Canada.

Ken Shamrock: Discredited by many because of his less-than-stellar 5-10 record since returning from the World Wrestling Federation, Shamrock’s MMA legacy ought to remain strong. From his role as one of the pioneers in Pancrase and his early UFC rivalry with Royce Gracie to his sport-elevating feud with Tito Ortiz, Shamrock has been one of the biggest box office attractions and historical influences in the sport.

Matt Hughes: Prior to the UFC ascent of Anderson Silva, Hughes was the most dominant champion in the history of the promotion. The Illinois farm boy dominated the UFC welterweight division for five years with his top-notch wrestling. His dominant victory over Royce Gracie exemplified the evolution of the sport from the early UFC days.

Mark Coleman: Coleman’s place in MMA is as much about his influence as his competitive success. More than any other fighter, “The Hammer” was responsible for the popularization of ground-and-pound as an effective mat counterbalance to jiu-jitsu. Coleman also scored key wins over the likes of Igor Vovchanchyn, Don Frye and Dan Severn.

Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic: Just like Coleman was instrumental in demonstrating the effectiveness of ground-and-pound, “Cro Cop” was key in showing that high-level striking coupled with strong takedown defense could work at the highest level of MMA. Filipovic’s Pride open weight grand prix victory in 2006 was likely the crowning achievement of his career.

Randy Couture: One of the closest to making the final four, Couture is one of the greatest icons in MMA. Defying the odds time in and time out, he maintained a competitive edge well into his 40s. One of only two men to win UFC championships in two different weight classes, Couture also helped to take the sport to another level by coaching opposite Liddell on the first season of “The Ultimate Fighter.”

Tito Ortiz: When Zuffa purchased the UFC in 2001, the company envisioned Ortiz as the top star it would market to the public. That effort paid off handsomely, as Ortiz’s fights with Ken Shamrock and Liddell were box office extravaganzas. Ortiz’s peak as a fighter may have come earlier, during his time as UFC light heavyweight champion from 2001-03.

Wanderlei Silva: Few fighters in MMA history have inspired as much fear as “The Axe Murderer” at his peak. With his menacing stare downs and his aggressive attacking style, Silva dominated the Pride middleweight division for years. His rivalries with Quinton Jackson and Kazushi Sakuraba were among Pride’s most memorable.