3. Takanori Gomi
Gomi was for a time MMA’s best lightweight. “The Fireball Kid” won his first 14 fights and 24 of his first 26, capturing titles in Pride Fighting Championships and Shooto. Between Nov. 27, 1998 and Dec. 31, 2005, he lost only to Joachim Hansen and B.J. Penn. An accomplished wrestler with brutal knockout power and a bloodthirsty willingness to exchange on the feet, Gomi netted victories against Johnny Eduardo, Rumina Sato, Dokonjonosuke Mishima, Jens Pulver, Luiz Azeredo, Tatsuya Kawajiri, Hayato Sakurai and Mitsuhiro Ishida during an extended run of dominance at 155 pounds. He has spent the last seven years in the Ultimate Fighting Championship but has not had the success for which many diehard fans had hoped. While his time in the Octagon has given way to a diminished Gomi, he has still managed to muster some of his past magic in wins over Tyson Griffin, Eiji Mitsuoka, Mac Danzig and Isaac Vallie-Flagg.
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