Quote:
Originally Posted by RebLMunkE
Well the UFC has a 170 weightclass and PRIDE doesn't or at least it didn't so who ever holds the UFC title at WW is #1.
PRIDEs classes were like LW, MW, LHW, HW they don't have a div = to the UFCs WW class.
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That doesn't mean UFC is the only place with a WW class. There are ranked fighters outside of UFC and Pride. There are top10 WW fighters not in the UFC. And even so it doesn't change the fact that rankings are not based upon a single performance. They take into account everything the fighter has done for the past few years, possibly their entire career.
GSP still deserves at least the #2 spot, under Hughes if anyone. He has wins over the #3,5,7 WWs. Also Sean Sherk, who would be on this list if he did not move to LW. Also Frank Trigg, the #10 MW, who would also be on that list if he still fought at WW. Plus a handful of wins over other notable MMA names.
Although all his losses were by a very close margin, and that should play a factor, Serra's biggest win before GSP was either Yves Edwards in 2001 or Ivan Menjivar in 2004(who GSP also beat). Both good fighters, but neither are ranked. Edwards is a LW and Menjivar is a FW.
A single win over GSP cannot boost him to the status of #1 because he has not fought enough top competition and has had trouble finishing the unranked opponents he's fought. While GSP has finished many of his ranked opponents.