5 MMA legends whose records do not match their reputation

#2. Ken Shamrock – 28-17-2 MMA record

Ken Shamrock's record does not match up to his legendary status

When the UFC first introduced its Hall of Fame in 2003, two fighters were immediately inducted: Royce Gracie and Ken Shamrock. However, while Gracie, who won three of the first four UFC tournaments, holds an impressive MMA record of 15-2-3, the same can’t be said for his old rival Shamrock.

‘The World’s Most Dangerous Man’ actually hung up his gloves with a largely disappointing record of 28-17-2, meaning that many fans today are willing to question his position as an MMA legend entirely.

However, the truth is that while Shamrock was perhaps never the greatest fighter on the planet, he was definitely up there with the best, particularly in his prime. In fact, had he not moved to WWE for a period between 1996 and 2001, he could well have reached the top of the UFC.

When Shamrock did move into pro-wrestling, his MMA record stood at an excellent 23-5-2, and had he chosen not to return, then his status as a legend would probably have never been in question.

However, ‘The World’s Most Dangerous Man’ did return, and while his rivalry with Tito Ortiz entered into UFC legend, his comeback meant that he suffered a number of awful losses, dropping fights against low-level opponents like Robert Berry and Mike Bourke as he passed the age of 40.

Essentially, Shamrock simply stuck around for far too long and ended up ruining his record, but for his achievements in his early days, he’s rightly remembered as an MMA pioneer and legend.

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#1. Rickson Gracie – MMA record 11-0

Despite claiming to have 450 wins, Rickson Gracie's official record stands at 11-0

While the other fighters on this list ended up with records that were largely spoiled by a number of losses, it’s arguable that Rickson Gracie’s MMA record doesn’t match his reputation simply because it isn’t as extensive as you’d expect.

When official MMA fights are taken into consideration, Gracie’s record stands at 11-0, with six of those wins coming in his tournament victories in the Vale Tudo Japan promotion. Going by this record, it’d be hard to consider him a legend.

However, Gracie himself actually claims to have won a total of 450 fights, which would even put the likes of Georges St-Pierre and Khabib Nurmagomedov into the shade. Unfortunately, it’s pretty hard to corroborate this claim from the Brazilian jiu-jitsu expert, particularly as he apparently considers street fights as part of this ledger.

Gracie himself has recently stated that it’s “hard to deny” his fighting record, but has also claimed that he never fought “MMA” per say, as practically all of his fights had no rules, making them Vale Tudo bouts rather than part of the sport as it’s seen today.

Few fans would question Rickson’s status as a legend of the early days of MMA, but it’s safe to say that his 11-0 official record doesn’t really compare to the lofty reputation than a 450-0 record would give him!