UFC president Dana White has an MMA Mount Rushmore of his own but he admits it wasn’t easy to put together.
Fight fans often discuss who the greatest fighters of all time are. Some go as far as to put together their own MMA Mount Rushmore. That’s what White has done when asked. His choices are sure to get many within the MMA community talking.
Dana White Names His MMA Mount Rushmore
White made an appearance on The Schmozone Podcast. On the show, White revealed his MMA Mount Rushmore (h/t BJPenn.com).
“I mean if you talk about a Mount Rushmore, where their heads are carved in stone forever, you have to go Royce Gracie, no brainer, you have to do that. Amanda Nunes, it has to be Amanda Nunes the greatest female fighter ever,” White said on The Schmozone Podcast. “The other two are tough. I would have to go with Jon Jones. The guys have never been beaten. What is more amazing about him going undefeated, which is incredibly amazing because very few people do in this sport, is the things he’s done to himself outside the Octagon and he still hasn’t been beat… The number four on Mount Rushmore, I guess you have to go with Chuck Liddell. At the point in time, he was the biggest star ever. It’s almost a coinflip between Chuck Liddell and Forrest Griffin.”
White was asked why legends Georges St-Pierre and Anderson Silva didn’t make the cut. White went on to give both men their due. St-Pierre will be inducted in the UFC Hall of Fame in July, while Silva is pretty much a lock for the honor once his pro MMA career wraps up.
It’s interesting that White has Jones on the list despite their issues. Jones has threatened to vacate the light heavyweight championship due to his spat with the UFC brass over pay. The UFC boss has expressed his belief that eventually that situation will be worked out.
White’s decision to put Royce Gracie on there probably isn’t so surprising. Many consider Royce to be as important to the sport of MMA as Muhammad Ali was to boxing. As for Amanda Nunes, she is considered to be the most dominant female in MMA today. With dominant finishes over the likes of Cris Cyborg, Ronda Rousey, Miesha Tate, and Holly Holm, perhaps it isn’t so much of a stretch.
As for Chuck Liddell, some might accuse White of being biased. It’s no secret that White and Liddell have a strong friendship. At the same time, Liddell was once the most dominant light heavyweight in MMA, although some would argue that against PRIDE FC’s best in the heyday he would’ve been in trouble. Those of that belief point to “The Iceman’s” two losses to Quinton “Rampage” Jackson.
Do you agree with Dana White’s choices for an MMA Mount Rushmore?
