MMA's Top 7 Kryptonite Fighters: Will You Still Call Me Superman?

In the world of MMA it seems as if every great fighter has crashed into their kryptonite somewhere along their fight path. Also know as an Achilles' heel, it’s the one weakness of an otherwise invulnerable hero.

Style determines so much in a match-up and no matter how great a fighter is there is always someone that is a perfect counteract.

The lone exception to this rule is Fedor Emelianenko and hence forth will be referred to as the Fedor Phenomenon.

I thought it might be fun to rank the fighter’s who were the worst kryptonite to another fighter. Rankings will be based not just on how bad they beat that fighter, but also what were the effects to the losing fighter’s career, as well as historical perspective.

Good things come in three’s but we will also consider a two fight series.

So let us get on with the rankings:

7. Fedor Emelianenko over Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira

Most pundits would consider these two men the No. 1 and No. 2 greatest heavyweights of all-time respectively. They fought a total of three times with Fedor winning twice. Their second fight was ruled a no contest due to accidental cut. In both of Fedor’s victories he had to go all three rounds to get the decision victory.

This is more then most of his opponent’s can say. While the wins were devastating to Nog he didn’t let them deter him and he has gone on to find success outside of Pride as the UFC’s current interim heavyweight champ. Because of this, the kryptonite is a lot less severe.

6. Mirko Cro Cop over Josh Barnett

Josh Barnett has five career losses and three of those are at the hands of Cro Cop. Cro Crop was creative in how he chose to get his victories. In their first fight he submitted him. In the second fight, which was an immediate rematch, Mirko let it go to a decision. In their third and final battle Cro Crop ended the fight via strikes.

While Barnett has wins over Dan Severn, Semmy Schilt (2), Randy Couture, Yuki Kondo, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, and Pedro Rizzo, his three losses to Cro Crop have probably solidified his spot outside of the greats. The only thing that could probably undo the damage done by Mirko would be a win over Fedor in a possible upcoming Affliction card.

Despite all this Barnett is a laid back fun-loving fighter who didn’t let the kryptonite be his ultimate downfall. Good for him.

5. Anderson Silva over Rich Franklin

Have you seen the fights because if you blinked you might have missed them. Silva took destruction to new level with his dismantling of the former champion not once but twice. Despite the losses Franklin went on to prove that he is still the second best middleweight in the UFC.

The losses did cause Franklin to have to move up to 205. Franklin’s resiliance and ability to reinvent himself lessen the kryptonite, as bad as the losses were.

4. GSP over Matt Hughes

While Hughes won their first battle, the second and third battles have come to symbolize what the changing of the guard looks like. Matt looked like a fish out of water with GSP, the epitome of a new breed of MMA fighter. Matt Hughes was once considered invincible. While there were no devastating knockouts, GSP effectively ended the future hall-of-famer’s career.

For that he gets extra kryptonite.

3. Wanderlei Silva over Rampage Jackson

These two current UFC stars met twice while in Pride, and The Axe Murderer had his way with Jackson both times. They were both due to strikes, with the first fight being a vicious knee KO that sent Rampage through the ropes, blooding spewing from this mouth.

Looking back over their fights, I can only imagine what we will have in store for the third! I don’t think Jackson is necessarily scared of Silva but he might realize he is fighting the Axe Murderer, someone more reckless and vicious at his own game.

If Jackson wins, he stops the bleeding, and is back in contention for the light heavyweight title. If he loses, Silva steals his thunder once again, and puts himself in title contention for the first time inside the octagon. What great consequences for either fighter.

If Silva wins their third and final fight, this pair just might move to the top of the rankings.

2. Chuck Liddell over Tito Ortiz

Ortiz never seemed comfortable fighting Liddell. Chuck claimed to have gotten inside his head. Ortiz lost both fights via punches, one KO and one TKO. The second fight was the one most detrimental to Ortiz’s career. Going into their rematch he was riding a five fight win streak. His last loss was of course to Chuck Liddell.

Their second fight was one of the most important title fights in UFC history. Tito put up a valiant effort but was no match for Chuck’s mixture of physiology and striking. Like Vitor was to Couture, Tito never seemed to be the same fighter after his second loss to Liddell.

It felt like watching the schoolyard bully picking on someone at the playground. Tito is currently unsigned by any organization.

Chuck Liddell took his kryptonite of Tito Ortiz to a different level then seen before.

1. Rampage Jackson over Chuck Liddell

These two fighters had four years between their fights. The first one was in Pride; it was Liddell’s second and last fight with the organization. Jackson sent him back the UFC with devastating strikes that ended the fight in the second round.

The second fight took place in UFC. It was Jackson’s second fight inside the octagon, and once again Liddell struck out. This time the consequences were worse. Jackson walked right into Liddell’s home and took away his light heavyweight belt with one punch.

The Iceman had been on a seven fight win streak prior that that punch. His last loss; was his first loss to, you guessed it, Rampage Jackson. Since the second loss Liddell doesn’t seem to be the same fighter despite winning his epic war agaisnt Wanderlei Silva.

It looks like Liddell will never make it back to the spot he once occupied. And it’s because Jackson stole his mojo which is what the kryptonite is all about.