Five Most Dominant Athletes in the World

[Don Wassall]

While watching the men's final of the Australian Open I got to thinking of what special athletes Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer are. Their rivalry has raised their sport to a new level. Nadal has turned out to be exactly the kind of rival to Federer that Tiger Woods lacks in golf.


Who are the five best (most dominating) athletes in individual sports today? My five, not in any particular order are: Nadal, Federer, Vlady Klitschko, Joe Calzaghe, and Woods. Yours?

 

[Charles Martel]

Federer, Nadal, Woods, Calzaghe, and Fedor Emelianenko.

Wlad is very close, another win or two will put him there.

 

[Don Wassall]

If he isn't retired, Michael Phelps would have to be at the top of the list.

 

[Jimmy Chitwood]

i'm guessing the list needs to be made up of athletes who are currently dominant, right?

so just to stir up the pot a bit...

Michael Phelps: World Swimmer of the Year Award: 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008. 32 world records (26 individual, 6 relay) as of August 2008.

Mariusz Pudzianowski: World's Strongest Man in 2002, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2008; the most ever.

Lance Armstrong: the only individual to win the Tour de France seven times. enough said.

Kenenisa Bekele: an Ethiopian distance runner, Bekele is the 2-time defending Olympic Champion in the 10,000 meters (2004, 2008) and 3-time defending World Champion in the 10,000 (2003, 2005, 2007). just for giggles he also won the '08 Olympics in the 5,000 meters and a silver in the 5,000 in the '04 Olympics.

Trevor Brazile: Pro Rodeo World All-Around Champion cowboy in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, and 2008. also won the Cowboy Triple-Crown in 2007, winning two individual championships (tie-down calf roping and steer roping) as well as the All-Around title, the first person to do so in more than 20 years and only the 8th in rodeo history.

 

[DixieDestroyer]

Phelps, Pudzianowski, Armstrong, Emelianenko & Federer.

 

[Freedom]

IMO, Cael Sanderson is the most dominating athlete in recent history. He NEVER LOST A MATCH IN HIS ENTIRE COLLEGIATE CAREER and won an Olympic Gold in 2004!!! Though he is semi-retired.

How about Tim Tebow? Pick either Chipper Jones or Joe Mauer for baseball. Then, I'd go with Sidney Crosby.

And for a fifth, uh..., Emalianenko. I love saying that name

.Edited by: Freedom

 

[Guest]

Good point, Freedom. Wrestling is so underexposed as a sport. Alexander Karelin is also up there as one of the most dominant athletes of all time in any sport. He won three gold medals and went undefeated in international competition from 1987-2000.

I'll also add that Mariusz Pudzianowski was an Olympic level boxer, probably has Mr. Olympia caliber bodybuilding genetics and, supposedly, is very fast in addition to his domination of World's Strongest Man.

Andy Souwer and or Mike Zambidis as stand-up fighters could be considered.

And as others have mentioned; Fedor, Wlad, Phelps, Calzaghe, and Armstrong are about as dominant as can be in their respective sports.

 

[DWFan]

I don't watch/am not knowledgeable about enough sports to come up with five. But my three: Fedor, Peyton Manning, Tom Brady.

 

[White Shogun]

Lots of good suggestions. I'll pick these five because I'm focusing on the 'dominance' aspect of the question, which to me means guys who have been at the top of their sport for years.

So I suggest, in no particular order, Woods, Calzaghe, Federer, Emilanenko, and Phelps. Lance Armstrong before his retirement would have to have made the list.

Wladimir Klitschko hasn't been champion long enough or defended his title enough times at this point for me to consider him 'dominant,' not in the same way the other men have. Not yet.

Brady and Manning are both great quarterbacks, but of the two I would say only Brady is 'dominant' because of his Super Bowl wins, although Manning did set the record for most TD's thrown in a season.

 

[Bart]

Brady and Manning are both great quarterbacks, but of the two I would say only Brady is 'dominant' because of his Super Bowl wins, although Manning did set the record for most TD's thrown in a season.

Both are great, for sure, but Manning's fabulous seasonof throwing 49 TD's - 10 INT's was eclipsed by Brady two years ago. Hetossed 50 TD's - 8 INT's. It's no secret I believe Brady is better, but aint it fantasticthat peoplecan make arguments for either of them.

 

[White Shogun]

Brady and Manning are both great quarterbacks, but of the two I would say only Brady is 'dominant' because of his Super Bowl wins, although Manning did set the record for most TD's thrown in a season.

Both are great, for sure, but Manning's fabulous season of throwing 49 TD's - 10 INT's was eclipsed by Brady two years ago.  He tossed 50 TD's - 8 INT's.  It's no secret I believe Brady is better, but aint it  fantastic that people can make arguments for either of them.

I forgot that Brady broke the record, thanks Bart!

 

[Sean]

Interesting thread. Emelianenko is without peers, so he would have to be on the list. A few mentioned Pudzianowski. It's true he is a legend in World's Strongest Man, but Zydrunas Savickas is just as accomplished in IFSA, and has won the Arnold Classic SIX times in a row! Federer and Nadal of course, already mentioned. Joe Calzaghe, Vitali Klitschko, with Wlad close behind. After his win over Penn, Georges St. Pierre should get some mention too.

 

[devans]

Wariner needed to take gold at the Olympics to show dominance at the event - so dosn't quite make my top 5 list, yet.


Usain Bolt would be on the list as he absolutely blew away the competition. But it is early days yet and I want to see if he can maintain that level of performance andif he gets caught for doping.


So my list is Ronaldo (best soccer player now for some time) Nadal, Klitscho, Calzaghe, and Chris Hoy (cyclist)

 

[Charles Martel]

Federer, Nadal, Woods, Calzaghe, and Fedor Emelianenko.

Wlad is very close, another win or two will put him there.

Having read the other posts here and given it more thought, I'm changing my picks:


Federer
Phelps
Woods
Armstrong
Emelianenko

 

[DixieDestroyer]

Dan Gable was another wrestling legend. Karelin would have been a BEAST in MMA, as would Sanderson.