MMA's All-Time Heavyweights

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They are the giants of full-contact fighting, the men who populate the heavyweight division. No other weight class provides a wider spectrum in terms of size, skill and personality. It has given rise to some of the sport’s most revered figures and some of its most hated characters. Together, they defined a generation with toughness, technique and a flair for the dramatic. They made us laugh, and they made us cry.

In conjunction with the 2011 Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix, which continues with the semifinals on Saturday in Cincinnati (Showtime 10 ET/PT), Sherdog.com has compiled its list of the 10 greatest heavyweight mixed martial artists of all-time. Members of the Sherdog editorial team -- Managing Editor Mike Fridley, Features Editor Brian Knapp, Administrative Editor Jordan Breen, News Editor Mike Whitman and Associate Editor Chris Nelson -- cast their votes for the Top 10 in a non-scientific poll sure to stir debate. Fighters received 10 points for a first-place vote, nine points for a second-place vote and so on. For each of the next five days, Sherdog will reveal two fighters who made the cut, beginning with No. 10 and No. 9, until the picture is complete.

Without question, this list will look far different in a few short years, as the sport remains in a constant state of evolution, but, for now, these are the men who have earned their heavyweight stripes.