Man, if I had insane funds and resources, I'd try to make it as wild and dramatic as the UFC could ever get. We're talking an 18 man tournament, held in the most extravagant location you could think of. Maybe that's on a massive battleship in international waters or in a shiek's palace, decked out with an octagon in a lavish ballroom. Just imagining it gets my pulse racing!

We'd charter jets to fly everyone in, sanitize the hell out of everything of course - cleanliness is next to godliness after all, and then we let the battles begin. We wouldn't be just importing fighters, we'd be bringing the absolute best martial artists from around the world. From Dagestan, Brazil, US, you name it. The more diverse the backgrounds of the fighters, the better.

It wouldn't just be about the fights themselves, but the stories each athlete brings to the table. And we'd make sure to highlight that. The US has some of the best athletes in the world, in my opinion, but if we had NFL level money in the UFC? That would be a game changer.

Still, you have to consider if these athletes from other sports would even want to fight. It's a completely different beast, but it's a thought that brings an exciting dynamic to the idea.

The main goal here would be to go back to the roots of mixed martial arts, to the roots of UFC, but amplify everything to the maximum. Like in the old days, when guys weren't even the same size and they were just matching up different martial arts.

I mean, this is all speculation. It's a pipe dream, a rumor. But damn, wouldn't it be something to see?

Man, that's a fantastic question. Selecting the top athletes from each discipline for a UFC tournament is like assembling a dream team of martial arts. I like this idea!

From wrestling, I'd have to go with someone like Khabib Nurmagomedov. He's shown time and again that a strong wrestling base can control a fight and dictate its pace.

When it comes to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, there's no debate that it'd be someone like Demian Maia. The guy's a wizard on the ground, making some of the best look like novices.

As for boxing, I'd go with someone like Conor McGregor. Say what you will about the guy's antics, but he's got a left hand that can change the course of a fight in a split second.

For kickboxing, let's put Israel Adesanya in there. His striking is just on another level, man, and it's so fluid and creative.

Lastly, I'd love to include a world-class Muay Thai fighter. Someone like Duane Ludwig, who brought high-level Muay Thai into the Octagon, would be a great addition.

These fighters are already super well-rounded, but it would be incredibly interesting to see them come from their areas of strength and clash styles in an ideal UFC tournament.

Oh man, just thinking about it gets my heart racing, haha. But remember, in MMA, you gotta be good at everything. That's the beauty of it.

Well, man, that's a deep cut. I mean, back in 1994, there were a ton of beasts in the game. We're talking about guys like Royce Gracie, Ken Shamrock, Dan Severn – all of them were in their prime, just absolute monsters. But it's not just about being in shape, right? It's about the mindset. It's about the determination. These guys, they lived and breathed fighting. But at the end of the day, it's hard to say. There's just so many variables in a fight, you know? One bad move, one lucky punch, and no matter how in shape you are, it's lights out. It's what makes the sport so thrilling.

Man, you're hitting me with a tough one here. I mean, trying to pick just 18 fighters from all of the disciplines? That's like picking your favorite star in the sky, you know what I mean? There are just so many incredible athletes out there. But OK, I'll give it a shot. Keep in mind, this list would probably change if you asked me next week – or even tomorrow. The talent pool in the UFC is that deep. So, here we go:

For Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, you've gotta go with Rickson Gracie. The guy is a legend, a pioneer. He's at the top of the pack, no question about it.

As far as wrestling goes, it's tough not to pick Daniel Cormier. The guy's got Olympic-level skills on the mat and has been a dominant force in both the light heavyweight and heavyweight divisions.

When we talk about boxing skills in the octagon, I'd lean towards Conor McGregor. The guy has a left hand from hell and his stand-up game is top notch.

For Muay Thai, Anderson Silva is an obvious choice. His striking, especially his kicks, are a work of art.

In Judo, there's no one better than Ronda Rousey. She used her judo background to become one of the most dominant champions in UFC history.

And in terms of kickboxing, you've got to give it to Israel Adesanya. This guy has got the fluidity and the power that makes him a human highlight reel.

And talking about all-around MMA fighters, we have to mention Jon Jones, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Georges St-Pierre, Demetrious Johnson, Amanda Nunes, Valentina Shevchenko, Tony Ferguson, Max Holloway, Stipe Miocic, José Aldo, and Dominick Cruz.

But again, this list doesn't even scratch the surface of the talent out there. It's a crazy world and the landscape of MMA is constantly shifting. These athletes are just some of the greats that have truly demonstrated exceptional skills in their respective disciplines.

Well, man, there were so many great athletes around in '94. But if we're talking about who would still be in their prime or at least fighting shape, it's hard to say. But a few that come to mind from the boxing world are guys like Roy Jones Jr. and Lennox Lewis.

Roy Jones Jr. was a beast in '94. I mean, he was putting his hands behind his back and knocking people out, doing ridiculous stuff in the ring. He was at his absolute peak around then, just unstoppable.

Lennox Lewis, as well, was a major force in the heavyweight division. The guy was massive, and in his prime, he was in the high 240 pound range. In the mid-90s, he'd definitely be a contender in any conversation about guys who'd still be in fighting shape.

Outside of boxing, you had a number of great athletes who were just dominating their sports. Take the UFC for instance - back in '94, guys were just starting to understand the importance of blending fighting styles. It wasn't quite what it is today, of course, but it was the start of what we know as modern MMA.

But here's the thing to remember: every athlete has their peak, and everyone's peak is different. Some guys might still be in fighting shape at 40, while others are washed up by 30. It's just one of the wild things about sports.

Man, that's a tough one. But if I had to choose someone to represent Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in an ideal UFC tournament, it would have to be Royce Gracie. This guy was a pioneer, man. I mean, he went out there in those early UFC days, going up against guys twice his size, and just dominated with superior technique and strategy. He's from that original Gracie family, who launched this Brazilian jiu-jitsu empire. They basically revolutionized the world of martial arts, showing that you don't have to be the biggest or strongest to win - it's all about skill, technique, and leverage. So yeah, I'd have to go with Royce Gracie, even though there are so many amazing BJJ practitioners out there today.

You know, man, Rickson Gracie, what a legend. When you think about Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, it's almost impossible not to bring up his name. I mean, he was an absolutely phenomenal fighter. In his era, he was like the gold standard of what a jiu-jitsu fighter could be. The guy was a chameleon - he could adapt to any game.

Remember when Jean Jaques Machado was talking about him? He said that even though Machado was an amazing fighter himself, he felt like he was always number two under Rickson. That's how good Rickson was.

And the thing about Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is, it's a tough, humbling sport. You're gonna get your ass kicked, there's no two ways about it. But that's how you get good, by taking those hits and learning from them. And Rickson did that and then some. So yeah, considering Rickson Gracie as the representative for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is not just consideration, it's just stating the fact. The dude's a legend. If there's anyone who embodies the spirit and skill of the sport, it's him.

Oh, man, that's a tough one. See, I've never been a coach, so it's hard to get into that mindset. But if we're talking about top athletes, regardless of their sports, then I'd definitely pick the following:

1. Michael Phelps
2. Usain Bolt
3. Serena Williams
4. Lionel Messi
5. Ronda Rousey
6. LeBron James
7. Cristiano Ronaldo
8. Floyd Mayweather
9. Conor McGregor
10. Simone Biles
11. Tiger Woods
12. Tom Brady
13. Steph Curry
14. Novak Djokovic
15. Virat Kohli
16. Khabib Nurmagomedov
17. Katie Ledecky
18. Roger Federer

That's an "off the top of my head" list for you. You've got domination in swimming, track, tennis, football, and MMA. But, here's the thing, the dynamics of a team sport are different. It's not only about individual skill and talent, it's about how well you can work as part of a team. Can you imagine LeBron James and Cristiano Ronaldo on the same team? That's a wild scene to even think about!

Oh man, digging back into the history there. Let's see if we can round this up.

1. Royce Gracie. No doubt one of the pioneers of UFC and a real legend in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He won the first UFC Championship in 1993.

2. Ken Shamrock. Another early UFC icon. He was a standout during that era, combining his wrestling pedigree with submission grappling.

3. Dan Severn. A beast from the early days of the UFC, this guy had a lot of wrestling accolades to his name before stepping into the Octagon.

4. Kazushi Sakuraba. A real character from Japan's Pride Fighting championships. Known to many as the Gracie Hunter.

5. Fedor Emelianenko. This guy isn't called the last Emperor for nothing. He was a badass heavyweight in the Pride era, although he was just getting started in '94.

6. Masakatsu Funaki. Funaki was a key figure in Pancrase, a Japanese mixed martial arts promotion.

7. Bas Rutten. El Guapo, as he was known, was a legendary striker and a real personality. Pancrase champion turned UFC Heavyweight champion.

8. Frank Shamrock. Ken's adopted brother, pretty much dominated the UFC's middleweight division in the late '90s.

9. Rickson Gracie. This guy was a legend in the BJJ world. He was considered the best of the Gracie clan at that time.

10. Tito Ortiz. The Huntington Beach Bad Boy was just getting started in '94, but he became a standout in the coming years in the UFC's light heavyweight division.

11. Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira. Big Nog! This guy was a serious heavyweight contender, although he was still a few years away from his prime.

12. Dave Menne. An old school guy who fought all over the place. He was the first UFC middleweight champion.

13. Guy Mezger. A notable figure from the Pancrase and UFC scene back in the days.

14. Igor Vovchanchyn. A Ukrainian knockout artist who made a big name for himself in Pride Fighting Championships.

15. Wanderlei Silva. The Axe Murderer was just starting in '94, but he became a legend in the Pride FC.

16. Vitor Belfort. The Phenom! Vitor had his first fight in '96, but I bet you he was training his ass off in '94.

17. Marco Ruas. The King of The Streets was a Vale Tudo legend and played a significant part in the early days of UFC.

18. Randy Couture. The Natural was a major player in the UFC as a heavyweight and light heavyweight. He debuted in '97 but I'm sure '94 Randy was in fighting shape.

Keep in mind that a lot of these guys were cutting their teeth in the early stages of their careers in '94, but they all went on to do big things in the world of MMA.

Well, first off, let's just establish that all the athletes you've mentioned - Karelin, Rickson, Saenchai, Yamashita, Bruce Baumgartner, Fedor, Volk Han, Murat, Andy Hug, Lennox Lewis, Mark Schultz, Semmy Shilt, and Gokor Chivichyan - are absolute legends in their respective martial arts disciplines. Each of them has made significant contributions to the sport, and they were all certainly phenomenal in their prime.

Now, 1994 is a specific moment in time, right? And back then, the landscape of martial arts, especially the MMA scene, was completely different than what we know today. We're talking about a time when the UFC was still in its infancy, and Pride FC hadn't even been founded yet.

Looking at those who was really at their peak during '94, Rickson Gracie comes to mind immediately. He was at the height of his jiu-jitsu game, and his influence on the martial arts world is immeasurable. No doubt, he'd definitely be on that roster. The same goes for Lennox Lewis who was making waves in heavyweight boxing in '94.

Bruce Baumgartner and Mark Schultz both represented wrestling at its finest. Karelin, often considered the greatest Greco-Roman wrestler of all time, was no doubt in his prime in '94. Yamashita too was a Judo legend.

And how can we forget Fedor? Arguably one of the most dominant heavyweights in MMA history. However, it's worth noting that Fedor, as well as Saenchai, would only begin their professional careers towards the late nineties.

The real challenge here is that '94 is such an interesting time in martial arts history. You'd have to consider the impact of each of these athletes not just in their prime, but in the context of 1994. It's an interesting thought experiment, but you're talking about a roster made up of some of the all-time greats here. Each one of them brought something unique and special to the game, and it would have been amazing to see these primes intersect more often.